BUILDING ONLINE COMMUNITIES AND FACILITATING STUDENT DISCUSSIONS IN ONLINE COURSES

This presentation will focus on building the skills needed to create a supportive and constructive online learning environment through appropriate facilitation techniques and strategies. Presentation will investigate various aspects of facilitating online discussions including teacher and peer moderated communication, developing guidelines and modeling substantive discussions and the use of multiple technologies to enhance contact with and among students. Within the presentation, a review of methods for empowering students with communication skills will be introduced. Discussion of facilitation issues that impact teacher and teacher expectations will be explored. Also introduced in the presentation, will be methods for promoting collaborative learning through reflection and social cooperation. Strategies for developing collaboration projects with online students will be reviewed along with resources that sustain communication. The National Education Technology Standards will be closely aligned with the information presented.