Discussions are an important part of an online course. Prior to the web 2.0 boom that begun in 2006-2007, discussion forums were the primary tool used to foster online discussions. Today, they are still the most frequently used tool in online courses to foster discussion; however, most students today are unfamiliar with discussion forums unless they have experience using them from previous online courses. VoiceThread is another tool that can be used to foster a discussion-type experience between students. VoiceThread brings the benefit of the human touch through voice or video commenting, as well as the opportunity to create conversations around different types of media (images, videos, audio files, and presentation slides).

Video #1:

This 6 1/2 minute video from the Australian Learning & Teaching Council provides an excellent overview of many of the fundamental principles to consider when conducting online discussions. Download their PDF companion guide and save it for later reference.

Things to keep in mind as you view the video:

What unique opportunities do online discussions bring to learners?
What challenges do you need to be aware of as you facilitate online discussions?
What are some strategies for engaging non-participants in an online discussion?

Video #2:

This 4-minute video was produced by CI faculty member, Jaime Hannans. Jaime discusses a VoiceThread activity she has designed for her Nursing students to improve their critical observation skills.

Things to keep in mind as you view the video:

Notice how Jaime's VoiceThread is designed to enourage students to respond to a prompt about the media shared on a slide and foster a collection of diverse perspectives. However, it is different from a traditional discussion in how it does not require "replies" from students. VoiceThreads are not a "threaded" conversations so you are unable to determine who has replied to who, which is a hierarchy made visible in a discussion forum. This is an important distinction between VoiceThread and a discussion forum.