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Asynchronous, text-based discussion can provide rich learning opportunities , offer greater flexibility to students, and  and can be simpler be simple to set up. 

Why asynchronous?  

Live, or 'synchronous' learning activities and assessments can disadvantage students when they are based in different locations and and time zones . For example, a quiz set for 2pm 2 pm London time will open in Australia at 1am1 am. 

Asynchronous discussion isn’t just a fallback for a fall-back for when we can’t offer synchronous learning and has and has its own distinct own distinct advantages, includingincluding:    

  • More time for students to gather their thoughts, collect evidence, plan their response responses and reflect on other contributions. This can greatly improve the quality of contribution and discussiondiscussion; 
  • More accessible to students who find it difficult to speak up , have specific have specific learning differences , such as dyslexia , or for whom English is not their first language;    
  • Forums are simple to set up and participate in at your own pace.    

To hear first-hand the benefits and experiences of using asynchronous discussion forums, watch the watch  the following  short video  (run time: 6m 41s, courtesy of UNSW, Australia).      

General principles 

Discussion forums should have a clear purpose  and  and build towards towards an outcome so  so that students are motivated to participate. To deliver a successful forum activity you should: 

  • Establish clear expectations in terms of frequency of moderation by tutors, required post length, and  peer peer feedback etiquette. ;
  • Provide a prompt or trigger to provoke conversationa prompt or trigger to provoke conversation; 
  • ModerateModerate  and scaffold discussion to keep things on things on track, encourage participation, draw out salient pointse participation, draw out salient points, ask  follow up -up questions and clarify misconceptions misconceptions; 
  • Provide a summary to allow students to draw conclusions and act and act as a reference point for later study. 

Avoid grading discussion posts as  as this   may deter students from posting   developing ideas or  or cause them to overly plan and perfect their posts.   Instead , consider  consider having the  discussion discussion feed into future assessment . For an example of this  see the Critical Review  see the Critical R eview section  below. 

Moodle recommendations 

  • Use  Advanced Forums ; they are similar to regular Moodle forums but allow you to search for author authors or keywords, and there is a quick summary report so you can gauge participation. 
  • In large cohorts, assign students to  Moodle Groups  to make the discussion more manageable.  
  • When setting up a Forum:    
    • Add brief but clear instructions to the Description. This is the first thing students see when they open the Forum. 
    • Use Discussion locking lockingto make forums read-only after a set amount of time. This keeps the discussion focused.  
    • Consider setting the Group mode for (under Common module settings) for your Forums to to Visible Groups  so that students can see, but not post, to the discussion of other groups. This can allow students to see a range of responses and feedback. The alternative is to set Group mode  to to Separate Groups  in in which students can't see each other's group discussion. 
    • Release your forum on a specific date by using  Restrict access . 
    • Integrate your forum with other Moodle activities ; to spark discussion, a dd a reading  reading using the the Reading List activity or  or a  Video . After the discussion, use the  Choice activity  to poll student's on on whether the forum debate debate changed their view.    

Example approaches 

Asynchronous discussion forums discussion forums can be used to teach and support teach and support a range of assessment tasksof assessment tasks. Some examples are examples are given below. These examples can examples can be adapted for adapted for a wide variety of academic disciplines and disciplines and are not intended to be prescriptivebe prescriptive. 

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titleCritical Review

Aim and and d escription

Develop student critical Develop student critical analysis and communication skills. Students write Students write a critique of a text, either written or multimedia, and post and post it to the discussion forum. They must then comment then comment on each other’s critiques using critiques using criteria or guidance set by the tutor. The  The activity could occur multiple occur multiple times in a term but term but should be manageable to the student.    

Suggested assessment  

Discussion forum feedback on feedback on clarity of argument, evidence, communication skills, and grammar feeds grammar feeds forward into a summative critical review.  Actions required by learner   

Actions required by learner

Write a critical review of a reading, engage with other student's reviews. 

Actions required by tutor Actions required by tutor(s) 

  • Add text to Add text to be reviewed:
  • Create Forum: 
    • Forum type: Standard Standard forum for general use .  
    • Moderate forum: encourage  encourage students to view other reviews and feedback.  
    • Create Create a Turnitin assignment dropboxassignment dropbox  for student to submit final summative review. 
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titleCase Study

Aim  and descriptionand description

Have students apply their knowledge in an authentic scenarioan authentic scenario. Students are given a scenario and a series of case questions that they must respond to in questions that they must respond to in the discussion forum. Once they have provided their own answers, they must provide constructive feedback on other student postsstudent posts.    

