Access a vast collection of selected and reviewed links to e-Learning resources.

Skip navigation

Facilitating Online Learning

This page provides links to some resources concerned with facilitating online discussions and online learning in general.

Articles in date order, most recent first.

Submit a new Library item

| 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |

The use of asynchronous discussion: creating a text of talk

"Asynchronous discussion allows students to read and respond "out-of-time." This form of online discussion, as experienced in a college literacy course, creates a text of talk that has the potential to be reflective given the freedom participants have in their response time. However, students often struggle with reflection. Instructors need to structure discussion online so that it becomes a forum for communication as well as critical thinking. They also need to view writing online as both process (discussion) and product (document to be assessed). " Alison Black, Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, Vol 5, Issue 1, 2005

Added: 8 July 2005
Reviewer's Note:
This article shares Alison's experiences with asynchronous discussion and embeds them within the context of current teaching and assessment.

top

Participation in online courses - how essential is it?

"Groups of learners on online courses, in common with other online communities, are generally found to comprise both highly participative individuals and those who appear to contribute little to group discussions but who consider that they are actively following the course and learning. I use the neutral term ROPs (Read Only Participants) for the latter rather than the commonly used "lurker" which carries a suggestion of deviant behaviour." IFETS

Added: 17 January 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Discussion schedyke: January 19-28, 2004; Summing-up: January 29-30, 2004

top

Effective Online Facilitation

"This Quick Guide looks at effective online facilitation and its importance in online teaching and learning. Specifically it unpacks the various interpretations of 'facilitation', the impact of online mediums on teacher and student roles, facilitation strategies, and emerging models and theories. The focus of this guide is on practical application and strategies associated with the facilitation of student learning." Australian Flexible Learning Framework, 2002

Added: 7 January 2004
Reviewer's Note:
Also available as a PDF

top

Wearing four pairs of shoes: the roles of e-learning facilitators

"In this model, an e-learning facilitator "wears four pairs of shoes"--acting as instructor, social director, program manager, and technical assistant." Ed Hoostein, Learning Circuits, 21 October 2002

Added: 23 October 2002
Reviewer's Note:
This article considers the 4 main aspects of being a facilitator

top

Save yourself from drowning in online interaction

"The purpose of this paper is to throw faculty a lifeline by providing practical suggestions which can be used to implement and manage interactivity in an online environment. Student-to-teacher and student-to-student interaction techniques will be discussed." Rita-Marie Conrad, Florida State University, 1999

Added: 9 February 2002
Reviewer's Note:
How to deal with too much interaction!!

top

Discussion Boards: What learning activities do electronic bulletin boards support?

A short 5 step-by-step approach to understanding discussion boards and how they can be used. Part of EdTech's Effective Use of Online Course Tools

Added: 17 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
A quick and easy to use summary of discussion forums - simply and effectively produced

top

The Moderators Home Page

"This page is a growing set of resources for moderators and moderators-to-be of online discussion in both academic and non-academic settings. Where possible I have linked to the full text of articles, and provided abstracts on this page. As this is part of my dissertation research, I would very much appreciate your suggestions for additions to these listings. The topics of "computer conferencing" and on-line teaching are closely allied, so I am including references in those fields, too.

Updated: 17 November 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Many links to useful documents about setting up mailing lists, asynchronous discussion forums and the rest

top

The Facilitator's Pocketbook

"The 'facilitraining rainbow' won't lead you to a pot of gold but it will enable you to decide on the most suitable approach for your next facilitation session. This innovative decision-making model is central to The Facilitator's Pocketbook - a comprehensive guide covering all stages of facilitation, from planning through to implementation." For Palms. $10 Published by Management Pocketbooks Available from pocketmanager.com

Added: 26 August 2001
Reviewer's Note:

top

Creative use of threaded discussion areas

"So many times we hear from faculty that they started a threaded discussion area and the students never used it. With such a great classroom tool, we had to ask ourselves, "why?" Threaded discussions allow for assimilation, reflection, critical thinking. this just did not make sense. In investigating the situation, we found that students need a little more guidance when is comes to residential asynchronous tools. There need to be accountability and guidelines in order for the experience to truly be a learning experience." Karen M Peters, WebCT

Added: 18 July 2001
Reviewer's Note:
A 3-part series of articles on how to create effective discussions

top

Synchronous exercises from scratch

"Want to incorporate collaboration tools into your next synchronous class? Use these tips to build engaging exercises." Jennifer Hofman, Learning Circuits, May 2001.

Added: June 2001
Reviewer's Note:
Some good tips on using synchronous tools more effectively

top

8 Ways to get students more engaged in online conferences

"Anybody who has ever participated in a "mailing list" knows that many people on the list are "lurkers," people who read the postings but do not contribute postings of their own. ... So, if you are one of those teachers who have been tolerating lurking because you think you are doing students a favor, think again." (August 1998) Dr. W.R. Klemm.T.H.E. Journal

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

Advice for the Online Instructor: Keep It Interpersonal

A Q&A session with Ken W.White the author of The Online Teaching Guide in the Chronicle of Higher Education

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

Effectively using electronic conferencing

The suggestions in this document "are meant to stimulate your thinking about using electronic conferencing in your course; you don't necessarily have to follow every suggestion in order to be successful." This document is largely based on a lecture by Linda Harasim, Indiana University (1999).

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

Handbook for Instructors on the Use of Electronic Class Discussion

"This handbook provides advice for instructors on one particular use of instructional technology - the use of electronic communication to extend class discussion beyond the time and place of class meetings." Prepared by Nancy Chisholm Director, The Office of Faculty and TA Development, The Ohio State University.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

How to succeed as an online facilitator

"What does it take to succeed as an online facilitator? What skills, knowledge and competencies do classroom instructors need for teaching online?" Suite101.com

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

Keeping online asynchronous discussions on topic

"The purpose of this research was to identify various techniques recommended and used by online instructors for keeping online learners on topic during asynchronous discussion and to identify what factors affected selection." Bart P. Beaudin, Ph.D. Colorado State University, JALN Volume 3, Issue 2 - November 1999

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

Moderating educational computer conferencing

"Since the early educational uses of computer conferencing, there has been a strong notion that moderating a conference requires special skills, techniques and even particular characteristics in the online tutor." (1991) Robin Mason. Institute of Technology. DEOSNEWS Vol 1 No 19.

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

Online facilitation skills

"Ever wonder what it would be like to teach an online course or facilitate an online meeting? Recently, I had an opportunity to lead a synchronous (live) online discussion for the Technical Special Interest Group of the Kansas City chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)." Suite101.com

Added: 2000
Reviewer's Note:

top

Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional| Valid CSS!