The Educational Challenge

Without Internet, traditional classroom discourse is limited by space and time. Teaching and learning traditionally takes place in a given location (the classroom) for a set amount of time (45 minutes or so), with the exception of meeting for a group project or an extra help session. Meeting state standards, learning objectives, and individual student needs on a daily basis can be a daunting task for a teacher. Expectations for student achievement are higher than ever, which means that teachers have more pressure to engage students in high-level reflection and critical thinking to prepare them for higher learning institutions and careers in innovation. Meanwhile, the modern classroom is becoming more diverse as students develop differing learning styles and come to class with a unique set of talents and background knowledge. Internet based learning tools have opened up new opportunities for teaching and learning to help bridge the gap in time, space, and student performance. Specifically, online discussion and bulletin board environments are becoming a popular supplement to the traditional classroom environment.

The Educational Technology

The Teacher’s Role

The teacher acts as a moderator or facilitator for the discussion forum or online bulletin board assignment. He/she poses questions, thinking prompts, or projects for students to ponder and discuss. Intermittently throughout the posting period, the teacher acts as an observer reviewing student contributions to the discussion topics or checking on the progress of the project. The teacher can offer positive reinforcement or feedback in the open forum or on an individual basis. If needed, the teacher can redirect or intervene if a situation warrants it.

The Student’s Role

The online bulletin board and discussion forum is truly a student space. Students are responsible for the majority of the content, while the teacher merely provides a framework. The bulletin board or discussion forum is a space where students can reflect, express their opinions, and be creative. Depending on the teacher’s requirements, students would be responsible for a certain amount or type of contribution. Participation in an online bulletin board or discussion forum can take different forms. Students can create their own new content for others to view and respond to, they can reflect on and add to their peers’ contributions, or they can comment on the teacher’s specific prompt.

Online bulletin board and discussion forum programs/sites can vary widely across several aspects such as cost, format, and special features, which one would have to evaluate carefully in order to make an informed decision about which one to use in the classroom. Below is a sample of some of the bulletin board and discussion forum resources available out there.

Resource	Overview
Padlet	Free Updates in real-time for live collaboration among users Easy to use Capable of linking with other medias such as videos and documents Flexible physical layout, pre-designed formats also available
NoteApp	Free Updates in real-time Sticky note style collaboration Built-in chat feature Add pdf files, links, images, etc. to sticky notes
Popplet	Available as an app User friendly Collaborate through customizeable text and media boxes called popples Limited package available for free (special discounts available for schools)
Lino	Free Available as an app Flexible and visually appealing displays Sticky note style collaboration Sticky notes can hold text, images, and videos
Spaaze	Limited package available for free Great for collecting a variety of resources from the web in one location Sticky note style posting Flexible formatting
Stoodle	Free Very basic, limited, but easy to use features Open whiteboard style space Updates in real-time Text and voice chatting feature
eduClipper	Free Available as an app Users create profiles Designed with teachers and students in mind Clips can be grouped into boards and stored in a students personal portfolio A variety of different spaces are available for different uses (i.e. groups, individual, whole class, teacher directed lessons)
Stormboard	Real-time collaboration Users create profiles Sticky note on whiteboard style discussion board Sticky notes can contain text, images, drawings, nd documents Voting feature allows users to assign points to sticky notes Organizational templates available Limited usage and features available for free
Twiddla	Whiteboard style collaborative space Updates in real time Chat feature Ability to integrate multimedia resources within the space (drawing, text, links, documents, images) Designed for isolated events of meetings/discussions. Data can be saved for future reference.


Collaborize Classroom	Free Designed for teachers and students Available as an app Teachers can post questions/prompts for a vote, as a multiple choice question, or a forum for discussion Ability to integrate multimedia resources Special resources available for teachers such as a topic library and data reports User friendly format Webinars and professional development available
Google Groups	Free Linked to other google apps Basic and easy to use online environment Ability to integrate multimedia resources
MyBB	Free Chat box style discussion forum Special controls given to the administrator Live discussions or drop-in/revisit style discussions in polls, threads, or posts Private messaging feature Needs to be installed

The Underlying Learning Theory

Dr. William Cope and Dr. Mary Kalantzis delineate how technology can positively impact teaching and learning as the seven affordances. Bulletin boards and discussion forums, when paired with effective, sound pedagogy, can afford new learning opportunities for students.