Suggested assessment

Students are assessed on the quality and quantity of their posts, including proving providing a complete response to the the case or scenario, using relevant evidence, clarity of expression, grammar, making the minimum number of substantial posts, and their ability to contribute rather than dominate the discussion. 

Actions Required by Learner

Respond to case scenario and questions in a substantive and timely manner. Make a constructive response to another student's post.    

Actions Required by Tutor(s)

  • Create Advanced ForumCreate Advanced Forum: 
    • Forum Type: select Q and A forum if if you want students to answer first before they see other responses or responses, or Standard forum  for for general use if use  if students can answer any question on a first come first served basis. 
    • Set Discussion locking to to one or two weeks. 
  • Organise ForumOrganise Forum: 
    • Create a topic discussion which which includes the spark or question stem, all the questions, and a summary of any instructions for students to follow. Pin it to the top of the forum.
    • Create a topic discussion for each question. This helps break down posts into a thread for each question.
    • Assign students to specific questions by appending their name to the title of the discussion post.
  • Moderate Forum: use structured  use structured points to add to discussionto discussion, and address and address any misconceptions. 
  • Post Post a  summary summary statement at the end of each case providing feedback and summary notes for student to refer back tostudents to refer back to.
  • Grade posts in Moodle or separately e.g. Excel rubric which is then uploaded to students. 
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titleCritical Debate

Tim Neumann has kindly provided an example on running a live online debate online debate with 2 groups on Moodle. The  The example provided below substitutes an asynchronous an asynchronous discussion forum for the live debate and includes forum for the live debate and includes a potential setup for when there are more than two debate groups. 

Aim and description

Have students practice students practice their critical thinking, persuasive  persuasive writing, group work and communication skills.  Students are divided into groups “For” and “Against” and are assigned to a thesis statement to   Students are divided into groups “For” and “Against” and are assigned to a thesis statement to debate in a discussion forum. 

Suggested assessment

Student groups Student groups are assessed on their understanding of the thesis statement, presentation of their argument, and group workthe thesis statement, presentation of their argument, and group work. Students are also assigned to one debate to one debate to read, and vote pre and post debate.    

Actions Required by Learner

Critically analyse thesis statement from analyse thesis statement from an assigned point of view; develop arguments and anticipate counterarguments. Organise argument structure and order  develop arguments and anticipate counterarguments. Organise argument structure and order of speaking. Take  Take turns in groups, posting to the forum opening posting to the forum opening arguments, followed by speaker arguments, and finally closing arguments.      

Actions Required by Tutor(s)

  • Organise debate groups: 
    • Assign students to debate to debate groups, one for each thesis statement, in which students are allocated to “For”  in which students are allocated to “For” or “Against”.  Assign each debate group another debate to   
    • Assign each debate group another debate to view/follow as an audience. 
    • Post an announcement with group information, you might want to summarise group allocations in a table.    
  • Create Debate Groups in Moodle:    
    • Name Groups by Thesis Statement; 
    • Include “For” and “Against” students Include “For” and “Against” students in the one group.    
  • Create Advanced Create Advanced Forum for Practice: 
    • Forum Type:    Standard forum for general use ; 
    • Group Mode: Separate Groups Groups; 
  • Create Advanced Create Advanced Forum for the debate:    
    • Description: Include list of groups and thesis statements, and a summary of debate format; 
    • Forum Type:   Standard forum for general use;  
    • Set Discussion locking to to one week; 
    • Group Mode: Visible Groups; 
    • Set Restrict Access to Accesss to Date you want forum to be released. 
  • Prepare Debate Forum: 
    • Create one Topic Discussion for each debate contribution, e.g. Opening Statements, Speaker 1, Speaker 2, Speaker 3, and Closing Statements (select option to copy to all groups). 
  • Create Polls Create Polls (pre and post debate): 
    • For small number of groups: Create two Choice activities for activities for each debate.    
    • For larger cohorts  and and multiple groups: Create Create two Opinio PollsOpinio Polls  which allow student to specify the debate they are voting on and their vote. Add the poll URLs to Add the poll URLs to Moodle. 
    • Release pre pollRelease pre poll. 
    • Release post poll after poll after the debate concludes concludes (either manually or with Restrict Access).    
  • Moderate debateModerate debate: 
    • Announce Announce the start of the debate(s) and encourage students to complete pre-poll. 
    • Check in periodically to make sure debatein periodically to make sure debate(s) are progressing are progressing. 
    • Announce the end the end of the debatethe debate(s), encourage students to complete post  encourage students to complete post poll, and to read other group debatesto read other group debates. 
    • Announce the debate winners. 
  • Grade Group debate eGrade Group debate e.g. Excel rubric which is then uploaded to students andstudents and/or peer feedback using Opinio. 
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titleReflective Discussion

