Thoughtful questions, skilled facilitation, and clear expectations are the three critical ingredients for rich and meaningful discussions in online classrooms. For 25 years, VHS Learning has supported teachers by providing open-ended discussion questions and helping teachers understand how online discussion facilitation is different from managing a discussion in a face-to-face setting. When asked in our most recent student survey, over 3300 students gave feedback about their experiences with discussions. Here are their responses:
84% agreed they learned from their classmates by participating in discussions,
- 89% agreed that they benefitted from learning about other peoples’ points of view.
- 80% agreed that discussions helped them understand course concepts more clearly, and
- 78% agreed that discussions made them feel part of a classroom community.
In this 10-hour module, teachers will learn strategies for creating rich, engaging discussion starters and managing online discussion activities. Teachers will reflect on characteristics of effective facilitation in online classrooms and understand the role of the teacher in online discussions, distinguish between clarifying and probing questions, create complex prompts to promote meaningful discussion activities, outline rubric criteria to assess student performance in facilitated discussions, predict challenges to meaningful online discussions and identify possible solutions, and develop resources that support student-led discussions.
This module is intended for classroom-based educators with limited experience in online teaching who are making a transition to online or blended learning in preparation for potential school closures in the 2020/2021 academic year.
This module is part of a series of professional learning opportunities focused on critical skills online teachers must develop.
The series of modules will run throughout the summer months and include these topics:
Module 1: Communication Strategies for Online Classrooms
Module 2: Meaningful Discussions in Online Classrooms;
Module 3: Feedback and Assessment in Online Classrooms;
Module 4: Meeting Varied Learner Needs in Online Classrooms;
Participants who complete all activities will receive a certificate of completion for 10 hours of professional learning in the area of digital learning and online instruction.
VHS Learning is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide professional development in the areas of Instructional Technology/Digital Learning. Massachusetts teachers who complete this module will receive a certificate indicating they have earned 10 PDPs in the area of digital learning.
The cost for this module is $225 per participant. Participants who enroll in all 4 modules are eligible for a reduced enrollment cost of $200 per module.