What Is Discussion Questions
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? In addition to this blog post, we have created a whole free course on this topic. The course includes new material, actual discussions between real learners, knowledge checks, a certification, and access to an exclusive community of people working in education. Check out the course here.
Discussion questions don't just have to focus on the creation or analysis of new information. Discussion questions that ask learners to share what they already know about a new idea, problem, or related concept, can be an equally impactful way to get the conversation flowing.
These kind of discussion questions work best when framed similar to a think-pair-share exercise, according to the Designing for Learning blog. Ask learners to share "what they think and where, when, or how they might have heard about a concept, person, idea or related event".
It's not hard to see why. The internet isn't always the kindest place, and sharing new ideas or opinions can make people vulnerable to a Twitter-style pile-on. As instructors we need to find ways to help the less confident share their thoughts.
At the start of your discussion exercise, or at the top of the discussion board, make the rules of engagement clear. You may want to ask participants to avoid 'personalizing' an issue, or state what kind of language is unacceptable.
Gender neutral language ('salesperson' rather than 'salesman') and inclusive pronouns ('they/them') might help some people feel more welcome in the discussion. Remove any gender-specific or race-specific phrases in your discussion questions to make sure no one feels like they're not qualified to join the discussion.
Regardless of how confident your learners are, sometimes discussion boards just get too unruly to engage with. To avoid a situation in which the discussion becomes confused, try breaking your learners into smaller discussion groups and asking them to answer questions that way. Eduflow's discussion activity, for example, allows you to separate learners into smaller groups to create a safer learning environment.
There are other differences - questions can have their answers accepted as correct, discussions just have replies with comment threads and no "close" action. People earn points for answers on questions, but discussions don't have anything beyond "you contributed to this discussion"
However, the functions are not well used. Whilst a lot of people get it right, there's also a substantial minority who do not. Despite questions being the default and clearly described, a lot of people seem to want to create discussions that really ought to be classed as questions because they can be answered and closed off.
It is very rare that someone asks a question which would be better done as a discussion, but I know I've converted at least 4 questions to discussions in the past. I've given up going the other way, there's just too many discussions that should be questions, and the process of doing it is not exactly fast or easy.
A lot of answerers, myself included, don't really care much about the points though and treat the questioning discussions as questions. We don't score for an answer, but a happier questioner is far more important than a point.
Ask a question is when you have a specific year Jon, like what you just asked. And you hope for there to be a straightforward answer that you can then tag as an answer to help others put that may have the same answer
Discussuon is more open ended. Like asking the community how they do things. While company A may do something one way Company B may do it a different way. With Atlassian products both those ways are probably acceptable but sometimes your company may need all answers to figure out your path forward. discussions are also for community fun topics as well or some of the interest groups. Like Atlassian announces new features, so you want to discuss why they are interesting etc.
So dive into our hand-picked discussion questions below, and when you're ready to take your book club to the next level, organize your next meeting and manage your club membership with Bookclubs.com or the Bookclubs app. From scheduling meetings and polling members, to tracking books and facilitating discussion with ready-made book club questions, we have all the tools you need to focus on the joy of reading together.
This is an extensive list of book club questions, so pick and choose the ones that suit your book and your group best. You can also modify them or add your own questions as you see fit. The important thing is to have fun and enjoy the book and the conversation.
Discussion questions allow you to exchange opinions with your classmates and show your instructors that you have a good understanding of the content. Good discussion questions are also used to create personal meaning about the information explored in class and to create a learning community through dialogue.
Discussion questions generally demand certain requirements, such as a minimum of words and a deadline to make your first post and the answers to your colleagues. All this information is at your fingertips in the class syllabus, and the grading method will depend on your instructor. At UBIS, we use a platform called Moodle.
Yes, a discussion question seeks to stimulate dialogue between participants, but we must not forget that it is still an educational assignment. It is important to have good use of grammar rules and formal writing at all times. Your posts should never contain typos, misspellings, poor grammar, or sloppy formatting. But, what is a discussion question?
Despite many different wordings, the questions are specifically phrased to let you know exactly how to answer them. By breaking the questions down into parts, creating a strong response can be much easier than it seems. A good idea is to proofread your text before submitting it. This way you are sure to correct possible grammatical errors and structure a good response. Proofreading is important as it can add power to our writing; without it, our work has a higher chance of containing errors.
When we speak in person, it is easier to express ourselves and explain exactly what we want to say during a conversation. However, in a fully virtual environment, more care is needed to avoid confusion and doubts.
Learning is best when we express ourselves in understandable, audience-appropriate, and polite language. Mainly when answering questions, remember that your role is to transmit knowledge and demonstrate your critical thinking skills. When you can clearly envision the purpose of the discussion, it is easier to formulate stimulating answers for facilitating communication. Conveying your objectives to your classmates, moreover, helps to focus your thinking and motivate participation. All of this is important in learning how to write an effective discussion question.
Just as you give respect, you should expect the same from your peers. One of the main goals of discussion forums is to encourage critical thinking from participants and allow them to air their opinions in a friendly way. Asking questions is a good idea to keep the dialogue open and challenging your classmates will demonstrate knowledge of the topic and a willingness to debate. Do not be afraid to disagree with the opinion of others and defend your positions in a courteous manner.
Providing meaningful feedback to your classmates is important. Put some thought into the responses that you give to your peers, provide reasons and details that explain why you agree or disagree with someone, and remember that asking follow-up questions can keep the conversation going.
Share something of yourself in each post, whether it is your opinion, a past experience from your life, or something new you have just learned. This backs up your position with examples, details, or anecdotes from your personal experience.
Include a question in your posts when possible. Questions help to keep the discussion going, invite others to interact with your post, and could help you find answers or explanations that you may need to better understand the content.
Provide meaningful feedback to your classmates. Put some thought into the responses that you give to your classmates. Provide reasons and details that explain why you agree or disagree with someone. Asking follow-up questions can keep the conversation going. Telling someone they wrote a good response is not enough.
I included a list of additional readings and resources in the back to encourage people to learn more. To facilitate further discovery and conversation, I am proud to announce that Naomi Ortiz is the author of a discussion guide for DISABILITY VISIBILITY. This guide can be used by educators, facilitators, organizers, book clubs, and anyone interested in examining the themes and questions by the contributors. You can download this guide for free on my website starting June 30, 2020:
Naomi Ortiz is a writer, poet, visual artist, facilitator, and the author of Sustaining Spirit: Self-Care for Social Justice, a guide on self-care for diverse communities. Currently Naomi is focusing on her creative projects exploring disability justice, intersectionality and connection to place, as well as speaking to individuals and groups delving into the substance of self-care.
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