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From https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-01-09-how-can-online-instructors-get-students-to-talk-to-each-other

Bonni Stachowiak writes, "We need to rethink discussion boards if they are ever going to be worthwhile. I am afraid that students’ experiences in classes they have taken in the past may be ruining the format for everyone.

"Students tell me that when they encounter a discussion board, they expect to see a long discussion prompt from the instructor with some questions they are supposed to answer in 300 to 400 words. Then, like clockwork, they will be required to respond to three other students’ posts within the same thread.

"They learn to check the box—but they do not find themselves engaging in beneficial interactions with others in the class. Instead of reminding students of these past experiences, try rethinking discussion boards and having students be surprised by the richness of the dialog."

She goes on to briefly describe a host of applications, platforms, and strategies for encouraging meaningful online interaction among students. Some of these tools will be familiar to most InterCom readers, but others will be new to many of us and worth exploring.

Read the article at https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-01-09-how-can-online-instructors-get-students-to-talk-to-each-other