There are two main roles a teacher can take in online discussions - a silent moderator or an involved participant. As a silent moderator, the teacher limits their involvement to posting discussion questions and monitoring the discussion, allowing students to take ownership. As an involved participant, the teacher actively engages in the discussion by responding to students, asking follow-up questions, and ensuring the conversation stays on track regarding the curriculum. Whichever role is chosen, the teacher must be careful not to dominate the discussion and should limit their responses, instead encouraging depth from students.

1. The Role Of A Teacher In Online Discussions
A teacher can choose to be a silent moderator or an involved participant in
discussions depending on his or her objectives. There are benefits to each style of
moderation. It is important that each individual teacher construct a clear role for their
involvement in the online forum so students know what to expect during online
discussions.
Silent Moderator
A teacher who uses online discussions to compliment and extend in-class curriculum may
choose to be a silent moderator by limiting his or her involvement to posting questions
for students to discuss. This role allows students the opportunity to take charge of the
discussion and, subsequently, their own discovery of knowledge.
Teachers who choose not to actively engage in the discussions can take the information,
insights, ideas, etc. presented in the online forum and weave them into classroom
discussions and activities. [For more on this read “Weaving the Online Discussions Into
the Classroom.”] By restricting the teacher role to that of a silent moderator, the teacher
does not filter or determine the direction of the discussion. Instead, students are allowed
to engage freely in dialogue with their peers.
Tasks of a silent moderator include:
• Posting questions that will drive higher-level thinking and engage students in
dynamic discussions.
• Reading student responses in a timely manner to ensure the tone of the
conversation stays respectful.
• Removing any postings that are not conducive to maintaining a safe online
environment, then communicating with students via individual messages or
email to ensure future adherence to established expectations.
• Responding to student questions and concerns via email or individual messages.
• Actively referring to and drawing from online discussions while in class to ensure
students see the value of their discussion in relation to curriculum.
• Using the participation report each week to ensure all students are participating
in the online discussion according to set expectations.
Go to www.CollaborizeClassroom.com for more information

2. The Role Of A Teacher In Online Discussions
Involved Participant
A teacher who plans to use the online environment to build on concepts or content
introduced in class may choose to be an involved participant by regularly engaging in
the discussion. This role allows the teacher to steer the direction of the dialogue to
ensure that the conversations stay focused on particular aspects of the curriculum. The
teacher also has the freedom to model online etiquette, ask follow-up questions,
compliment student responses and clarify confusions.
The teacher who chooses to be an involved facilitator must be careful not to over power
the discussion or post an overwhelming number of responses. It can be helpful for an
involved facilitator to limit his or her responses to the same number of responses
required of his or her students each week. This will also alleviate the burden of feeling
that the facilitator must respond to each student or each discussion thread.
Tasks of an involved facilitator include:
• Posting questions that will drive higher-level thinking and engage students in
dynamic discussions.
• Reading student responses in a timely manner to ensure the conversation stays
on track and tone stays respectful.
• Responding to strong postings with complementary feedback, asking follow up
questions that redirect the conversation, encouraging more depth in student
responses, playing devil’s advocate, clarifying confusions, offering insights, etc.
• Removing any postings that are not conducive to maintaining the safe space,
then using the incidence as a teachable moment where safe space expectations
are revisited.
• Answering student questions in the online forum so all students can benefit from
the answer.
• Actively referring to and drawing from online discussions while in class to ensure
students see the value of their discussion in relation to curriculum.
• Using the participation report each week to ensure all students are participating
in the online discussion according to set expectations.
Go to www.CollaborizeClassroom.com for more information

3. The Role Of A Teacher In Online Discussions
Keep Your Community Thriving
To maximize student involvement, the involved facilitator should:
• Limit commentary. Do not be overly involved in the discussion.
• Allow the students to reach conclusions on their own, even if it takes time. Do
not be the source of “right answers.”
• Keep positive feedback specific, genuine and authentic. Avoid generic or vague
compliments.
Catlin Tucker is an English teacher at Windsor High School and has worked in Sonoma County for nine years. She
currently teaches 9th and 10th grade English and has previously taught 11th grade Advanced Placement English. She also
teaches online college research writing courses through Axia College.
Catlin earned her B.A. in English Literature from the University of California, Los Angeles and her Single Subject English
Credential and Education Masters from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her Masters in Education focused on
creating and maintaining a safe space in the classroom to lower the affective filter and create a more supportive and
effective learning environment.
She is currently part of the Collaborize Team, designing resources for the education market.
Go to www.CollaborizeClassroom.com for more information