Discussion Board Content

Content is even more important than conventions. Most college courses include discussions as a learning tool, a means for students to offer insights, test out new theories, and apply and share their ideas. Using the interaction below, review the following types of responses to understand what constitutes a good quality posting.

Activity Transcript
In the above activity, four sample discussion posts are displayed. Users can click on the plus next to each post to read feedback on that discussion post. The posts and feedback are below.

Post 1 – I agree. This is an excellent post. Thanx!

Feedback for Post 1 – This is a poor discussion post response because it does not offer any new insight and offers no details about why the student agrees with the post. It also includes a misspelled word at the end.

Post 2 – Generational differences exists most blatantly between baby boomers and generation x-ers. I can think of several examples to illustrate this.

Feedback for Post 2 – This discussion posting is a little better because it offers a new, specific idea, but there is no development. The student mentions examples but then doesn’t offer any of those examples. While this posting is better, it would not be a “good” discussion board posting.

Post 3 – Generational differences between baby boomers and generation x-ers, according to researchers Martin and Edivers, result from vastly different family experiences during their childhood years. If these family differences are so significant, then we clearly need to work to educate each generation about the differences because generational differences can lead to problems in all aspects of our lives.

Feedback for Post 3 – This is a better discussion board posting. In this post, the student refers to classroom reading and begins to make a connection to experiences and observations. While this discussion board post is a good post, it could be better with more detail and development.

Post 4 – My mother was a baby boomer raised by a single mother who worked. This family experience makes her more like a generation x-er as defined in our reading. However, her values are clearly the values as defined by the baby boomer generation. This negates Martin and Ediver’s findings that family experiences, above all, account for generational differences. Family experiences have to be understood within the context of cultural values. Are there other variables? Smith states that… and, Ronald and Dawn’s personal experiences support Smith…

Feedback for Post 4 – This is a strong discussion board posting. In this response, the student has made a connection to the class reading, offered an opinion on it, gave reasons for the opinion, and, then, made connections to new research. This insightful response would make for a quality discussion.

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