Discussion Board Policy:

The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of learners and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every learner is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.

At a minimum, each learner will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least 2 other posts from learners. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Friday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Friday of each week. Learners are highly encouraged to engage on the DB early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.

The purpose of the DB is to allow learners to learn through sharing ideas and experiences, as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in 2-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.

Deliverable Specifics

Part 1

When considering the instructional strategies of chunking, framing, content mapping, advanced organizers, and mnemonics, what Web 2.0/3.0 tools might you suggest be used to enhance the strategy for your learners’ resources that might help the following:

Part 2

From the tools you suggested in Part 1, which one do you personally use the most and share the benefits to you and your learners? Why is it harder for an adult to use new technologies than it is for a child? Does Internet accessibility widen or narrow the knowledge gap between ethnic or economic groups within the United States? What about access to highly-portable network devices such as tablets or cell phones? How important are these tools in instructional design or instructional delivery?

References

Articles and how-tos (n.d.). Retrieved from the TechSoup Web site: http://www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-tos

Online tools and applications. (n.d.). Retrieved from the Go2Web20 Web site: www.go2web20.net

Kathy Schrock’s guide to everything. (n.d.). Retrieved from the Kathy Schrock Guide to Everything Web site: http://www.schrockguide.net

In your own words, post a substantive response to the Discussion Board question(s) and comment on other postings. Your response should address the DB question(s) and move the conversation forward. You will be graded on the quality of your postings, including mastery of the concept as well as critical thinking. If asked for your opinion, do not simply state that it is a good or bad idea; elaborate on your reasons and argument. Include enough detail to substantiate your thinking as well as your position on the questions or comments.