Creating a Good Discussion Question Response

Each week of class, except the weeks of the Mid-Term and Final, you will be expected to respond in a qualitative, substantive and precise manner to Discussion Questions (DQ), which follow each Lecture/Lesson. These DQ's are derived from your required chapter readings in the text, lectures and/or videos for the class. Each DQ is worth 1-point and should be at least one or two paragraphs long. Discussion Questions allow for critical thinking, thoughtful and collaborative discussion between you and your classmates, and by sharing ideas with your peers, you lend support, assist in clarifying their ideas, help solve a problem, all the while providing factual evidence to support your opinion. Your responses to the DQ's also help me tell whether-or-not you really understood what you were reading about.

Below, please find some helpful techniques that may assist you when responding to the DQ's:

• Post your answers/opinions early, so you can come back later and reply to your classmates' answers/opinions before the Discussion Board closes.
• Expand on the topic.
• Provide links and resources related to the topic that would be of interest to other participants.
• Work to respond with something that adds value to the discussion.
• Be thoughtful and considerate when responding to your classmates.
• Pose a thought-provoking question related to the topic.
• Collect multiple perspectives on a topic or provide an alternative perspective to the one currently dominating the discussion.
• Don't depend on "Me too" or "I agree" posts. Make your posts substantial.

Good luck and smooth sailing!

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Sources:

Prof. Burks Oakley II, Univ. of Illinois at Springfield, "Internet and American Life." (2010).

Online Discussion Response Techniques <http://innovate-ideagora.ning.com>.