This will be the first in our sequence of three Tech Talks in which we'll explore the roles, challenges, and opportunities associated with online Discussions. Instructure has been working on a Discussion redesign and has added some new features to the Canvas Discussion tool. In this week's Tech Talk, we'll take a look at these new features, including the ability to view the edit history of posts, the option to have anonymous discussions and differentiated due dates, as well as the ability to tag others and quote others' replies. Join us as we tour these updated features and kick off a conversation that explores strategies for effective online discussions!

Does the mention of “discussion board assignment” elicit a collective eye roll, sigh, or sense of dread from your students? Perhaps from you, too? In this session we’ll explore strategies for improving the discussion-board experience. We'll discuss the importance of setting a clear purpose, expectations, and structure as well as ideas for creating effective question prompts that encourage thoughtful responses. We’re convinced that asynchronous discussions can be an engaging and meaningful addition to our online and on-ground classrooms. Come join our conversation!

In this third session in our sequence focusing on improving discussion boards, we’ll discuss some example discussion-board prompts that use divergent question prompts, require critical thinking, and have the potential to elicit greater interest and deeper responses from students. We’ll also talk about the role of instructors in facilitating discussions. We hope to see you there!