2017 Conference Objects

OLC Accelerate 2017 Discovery Session: Fostering Student Engagement & Motivated Participation in Discussion Forums: Examples from Columbia University

Marquart, Matthea S.

For new and experienced online instructors, or those who work with them, this session will share examples of high-participation discussion forum assignments from Columbia University, different ways to set up and facilitate discussion forums, sample grading rubrics for discussion forums, and strategies to plan for issues that may come up. Discussion forums are a key component of most online and blended courses, and are often included as homework for face-to-face courses as well. In this session, the presenters will share examples of discussion forum assignments that have yielded high student participation, as well as different ways to set up and facilitate discussion forums, including student-led and small-group discussion forums. The presenter will also share sample grading rubrics for discussion forums, and strategies to plan ahead for issues that may come up. The examples and strategies will come from Columbia University’s School of Social Work, which offers a fully online Master’s of Science in Social Work program.