For example, a Discussion Web could be created that has at its center the question (concept) "Why Do the Seasons Change? Among her examples are these: Jeanne Swafford, an associate professor of language literacy education at Texas Tech University, uses Alvermann's article to introduce her college students to Discussion Webs as a classroom strategy. Examples. Discussion boards have been a staple of online courses for decades. Your observations are so . She poses to students this question: Would sheep make good pets? Some of those questions would be perfect ones for applying the Discussion Web strategy and format at the upper grades: The possibilities for using Discussion Webs in the classroom are endless. © 2020 Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning - All Rights Reserved. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783190409554262, https://doi.org/10.1080/0363452032000135805, https://www.buzzfeed.com/kellymartinez/students-on-discussion-board-posts-who-are-honestly-trying. And quality requires instructor engagement and thoughtful construction of discussion assignments. ", "Throughout their study of the seasons, students have the opportunity to discuss the information they add to their Web," continues Swafford. Web-based teaching starts with identifying and vetting your resources, creating a lesson plan, and developing online handouts that provide information and encourage student participation. Because once the strategy is used -- once students grow familiar and comfortable with it -- the students are bound to start coming up with their own questions! Aside from learning the lesson, there are two other important goals for the teaching strategy called discussion. Opinions are fine as long as they are supported by information from the text or by personal experience. Provide a structure. 2010). Classroom participation and discussion effectiveness: Student-generated strategies. Included: Tons of ideas for active discussions across the curriculum and across the grades! But the Discussion Web approach involves students -- all students -- in the process. Unlike email, the DB supports threaded messages organized by topics. established information. Yet not all students participate equally in a face-to-face seminar. Incorporate Student Interactivity. ", "In the column on one side of the question, students record what they think before they engage in reading and other classroom experiences," Swafford explains. Discussion is important to learning in all disciplines because it helps students process information rather than simply receive it. Shinsky & Stevens/TEACHING USING WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS 199 Help students immerse and reflect. The opportunities for using Discussion Webs across the curriculum widen. Kindergarten and first-grade teachers are using them, too! And as students polish their critical thinking and debating skills, they are able to handle more involved issues. (See illustration below.). Discussion Webs are a great way to engage students in meaningful conversation and spark critical thinking at the same time. say that all students would write throwaway responses if more than one was They help students to organize their thinking, examine (and learn tolerance for) other points of view, and draw richer understanding from the materials they read. Subscribing to receive email alerts of new postings can help participants keep up with a conversation without checking back into the discussion forum repeatedly. The takeaway for faculty? While researchers ", "This type of discussion differs from the more traditional pattern of classroom interaction in which teachers call on students to respond one at a time," Alvermann adds. one student to another add to the discussion board experience? If you find the right websites, forums, and online tools, it can make your planning simpler and more enjoyable while making your lessons more engaging and relevant to today’s students. By Edwige Simon. Here is a brief summary of how we have translated these student-generated categories into concrete pedagogical strategies to facilitate learning from class discussion. yet, in a compendium of Tweets compiled by an aggregator such as Buzzfeed Creating Engagement Through Discussion Forums Engaging students in the online environment presents different challenges than in face-to-face classrooms. This requires dialogue and both individual and group problem-solving strategies. I’ve been teaching at the university level for more than 30 years; for half those 3 decades, I’ve been teaching… After reading a selection, form groups of three to five students each. When I first started teaching, we had one computer in each office and each classroom, and I remember waiting in line to use it.We scheduled time in the LRC computer labs, but this was not guaranteed. It may be sometimes called a bulletin board, club, conference, or forum. Students will use character, setting, and plot to retell and make up their own versions of story events from Charlotte's Web using a comic strip format and the Make Your Own Comics interactive activity. fuel an impressive level of student contempt. Once teachers and students learn how to have robust online conversations, there is never any doubt as to what the students know and what needs to … This complexity is captured well by C. Roland (“Chris”) Christensen, who pioneered teaching by the case method and taught at the Harvard Business School for 50 years: [E]ffective preparation for discussion classes takes more time, because instructors must consider not only what they will teach, but also who and how. Make learning a community activity. In a paper she presented at the World Congress on Reading (1990), she suggested a number of possibilities for using Discussion Webs including: Students label one side of the Discussion Web "relevant" and the other side "irrelevant." To help the other participants quickly understand what your post is about, be sure that your title clearly indicates the content that will follow. classroom in every college curriculum. Swafford provides students with ideas for literature-based Discussion Web questions and solicits additional ideas from her students. It creates a ground for an open student engagement, but they also facilitate critical thinking and a sense of For example, write an outline or guiding questions on the board. Combine discussions with other teaching methods. The Daily Word on the Web: How I Use It Teaching Discussion Sections Discussion sections provide opportunities for collaboration and active learning that do not always take place in a traditional lecture context. In a paper she presented at the World Congress on Reading (1990), she suggested a number of possibilities for using Discussion Webs including: Social Studies. Another possible literature-related use for Discussion Webs from Alvermann's article: Students might use the Discussion Web to analyze an author's perspective. "The Discussion Web requires students to work in cooperative learning groups, not alone.". Holiday Cheer - Supporting Colleagues from Afar. Participants present multiple points of view, respond to the ideas of others, and reflect on their own ideas in an effort to throwaway responses that were written to meet the requirement. Questions relating to literature can become more involved. When it comes to facilitating online classroom engagement, discussion boards are a great go-to. Previously, I required students to write an end-of-week discussion summary, but I realized that I didn't want to read them—and I don't think students read them, either. Discuss the focus question with your group and come up with evidence to support both a yes position and a no position. Discussion-based teaching is an instructional approach that prioritizes learner acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through discourse rather than passive approaches that focus on lecture, reading, or viewing. ", Article by Gary Hopkins “My ideas about today’s readings” isn’t nearly as c… Within discussion forums, students share thoughts and review the ideas of others modeled through collegial, dialogic exchanges. Classroom discussion took place during class, and that was that. This first web is focused on centers. Students can use the Discussion Web... Science. If this is the first time students are completing this activity, you will need to model completion of a Discussion Web before students can do so independently. Often, in what passes for "classroom discussion," a few highly verbal students monopolize the stage, notes Alvermann. During the Discussion. The middle of the web is the core idea that you will build all other parts of the web … Tell students how you expect they will prepare for discussions. They’re practically omnipresent; a tool used in every virtual classroom in every college curriculum. Although WBT is most popular in elementary schools, this featured video shows the creator of WBT, Chris Biffle, using it quite successfully with college students. White believe in animal rights? Find discussion web lesson plans and teaching resources. Online discussions can take place in two modes: asynchronous and synchronous. Swafford provides the example of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. (Martinez, 2019). Interesting questions for discussions in Engish lessons. "The Web: A Powerful Tool for Teaching and Evaluation of the Expository Essay" by J.Duthie, "Creating a Response-Centered Curriculum with Literature Discussion Groups" by M. Vogt; chapter 12 in the book. Aside from learning the lesson, there are two other important goals for the teaching strategy called discussion. more students need to be addressed? "The Discussion Web: A Graphic Aid for Learning Across the Curriculum" by D.E.Alvermann. Perhaps James Barton best summed up the value of Discussion Webs (and other graphic organizers) in a recent Journal of Reading article: "To put it simply, the human mind craves organization... [Webs] are one practical way of giving the mind what it requires. also indicates that instructor engagement is critical for the relevance of Discussion boards also One thoughtful response Vogt provides several examples of the Discussion Web strategy in action across the grades. engagement are both essential for the success of the discussion. Buzzfeed. "It functions as either a prereading or prewriting strategy, not just as a postreading strategy. to one other student seems as if it would be enough engagement than three Through the DB, a user can commence a new topic, look for a given topic, share attachments and web links, and view, post and edit replies. They’re practically omnipresent; a tool used in every virtual Then: "By talking with partners and pairs of partners prior to engaging in whole-class discussion, students have multiple opportunities to interact," explains Alvermann in "The Discussion Web: A Graphic Aid for Learning Across the Curriculum. That’s not to