Aim and and d escription:  

Have students share and discuss their share and discuss their experiences with one another to another to facilitate reflective thinking and thinking and peer learning. The experience could be a time on placement, a  a common experience or a general a general theme. 

Suggested assessment: 

Although discussion posts are not assessed, they can be used as evidence in a summative reflective blog. 

Actions Required by Learner: 

Write a reflective first-hand account of an of an experience. Post  Post a reply to at least one other post.    

Actions Required by Tutor(s): 

  • Create Advanced ForumCreate Advanced Forum: 
    • Forum Type:  Standard forum for general use  
  • Request a  Reflect class blog  for students to make summative reflective blog posts.    
  • Moderate Forum:    
    • Encourage Encourage participation: “What  “What do others think?” “Did ” “Did anyone have a similar experience?” ” 
    • Challenge students to reflect: “You’ve  “You’ve mentioned X, why do you think this happened? “How would ” “How would you approach things differently now?” ” 
  • Post a summary statement at the end of each case providing feedback and summarising summarising emergent themes.
Expand
titleRole Play

Aim and description: and description

Encourage empathetic and critical thinking by having students research students research and act out  given given roles.  A student's responses must demonstrate their understanding of the A student's responses must demonstrate their understanding of the role as applied to a scenario provided by the teacher. For example, a discussion  a discussion of sustainability where students are given the role of conservationists, scientists, politicians, NGOs, stakeholders (see Oliver see Oliver 2016).  AlternativelyAlternatively, roles could be distinguished using a theoretical model or be distinguished using a theoretical model or level of analysis, e.g. “e “explain the phenomena of hof hyperinflation from one from one of the following perspectivesfollowing perspectives: Post-Keynesian, Monetarist Monetarist, Macroeconomic, Microeconomic, or Behavioural Economics.” ” 

Suggested assessment:  

Students are assessed on t heir knowledge of the role as applied in applied in the given scenario, as well as  well as their presentationtheir presentation, communication skills, and group contribution. 

Actions Required by Learner:  

Collaborate with other group members to to respond to the scenario to the scenario and present to the to the class. Engage with with and critique critique other presentations.  Respond within the time allowed to follow up questions. 

Actions Required by Tutor(s): 

  • Create Advanced Forum: 
    • Forum type: Standard forum for  Standard forum for general use. 
    • Group mode: Visible groups (so that all students can view). Create a topic discussion with
    • Add a new discussion with opening scenario. summary of any instructions for students to follow. Pin it to the top of the forum. 
  • Create Rehearsal Forum for students to discuss their roles, research the scenario, practice order practice order of speaking. 
    • Forum type: Standard forum for general use . 
    • Group mode: Separate groups (so that only the students in the group and moderator can see the rehearsal). Create a topic discussion with
    • Add a new discussion with example scenario. 
  • Moderate forum:    
    • Release forum. 
    • Post scenario and scenario and invite responses.  Ask follow up questions to   
    • Ask follow up questions to the group or individuals eindividuals e.g. “How would each of you respond to the claim that X?” “Michael” “Michael, what would you consider is the key difference between your explanation and that of Y?” Facilitate any questions ” 
    • Facilitate any questions from the audience.    

References

:

 

Oliver, Simon. (2016). Integrating role-play with case study and carbon footprint monitoring: A transformative approach to enhancing learners’ social behavior for social behavior for a more sustainable environment. 11. 1323-1335. 10.12973/ijese.2016.346a. 

Further examples

There are a range of research-backed, practical guides and resources online which can assist you to design and use asynchronous discussion effectively.