Early Internet forums could be described as web versions of newsgroups or electronic mailing lists; allowing people to post messages and comment on other messages. Later developments emulated the different newsgroups or individual lists, providing more than one forum, dedicated to a particular topic. At first, Internet forums had the same structure as a guestbook or mailing list, but the Ultimate Bulletin Board software, created in 1996, invented a table-based layout that evolved into the designs used in modern software such as vBulletin and phpBB (Wikipedia.com).
Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is the name given to a large set of functions
in which computers are used to support human communication. CMC can be defined
narrowly or broadly, depending on how one defines human communication. At its
narrowest, CMC refers to computer applications for direct human-to-human communication.
This
includes electronic mail, group conferencing systems and interactive 'chat'
systems. At its broadest, CMC can encompass virtually all computer uses. Santoro
uses a tripart definition of CMC that includes computer conferencing (computer
as communications device>; Informatics (computer as data manager) and computer-based
instruction (computer as tutor) (Santoro, 1995).
Why would a secondary teacher want to use computer-mediated discussion (CMD), often called discussion boards?
The experiences described by middle school teacher William Ferriter (2005) echo the findings of many post-secondary studies. He believes that the students who are presently in our classrooms have grown up using many forms of communication, are technologically literate, and are increasingly fluent with, and motivated by, digital dialogue.
Ferriter established an online discussion board that related to his science curriculum, hoping to vie for some of the online attention of his middle school students. After several months, and over 8000 hits, he had these observations:
“Middle grades students are motivated by electronic conversations and will participate in structured discussions on science related content when given such opportunities.
“Electronic conversations provide an “equalizing opportunity: for students who are typically disenfranchised. Students who are socially, academically, or economically isolated participate in electronic conversations at higher rates than they participate in classroom conversations.
“Middle grades students who face social pressures to conform engage in electronic conversations at higher rates than they participate in classroom conversations. Middle grade girls especially benefit from electronic conversations. Standing out is seen as threatening, even intimidating. This struggle for acceptance can lead to unwillingness to participate in classroom discussions and activities. The relatively anonymous nature of digital dialogue serves as a “safety blanket” for students who are afraid of public risk or ridicule.
“Electronic conversation can challenge the thinking. Students who participate are forced to clarify their pre-existing notions as they consider alternative positions. This process of mental justification, a higher-level thinking skill, is one of the strongest benefits of electronic conversations.”
Ferriter concludes, “Electronic conversations are going to be an important part of communication in the future. Incorporating them into our instructional practices today is a valuable way to extend learning beyond the school day, to engage students that are otherwise overlooked, and to expose students to an instructional benefit of technology which they many be unaware.”
Words in Times New Roman italics are directly quoted from the source identified.
What are the goals of on-line discussion?
The discussion method is one of the most commonly used pedagogical techniques in the online classroom. Discussion is widely used because it can promote several types of thinking and the goal of discussion board itself is to promote thinking. There are four types of thinking that has been identified when using discussion board: critical thinking, higher-order thinking, distributed thinking, and constructive thinking (Muilenburg & Berge, 2002) (more about this see pedagogical considerations).
What are the advantages of on-line discussion?
Enhancing communication
Web-based education tools provide many ways to increase communication between
class members and faculty, including discussion boards, chats, and e-mails.
Researchers have found that adding these elements to a course increases student
motivation and participation in class discussions and projects. Students are
"more willing to participate [and] a measure of anonymity, which serves
as a motivator… people feel more empowered. They are daring and confrontational
regarding the expression of ideas," (Kubala, 1998).
Students share perspectives
Online forums provide public areas to post information. Each student can view
another student's answers and learn through the exposure to different perspectives.
This benefits students because they can combine new opinions with their own,
and develop a solid foundation for learning. Research supports that "as
learners become aware of the variations in interpretation and construction of
meaning among a range of people [they] construct an individual meaning,"
(Alexander, 1997).
Students experience a sense
of equality
Another benefit to using web-based communication tools is to give all students
a reinforced sense of equality. Each individual has the same opportunity to
"speak up" by posting messages without typical distractions such as
seating arrangements, volume of student voices, and gender biases. Shy and anxious
students feel more comfortable expressing ideas and backing up facts when posting
online instead of speaking in a lecture room. Studies prove that online discussions
provoke more confrontational and direct communication between students.
Active learning
When instructors post discussion questions or short essay assignments in the
online portion of a course, students must attend to and reflect on the subject
matter before responding. This results in reflection and articulation of content,
as the very process of reporting and writing about what they have learned engages
students in an activity learning experience. Students can complete assignments
during their most productive times.
Physical location is not an issue
Students on group projects must coordinate schedules. Sometimes this is not
possible so students end up working independently and in a piece-meal approach
to the project. With on-line discussion tools, this is no longer an issue. Students
can communicate and update each other without the constraints of date, time,
and place.
(adapted from tlt.its.psu.edu)