3. The design and content of the module should balance both the web
design and the principles of learning and teaching
Encourage feedback from students and let them know that you are
open to developing the design
Look for examples and ideas for good practice
4. Forums with threaded discussions can facilitate and
encourage collaboration and communication.
5. Key Principles for the Module Tutor
• Starter questions need to be creative even
controversial to prompt a response from the
student group
• Tutor response to postings needs to be prompt,
always value contributions and respond
constructively
• Be strategic in your response (same principle
as face to face teaching)
• Monitor participation and offer support
• Know when the forum discussion has run its
course
6. The Inside Story
Example One:
A forum used to
engage students
in the weeks on-
line learning
7. Example Two:
A Statement Worth Making
A statement worth making is one that is clear, succinct
and important. It can be controversial, challenging or
provocative, but it should represent the belief of the
student who introduces it; and this belief should be
developed from the students reading, experience and
reflection.
8. A Statement Worth Making
Each statement should be of a single sentence only.
In the subsequent on-line discussion the student has
an opportunity to elaborate on and add detail to the
statement.
Only the one statement is discussed in any one
discussion thread.
9. A Statement Worth Making
The statement worth making is a statement of
opinion rather than a statement of fact.
It is the students point of view, but one that can be
supported with appropriate evidence.
10. A Statement Worth Making
Statements should be in the students own words, so
they must avoid lifting quotations directly from a
text/article/site.
Statements must not form questions.
11. A Statement Worth Making
Examples from the student group:
A. Children who are looked after are wrapped up in cotton wool
B. Young people ‘act out’ because they can get away with it
C. All children in the Looked After System are by definition,
traumatised.
D. Inherent in the role of RCW is the wielding of power
12. Example Three: The Only Way is Ethics
The Only Way is Ethics
Focus: Ethical principles within a structured debate
Purpose: To support critical analysis by building
persuasive and logically sequenced writing which is
clear, succinct and to the point
Structure: Group divided into ‘agree’ and ‘disagree’.
The tutor raises the ethical dilemma. Each group
begin with a statement about why they
agree/disagree and then take turns to respond to
each other by providing the essence of their
argument
13. The Only Way is Ethics
The Only Way is Ethics
Example:
„Those in prison serving a
custodial sentence should not
be given the vote‟.
14. For Example:
‘Those in prison serving custodial sentences should not be given the vote’
Student A:
“I agree with this statement in principle because I think that society has the right to say
that when you commit a crime, serious enough to be sent to prison you lose your
freedom, and with that you lose some of your privileges of which voting is one. In
addition of all the issues prisoners care about, this is probably somewhere on the
bottom of the list. There are higher priorities regarding prisoner rights which should be
focused on. Voting rights is in my opinion a red herring that takes us away from the
real issues around prevention and rehabilitation”.
15. For Example:
‘Those in prison serving custodial sentences should not be given the vote’
Student B:
‘I disagree with this statement in principle because social
responsibility is something you would want to encourage among
prisoners. Voting is not a privilege, it is a right, and actually I
think it is a responsibility. I would agree prisoners would not put it
at the top of the list of things they want. But voting wouldn‟t be top
of the list if you stopped 100 people in the street and said, „What
makes a difference to you?‟ It‟s still an important civic
responsibility. In some ways, voting is even more important if
you‟ve lost your freedom, because we want to reintegrate people,
we want them to see themselves as citizens, even if they‟re in
prison.
How do I make sure that our VLE is promoting student learning
Example of a forum used to engage students in the weeks on-line learning:Students are asked to:Read lecture two and look at the handout provided. The homework task is to post an example from your practice this week at work where you have applied this theoretical concept. Locate this example on the grid provided and explain this decision. Each student begins a new thread.Students are encouraged to constructively comment on each others practice example.
This forum is an example of a structured discussion method. Students are asked to prepare a ‘statement worth making’ and to post their statement within the form called ‘A statement worth making forum’. Precis instruction about how to do this are provided.
This forum developed on from the previous idea although this time the students work in two groups.