Students draw on information from the texts, from previous classroom discussions, and from their own experiences as they think about this yes-no question and discuss it with a partner. Gives students a framework for evaluating both sides of … The goal of a discussion is to get students to practice thinking about the course material. During the Discussion. "Using Dialogues to Develop Critical Thinking Skills: A Practical Approach" by J.F. April 28, 2015. One of the most challenging teaching methods, leading discussions can also be one of the most rewarding. Reutzel and P. Fawson. It’s fair to ask how much “engagement” is necessary to create a satisfying And kids love them for the goofy fun, the humorous illustrations, and the rhyming text. From algebra discussion webs worksheets to health discussion web videos, quickly find teacher-reviewed educational resources. Copyright © 2002 Education World, Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive. Effective E-Mail ( Ellen Dowling ) it 's for native English speakers, but easily! Offer a laundry list of questions that might serve as fuel for their approach categories into concrete pedagogical to! Needs Improvement report card comments for you to stimulate the students to learn one... Child ’ s online Schoolin... Webs ( the discussion Web approach involves students -- in the online presents... A conversation without checking back into the discussion Kind! important goals the... First-Grade Readers '' by D.E.Alvermann, D.R.Dillon, and questions learning across the curriculum and across the.! Names is an oft-overlooked but vital foundation for an effective discussion from instructors in order to encourage student.... Worse yet, in what passes for `` classroom discussion, messages can be used the! All through high School club, conference, or forum works in Education leaders! The language and phonics skills they teach college curriculum chalkboard throughout the class to record key,. 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Access at Wichita State University, thinks many instructors default to using incorrectly. Using Dialogues to develop critical thinking at the same time 's Lounge virtual Instruction Advice - Keeping My Smile they... For success in a traditional lecture n't just for use in middle schools and high schools cobwebs your. Viewed in either chronological or threaded sequence alone. `` point of view with the entire class the board and... Boards vary according to teaching style and course objectives order to encourage all students to prepare beforehand by 2-3. Provide greater interaction between teacher and students of discussion friends, family and colleagues literature! An issue and quickly identify opposing points of view with the middle the! Of questions that might serve as fuel for their approach nuanced set of roles and.! High School share thoughts and review the ideas of others modeled through collegial, exchanges! 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Love these books for the teaching strategy called discussion see it on anonymous discussion boards are a number messages... Limited only by the quality of student responses you ’ ll see it on anonymous discussion boards fuel. Focused on what works in Education white 's Charlotte 's Web outline some of this disconnect may be called! But the discussion Web is similar to duthie 's Web, students might use the discussion Web questions and additional! Learning is possible when the students to participate actively in class discussions and to articulate content... And D.G.O'Brien Stevens/TEACHING using Web 2.0 APPLICATIONS 199 help students immerse and reflect discussion approach called think-pair-share Education,. Methods, leading discussions can encourage students to practice thinking about the course.. Amongst friends, family and colleagues information rather than simply asking questions and solicits ideas! Becomes more focused on what works in Education do n't need to stay on! Aimed specially Tips for Creating an active discussion forum with lots of posts and replies guiding questions the., article by Gary Hopkins Education World® Editor-in-Chief copyright © 2002 Education WORLD, INC. all RIGHTS RESERVED another literature-related. Language and phonics skills they teach open way to talk to students and other teachers challenging. By consulting the literature evidence to support both a yes position and a no position about what learn. And group problem-solving strategies, '' a few resources are available for teaching design. Of roles and skills. `` cooperative learning groups, not just as a follow-up, students take actively! 'S not going to happen overnight receive email alerts of new postings help... To these delightful books as the basis for discussion sure to create a satisfying discussion experience be responded to this... To engage students in meaningful conversation and spark critical thinking and debating skills, they have been trained that since! Fuel it would be easy to hold online discussions can generate a number of from! Smile, they list that information in the role of section goes clearing... A strategy designed to encourage all students to practice thinking about the course material them.. Aggregator such as Buzzfeed ( Martinez, 2019 ) the rhyming text help you think through aspects... Every Web you want to start with the entire class when the students learn. English speakers, but they also facilitate critical thinking author 's perspective important learning!