Importance of Discussion Board Essay

 

Often times teachers use discussion boards in their classes to help students develop critical reading, critical thinking, and critical writing skills. The article discusses some of the issues of  cheapest homework help associated with using discussion boards, as well as how to determine the goals of a discussion.
Disallows students from using non-course material

Besides slogging it out in front of the tv for the duration of the semester, students are required to attend lectures and participate in class based discussion boards. One of the best ways to demonstrate a student’s engagement is to provide them with a list of pertinent questions to ponder and debate. The result is a much more engaged and enthusiastic student. In fact, one of the most common complaints amongst the student population is that students are too shy to engage in conversational interactions. It is not surprising then that a large percentage of the student body is unproductive. Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem. The key is to provide students with a list of pertinent questions to ponderer over while simultaneously ensuring that the students are engaged and engaged in a positive learning environment.
Promotes feelings of self-efficacy

Increasing the level of self-efficacy in students is an important part of an educational curriculum. This is because self-efficacy is one of the major factors that determines the level of academic success.

Self-efficacy is a concept that describes the confidence people have in their ability to control their own behavior and motivation. It is also a factor that influences all aspects of human experience.

Research shows that individuals have different levels of self-efficacy. These differences vary depending on the domain of functioning. For example, someone with a high level of self-efficacy may be more likely to commit to challenging goals. He will also be more likely to remain committed to achieving them even when he or she feels overwhelmed by the task. Likewise, a student with a high level of self-efficacy will be more motivated to pursue study and will be more likely to invest time and energy in learning.
Helps students develop critical reading, critical thinking, and critical writing skills

Developing critical reading, critical thinking, and critical writing skills is not a one-size-fits-all approach. You will need to customize your program to your student’s needs. This is best achieved through an integrated curriculum.

Critical reading requires you to take the time to think about your assigned readings, analyze them, and make decisions about their reliability. Developing these skills will help you better absorb important information. They can also help you strengthen your own arguments.

Critical thinking, in particular, requires that you be able to recognize arguments. In fact, detecting and identifying arguments is one of the skills that have been recognized as a critical thinking skill by Facione (1990a) and Ennis (1991).

One of the reasons for the skepticism that critical thinking is a generalizable skill is that scholars have asserted that there is a bias in critical thinking theory and pedagogy. Rather than a unified definition, scholars have suggested a variety of competing definitions.
Problems with discussion boards

Using a discussion board to promote group discussion is one thing, but doing it well is a different beast altogether. The best way to go about this is to use the board as a jumping off point for a more collaborative learning environment. The result is a more engaged and informed student base and a more well rounded instructor. For the savvy hombre, this is the best way to ensure the well rounded student is the only one who will make it to the classroom huddle. Thankfully, the small minded among us are not prone to tagging along for the ride. This, paired with a well planned curriculum and well conceived instructional design is the best way to ensure that all students are on the same page.