6. Discussion forums
What are online discussion forums?
A forum is a tool for people to post questions or discuss topics, each of which is called a thread. You usually have to be invited or you have to request to join.
The forum may be monitored by an admin or moderator. There are often rules about the type of content and acceptable behaviour.
Online discussions are a great way to develop your understanding of a topic and learn from others. It is likely that you will take part in discussions in your courses. Discussions usually take place over a period of time so you can take time to reflect and contribute when you feel ready.
Examples of Charles Sturt discussion forums
Get tips on discussion forums used in your courses:
Discussions in Brightspace resemble an electronic bulletin board, where users post messages in their own time.
At Charles Sturt your lecturers may also use Padlet and Mentimeter to organise discussions, feedback and collaborative work.
Tips to build confidence
- Use appropriate language – Using a less formal style of language is usually fine, as you are communicating with your peers.
- Introduce yourself – State your name and anything else that’s relevant about yourself if it is the first time you post, but keep it short.
- Check previous posts – See if your question has already been asked and answered or check how the discussion is developing.
- Build on previous posts or say something new about the topic.
- Be relevant – Stay on topic.
- Include open-ended questions – This will encourage others to respond or provide feedback. Open-ended questions allow someone to give a free-form answer (e.g. What do you think about…). A closed question requires a “yes” or “no” answer only (e.g. Is it true that…).
- Reference sources – Reference anything that is not your original idea.
- Disagree respectfully – You can disagree with another’s comment, but be careful how you phrase it. State “I disagree because …” and provide a reason why.
- Think before you post – Never say something online that you wouldn’t say face-to-face.
Online learning communities
You can join other online learning communities in your field or area of interest.
Visit Uni Life to learn about the many opportunities to connect with others at Charles Sturt, including a range of student Facebook communities.