Affordance	Application
Ubiquitious Learning	Online bulletin board and discussion forum programs extend the walls of the classroom and the hours in the school day. A discussion that began in the classroom can continue online. Students who did not have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion can have an opportunity to do so on the forum. Without the pressure of time to respond and twenty pairs of eyes staring at them, students can feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts online. With busy schedules and extra curricular activities, it can be difficult for students to arrange meeting times with their peers to work on group projects. Bulletin board programs offer a real-time collaborative space for students to meet.
Active Knowledge Making	Bulletin board programs provide a framework and the tools for students to be creative. With little guidance from the instructor, students create the content and "meat" that makes up the bulletin board environment.
Multimodal Meaning	Most bulletin board programs and discussion forums are more than just text. Contributions can contain images, videos, weblinks, drawings, documents, files, and more. Students have so many resources at their fingertips that they can use to convey meaning and express their thoughts.
Recursive Feedback	A bulletin board progam and discussion forum is typically a real time updating online space where students can see what others are doing live and respond to it immediately. In this type of collaborative space it is almost as if several students are in the same room writing on the same board. That type of interaction provides students with immediate feedback on their comments and posts. The instructor as the moderator can also provide feedback for students along the way in order to reinforce or redirect student participation in the online community. Frequent posting provides a teacher with a large sample of student work to use to make instructional decisions.
Differentiated Learning	Most online programs give the administrator the freedom to create groups within the community. The teacher can form different groups for different assignments based on student interest, background knowledge, preferences, or skill level. The online environment allows the teacher to monitor multiple groups that may be working on slightly different assignments. The flexibility and variety of resources avaiable in bulletin board and discussion forums opens up opportunities for students with different learning needs and preferences.
Collaborative Intelligence	The very nature of bulletin board and discussion forums is collaborative. The programs and sites provide the framework and tools, the teacher provides the expectations and rules, and the students collaborate to create the content on the site. Through multiple interactions students work together to build new meanings and come to understandings.
Metacognition	If provided an open ended question that gives way to crticial thinking, discussion forums facilitate reflection. When a collaborative community developes and discussions evolve, students are not only responding to the initial topic in an isolated post, but they are also reading their peers' thoughts on the same topic and commenting on those.

The Technology in Practice

The Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education (CITE) journal published an article that strives to articulate the qualities that an online discussion board setting possesses that leads to increased student outcomes. The subjects for the study were middle and high school English classes, which met for both synchronous and asynchronous sessions. Below are the key characteristics which the author of the study outlined in his review.

Student motivation is higher in an online setting because students have an authentic audience; they see their work as more meaningful and relevant because they know that their peers will read it. Teachers found that students wrote using higher order thinking skills, they made inferences, predictions, connections, cited research and readings on the discussion board. When students had to turn in hand-written journals to the teacher, their submissions were mostly summaries of the litearature that lacked voice, depth, or perspective.
Students could use mixed multimedia forms in their discussion board posts, whereas they were limited to just text in hand-written journals or their speech and gestures in a face to face class discussion.
Teachers saw themselves more as designers of instruction rather than givers of instruction. In a face-to-face traditional classroom setting, the IRE method is common (teacher initiates, students respond, teacher evaluates). In the online forum, the discussion patterns were more fluid as students created their own posts and commented on each other's posts.
The process of reading posts, reflecting, and then formulating their own thoughts into writing involves deeper thinking than listening in class and choosing whether or not to respond.

Another case study focuses on how discussion boards enhance student interactions. The Hindawi Education Research International published a study that compares a blended group (synchronous and asynchronous) of college students to a group from a previous academic year which was just synchronous. The blended group was more effective, determined by higher student performance and higher teaching evaluation scores. The following are the characteristics attributed to the success of the blended model.

The online environment was used as a space where students could gain deeper understanding of the class material. They remained focused on the content.
Student interactions were reflective in nature. They discussed their own thoughts and commented on the thoughts of others.
More peer to peer interactions took place within the blended group than the purely synchronous group.

