Using an online discussion group is a great way to foster communication between you and students and among students, more importantly. It also creates a sense of community that can help keep students motivated to participate and learn. Students tend to help each other so providing a space for them to exchange ideas is a great way to foster collaboration. It helps if you already had some sort of student-to-student online discussion tool (like Blackboard Discussion Board or Echo360 Discussion) since students will be used to both the process and the tool.
Consider these suggestions when planning activities:
- Use an Asynchronous Tool if that’s the Mode of Learning
Use asynchronous tools like Blackboard Discussions or Echo360 Q&A to allow students to participate at their convenience. Obviously, if the mode of instruction is to occur at a set time and place, then leveraging the tool’s discussion/chat function is recommended for synchronous sessions. - Communicate Outcomes
Make sure there are clear purposes and outcomes for any student-to-student interaction. How does this activity help them meet course outcomes or prepare for other assignments? Is student participation worthy of class participation credit? If so, find ways to make sure students are accountable for the work they do in any online discussions or collaborations. - Tech isn’t the Focus
As with any changed activities, you will need to balance the needs and benefits of online collaboration with the additional effort such collaboration will require on everyone else’s part. Learning new technologies and procedures might be counterproductive, particularly in the short term, unless there is a clear benefit. The goal is not for students to learn new tools.