Thank you

I want to thank all of the professors who participated in this study. The information and experiences they've shared have confirmed what I suspected were best methods for using Asynchronous Discussions Boards.

It's interesting, but not surprising, to note that many of these strategies are used by successful instructors in F2F classes also. I believe many professors use many of these methods intuitively in the classroom, without being aware of what it is exactly that makes them successful communicators and teachers. Without being able to identify their methods in real-life, they cannot attempt to adapt them to the online world.

The online classroom is a different experience for both instructors and students alike. The methods that work in F2F classes must be adjusted and adapted for the online environment to be used successfully.

The goal of this treatise project was to highlight these methods along with actual real life experiences so that more professors and instructional designers can see how they might embrace this versatile tool and use it to either expand their classrooms, or to increase the level of interactivity with their students at a distance.

Do you have a method or technique that you use successful in your courses that you would like to share on this site? If so, please send me an email.

 

Resources

Texas Christian University ­ http://www.tcu.edu

UT Telecampus - http://www.telecampus.utsystem.edu/

OčReilly WebBoardTM - http://webboard.oreilly.com/

DiscusTM - http://www.discusware.com/discus/

Asynchronous Learning Networks - http://www.aln.org/

The Technology Source - http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/

Netiquette pages

Florida Atlantic University - http://www.rdc.com.au/Netiquette.html

The Core Rules of Netiquette are excerpted from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea - http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

Tips on polite usage of the Internet, list of links to resources - http://www.cochran.com/start/guide/Netiquette.html

References

Beaudin, B. P. (1999, November), Keeping Online Asynchronous Discussion on Topic, Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks (JALN), Volume 3, Issue 2, Retrieved March 3, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.aln.org/alnweb/joural/Vol3_issue2/beaudin.htm

Caldwell, S. (1998) , Going the distance with Online Instruction, VSTE Journal, pp. 3, 6.

Card, K. A. & Horton, L. (2000) , Providing access to graduate education using computer-mediated communication, International Journal of Instructional Media, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 235-45

Chickering, A. W. & Gamson, Z.R. (1994). Seven principles for good practices in undergraduate education. In K.E. Feldman & M.B. Paulsen (Eds.), Teaching and learning in the college classroom. Pp. 255-262, as cited in K. Card and L. Horton (2000), Providing access to graduate education using computer-mediated communication, International Journal of Instructional Media, V27 -3

Chickering, A. W. & Ehrmann, S.C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever, AAHE Bulletin, 3-6 as cited in C. Graham, K. Cagiltay, B. Lim, J Craner, & T. Duffy, Seven principles of effective teaching: a practical lens for evaluating online courses, retrieved from the World Wide Web April 3, 2001, http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/default.asp?show=article&id=839

Graham, C., K. Cagiltay, B. Lim, J. Craner, & T. Duffy, Seven principles of effective teaching: a practical lens for evaluating online courses, retrieved from the World Wide Web April 3, 2001, http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/default.asp?show=article&id=839

Hale, L., Introduction to Sports Psychology courses ancillary web site. Retrieved April 8, 2001 from the World Wide Web; http://courses.utpb.edu/kine6320/ancillary/

Hiltz, S. R. (1993), Correlates of learning in a virtual classroom. International Journal of Man Machine Studies, cited in Asynchronous Communication Strategies, Retrieved from the World Wide Web March 13, 2001, http://www.freecfm.com/s/sas2n/Distance/asych.html

Hiltz, S.R. (1994), The virtual classroom: Learning without limits via computer networks, cited in Asynchronous Communication Strategies, Retrieved from the World Wide Web March 13, 2001, http://www.freecfm.com/s/sas2n/Distance/asych.html

Kirkin, B. & Sumler, D. (1995). Interactive or non-interactive? That is the question? An annotated bibliography, Journal of Distance Education, 10(1), 110

Mason, R. & Kaye, A. (Eds.), Mindweave: communication, computers, and distance education, p.3, 6, 9, 11, 23

Moore, M.G. and Kearsley, G. (1996), Distance Education: A Systems View, Boston, , as cited in Keeping Online Asynchronous Discussion on Topic, Retrieved from the World Wide Web March 5, 2001, http://www.aln.org/alnweb/joural/Vol3_issue2/beaudin.htm

The Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary Copyright © 2001 by Random House Inc. Retrieved from the World Wide Web April 5, 2001, http://www.allwords.com

Roblyer, M.D. & Leticia Ekhami (2000, Spring), How Interactive are YOUR Distance Courses? A Rubric for Assessing Interaction in Distance Learning, Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume III, Number II, Retrieved from the World Wide Web April 4, 2001 http://www.westga.edu/~distance/roblyer32.html

Rossman, M. H. ( 1999), Successful Online Teaching using an Asynchronous Learner Discussion Forum, JALN, Volume 3, Issue 2, Retrieved from the World Wide Web March 5, 2001, http://www.aln.org/alnweb/journal/Vol3_issue2/Rossman.htm

Salmon, G. (2000) E-moderating, The Key to Teaching and Leaning Online, p. 29, 92

Santo, S. A. (2000), Asynchronous Communication Strategies, Retrieved from the World Wide Web March 13, 2001, http://www.freecfm.com/s/sas2n/Distance/asynch.html

Sener, J. & Stover, M. L. (2000) Integrating ALN into an Independent Study Distance Education Program: NVCC Case Studies, Journal of Asynchronous Leaning Networks (JALN), Volume 4, Issue 2, Retrieved from the World Wide Web March 5, 2001 http://www.aln.org/alnweb/journal/Vol4_issue2/le/sener/le-sener.htm

The Paper

You may download a copy of my treatise paper. Most of the information presented in this web site is included in the paper, plus more....

Successful Strategies for Using Asynchronous Discussion in College Courses - Eli Collins-Brown, Treatise project, April 2001