Critical Reflection

Strengths

Weaknesses

Empowers students who might not normally feel comfortable to contribute to a class discussion
Receiving praise and feedback on their comments can boost self confidence
Opportunity for students to practice writing skills
Builds critical thinking and higher order thinking skills
Builds class community
Promotes collaboration and tolernace of others' opinions
Allows students time to think about and reflect on course topics before they have to discuss
Great for visual learners, new students, students with special needs, second language learners
A way to compensate for increased class sizes
Students can express themselves through a variety of medias (text, images, videos) rather than just speech
Students are more likely to answer each others questions and rely less on the instructor for information and answers

Internet misuse, such as using the chat or drawing features that some programs offer for inappropriate side interactions
The students who normally dominate the in-class discussion might still dominate the online community
Lack of internet access will create a greater divide among students
A lack of community or buy in will impede discussions from developing
Students who do not normally complete homework assignments may not feel more inclined to participate in online discussions
Some students just write their own posts and do not read/comment on their peers' posts
Assessment of student contribution to the online environment can be a challenge
There is always the potential for miscommunication (no nonverbal signals such as hand gestures and facial expressions)
Increased workload for both the student and teacher (e.g. setting up, learning the new technology)
Lack of instructor knowledge and lack of student experience can impede the effectiveness of online interactions

Conclusions and Recommendations

As with any other new technology, certain considerations should be made when selecting a program to use with a population of students. There is a wealth of resources out there and a teacher is bound to find the right one that will accomplish the ultimate goal of maximizing learning. Once the learning technology is selected, more careful planning should take place in regards to student expectations and desired outcomes. Below is a list of recommendations when setting up a bulletin board or discussion forum in your class.

Take your time. Don't make a rushed decision when selecting a program. Consider making a rubric of desired features and charts to weight the pros and cons of each program you review. Read testimonials, explore the free trials, and find out what other colleagues are using. It may be in the class' best interest to be consistent and use a forum they are already familiar with. Try to select a program that will be flexible and could be used for future assignments, projects, classes, etc.
Link to specific learning goals. Ask yourself "how will a discussion board/bulletin board achieve a goal that face-to-face interactions cannot?" Student learning and outcomes should drive your decisions to incorporate technology.
Establish rules of use. Students should know what is expected of them in an online environment just as they need to know what is expected of them in the physical classroom environment.
Communicate expectations for participation. How much/how often will students be required to engage in the online environment?
Determine how you will evaluate student performance. Will there be a grading rubric? Does grammar and spelling count or are students free to write informally? Will students be awarded participation points, but no letter grade?
Get the ball rolling in the online environment in the same way you would in a physical environment--with introductions. Allow students to make personal introductions in the online environment in order to set the tone for a community of learners.
Develop open-ended questions. In order to get students thinking critically and creatively, they need prompts, questions, or content that will allow for it. Discussions will likely stray from the initial prompt as students reply to one anothers comments and continue the conversation. Be flexible and allow students to explore topics that may not have been in the initial plan.
Provide frequent feedback and positive reinforcement. Acknowledge students who go above and beyond in the online setting. Let students know that you are present in the online environment and you are recognizing their work. This may boost self confidence and encourage otherwise shy students to participate in the physical classroom setting.

For further reading on discussion boards and bulletin boards as tools for learning, browse the following helpful resources.

-Blog post written by a high school teacher with suggestions on implementing discussion board interactions.

-A resource guide for teachers on facilitating discussion board environments.

edutopia-onlinelearning-mastering-online-discussion-board-facilitation.pdf

-Handout for teachers which includes recommendations, sample activities, resources, and more.

edutopia-onlinelearning-mastering-online-discussion-board-facilitation.pdf

References

M Miller (2012, February 26). 7 classroom uses for forums and discussion boards. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://ditchthattextbook.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/7-classroom-uses-for-forums-and-discussion-boards/

Ruday, S. (2011). Expanding the possibilities of discussion: A strategic approach to using online discussion boards in the middle and high school english classroom. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 11(4). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/vol11/iss4/languagearts/article2.cfm

Seethamraju, R. (2014). Effectiveness of using online discussion forum for case study analysis. Education Research International, vol. 2014. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/589860

Teachstream, LLC. (2009). Mastering Online Discussion Board Facilitation: Resource Guide. Retrieved from edutopia.org/stw-online-learning-downloads.

University of Oregon Teaching Effectiveness Program. Generating and Facilitating Engaging and Effective Online Discussions. Be Free to Teach.

Technology Mediated Learning Analysis

Project Overview

Project Description