skillsassess

toc =Discussion Skills=

Define Expectations

 * How often they must participate?
 * The norm is 3 posts per week; first post due mid-week, others due at the end of the week
 * What will a quality post look like?
 * Subject headings
 * Addressing who they are responding to
 * Name of recipient
 * Author signature
 * Response length requirements
 * A minimum - for the "just getting by" students
 * A maximum - for the "I can't stop" students - the dominating conversationalists
 * What does a poor quality post look like? What students should avoid?
 * Provide examples of good and bad posts
 * Model - and explain - what you want them to do
 * Rules for civility
 * Decorum - some students will say things online they would never say f2f - so teach them that the same standards apply to both f2f and online discussions
 * No bullying
 * No flaming
 * No name-calling
 * No cursing
 * No blaming
 * Writing style
 * No text-message shorthand
 * Proper written English
 * Use word processor spell check, then copy and paste into discussion

Explain

 * The differences between affect and cognition
 * Address emotional responses vs. cognitive responses
 * Help students focus on being objective rather than reactive
 * Provide examples of feeling answers and thinking answers
 * Be specific
 * Avoid using "feel" for "think"
 * Not "What do you feel about ..." Rather "What do you think about ..."

=Discussion Types=
 * Individual
 * Group


 * One question
 * Many questions

=Assessment=
 * Digital image
 * Podcast, audio clip, TV Clip
 * Video - YouTube, TeacherTube

Discussions should always count for part of the grade. Weight discussions enough to produce external motivation. As they become engaged (and they will), the motivation will become internal.

My [|rubric]

Nick Toledo's [|rubric]

Other rubrics
 * [|http://mason.gmu.edu/~ndabbagh/wblg/online-protocol.html]
 * http://lpc1.clpccd.cc.ca.us/lpc/blackboard/discussions/discuss_rubrics.htm
 * http://www.luthersem.edu/rnysse/OT2116-50/ParticipationRubric.htm
 * http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/discussionrubric.html