Introduction
In this article we will walk you through the intended purpose of Discussion on Topic.
Cultivating an engaging, interactive learning environment is key to promoting critical thinking and self-regulatory skills. And peer discussion is among effective ways to stimulate a space that encourages meaningful interactions, and reflections. However, the absence of physical contacts in online learning makes it challenging to facilitate student-student interactions.
Discussion on Topic lets instructors create engaging discussion forums to stimulate active learning, collaboration, and a sense of belonging.
In this article, we will focus on the Discussion on Topic. Below, you can find our user guides for this feature:
How It Works
The Discussion on Topic tool is designed to facilitate interactive and collaborative learning. Teachers can post a discussion prompt to encourage students to engage with the topic. Students can respond by creating one or more detailed posts to share their thoughts and perspectives. Beyond their initial posts, students can actively participate by replying to each other's comments, fostering meaningful discussions and deeper understanding of the subject matter. Additionally, students can express their agreement or appreciation for others’ contributions by upvoting comments, promoting a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.
This tool not only supports critical thinking and communication skills but also encourages peer interaction and feedback.
Highlighted Features
Discussion in groups: Students can discuss the topic individually or within groups. When the groups are activated, students can respond to the discussion prompt in the same assignment, while only seeing the contributions made by peers within their group.
Analytics on student participation: Provide detailed analytics on student participation and progress in the assignments, from which teachers can identify who has completed the required steps and which student might need help.
Filters and sorting options: Allow teachers and students to identify which comments or points to focus on with multiple ways of filtering and sorting the discussion input: the most/least comments, the most upvotes, and more.
Submitter and replier anonymity: Make submitters of discussion posts and repliers to those posts anonymous if desired. This promotes inclusivity by encouraging all students to contribute.
Anonymity on
Self-reflection: Set up a reflection step at the end of the activity, in which students write a reflection on what they learned from the discussion assignment. This encourages critical thinking and deeper understanding of the topics.
Self-reflection
Benefits of using Discussion on Topic
This tool fosters an inclusive and interactive learning environment. Here are the key benefits of using it:
Create an Engaging Discussion Platform: Instructors can design discussion assignments by setting instructions, defining topics, specifying deadlines, enabling collaboration options, and outlining other requirements.
Facilitate the Discussion Process: Students participate in discussions with the option to remain anonymous, adhering to the guidelines for commenting established by the instructor.
Reflect on Performance and Grading: Students have the opportunity to reflect on their performance throughout the assignment, with reflections potentially contributing to their final grade.