2016 Annual Conference

Discussion is one of the most popular online facilitation techniques. But, using a variety of tools in online learning has many advantages. In this session specific facilitation tools will be shared to help online educators move “beyond discussion” and meet learning outcomes in new and effective ways.

The content of this session will be useful for adult educators who facilitate and/or design teaching experiences online as well as for online adult learners. Educators and learners who wish to explore tools and techniques to engage and motivate students in online learning settings, beyond using the typical discussion board formats, will benefit from the content presented in this session.

Discussion is a tried and true facilitation technique used in many online learning settings for adults. It allows learners to interact with each other, the course content, and the instructor. It also encourages engagement and critical thinking. As well, it supports several philosophical teaching styles such as constructivism, social cognitivism, and humanism. It is clear why this technique is so popular and widely used. Yet, despite these advantages, many online educators use discussion as their primary (or sometimes only) facilitation tool. In this session the presenters will share specific tools and techniques that online educators can use to move “beyond discussion”. These tools and techniques enable students to meet learning outcomes, but they also allow learners to engage with course content, and each other, in new and unique ways. Including variety in how an online class is facilitated has many potential advantages including (but not limited to) student engagement over the long term, increased learning transfer, motivation, varied interactions with fellow learners, attention to diverse learner needs, and positive disruptions in thinking patterns.