Open almost any online course and you'll find discussion forums in one unit after the other. As teachers, we've been led to believe that forums are an important element of an online course. Forums are supposed to promote interaction, engagement, and a sense of community. Not so though, at least in most of the courses I've seen! Community, interaction, and engagement are important, but forums are not required to make that happen. In this presentation, I'll tell you why you should stop using forums and what you should be doing instead!

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Why You Should Stop Using Forums
Michelle Moore
eLearning Consultancy
@michelledmoore

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1) You require every student to post.

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2) You use forums for participation points.

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3) You work harder than your students.

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4) Your students aren’t posting.

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5) Everyone else is doing it.

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Think AUTHENTICITY!

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And, choose the right tool for the job.

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If the goal is resource sharing, try the . . .

13. Glossary

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If the goal is reflection, try the . . .

15. Blog

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Or, integrate social media.

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If the goal is peer evaluation, try the . . .

18. Workshop

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If the goal is community building, try a . . .

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Synchronous Meeting

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If the goal is content generation, try a . . .

22. Wiki

23. Before using forums, ask . . .
› Is there something better?
› Are students applying knowledge
elsewhere?
› Have you created a safe space?
› Have you prepared students to
participate?
› What is the purpose of the forum and
have you made that clear?

24. If using forums, try . . .
› Groups
› Peer assessment
› Peer partners
› Student-led discussion
› Optional forum participation
› Role play
› Student summaries
› Q & A forum type
› Audio and video contributions

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26. › Michelle@eLearningConsultancy.com
› @michelledmoore
› http://slideshare.net/michelledmoore
Michelle Moore