Chapter 9: Student-Student Interaction
At the very mention of an 'online' class, many students and faculty make multiple assumptions. One of the most frequent assumptions includes a lack of social presence within an online course. However, online courses can provide plenty of student interaction using the Discussion Board, and other interactive features in Blackboard.
The Discussion Board is a content area where instructors can present debatable and/or re-searchable topics for their students to interact. These Threads can contain a variety of individual goals and topics--whatever the instructor deems appropriate for their course. While reading a question and providing a response may sound rather bland, the challenge of the topic remains in the control of the instructor him/herself. Additionally, the Discussion Board is the perfect place for students to ask their instructor(s) questions, seek assistance, and interact with their peers in the individual Threads.
Typically, student-to-student interaction is a tricky and challenging aspect of an online course. However, many best practices can help instructors build a strong, interactive presence among their students.
This chapter will present many best practices for student-to-student interaction, and instruct you on how to create a Discussion Forum.
The Discussion Board is a content area where instructors can present debatable and/or re-searchable topics for their students to interact. These Threads can contain a variety of individual goals and topics--whatever the instructor deems appropriate for their course. While reading a question and providing a response may sound rather bland, the challenge of the topic remains in the control of the instructor him/herself. Additionally, the Discussion Board is the perfect place for students to ask their instructor(s) questions, seek assistance, and interact with their peers in the individual Threads.
Typically, student-to-student interaction is a tricky and challenging aspect of an online course. However, many best practices can help instructors build a strong, interactive presence among their students.
This chapter will present many best practices for student-to-student interaction, and instruct you on how to create a Discussion Forum.
Learning Objectives
- Discuss best practices regarding student-to-student interaction in the online classroom.
- Build a discussion in Blackboard.
Sections in this Chapter
Click the links below to visit the sections in this chapter.
- 9.1 Best Practices for Student-to-Student Interaction
- 9.2 Creating Discussions in Blackboard
- 9.3 Chapter 9 Activities
- 9.4 Chapter 9 Discussions and Case Studies
- 9.5 Chapter 9 Checklist
Next Steps
When you are ready, proceed to Section 9.1 Best Practices for Student-to-Student Interaction