Running an online discussion board is a very different challenge from having a classroom discussion. In-person instructors can ask questions on the fly, rephrase themselves for clarity, and direct the flow of a conversation with follow-ups. Online, you only have one shot to ask a question that catches students’ interest and compels them to speak up.

The stakes are higher than you think. Sad, empty discussion boards, just like a reliance on dry online lectures, lead to disengaged students and lackluster online experiences.

On the flip side, active discussion boards can elevate an online class from okay to extraordinary. Studies show that participating in classroom discussions reinforces knowledge retention through active learning and strengthens students’ critical-thinking skills.

If you can get a real discussion going between students, then you can reap the benefits of community and collaborative learning, even if your class never meets face-to-face.

To do this, you will have to look beyond the dry writing prompts and uninspired reading-comprehension questions that so often sink a conversation before it begins. You’ll have to craft questions that inspire students to actually engage and interact with each other in a lively discussion.

In this course we will teach you how to just that!

You’ll also get access to Eduflow Academy’s exclusive Slack community when you join the course.