As of August 1st, 2008, the Edutech web site will no longer be updated. Edutech was funded by the Swiss Virtual Campus programme, which ended on July 31st, 2008. Some activities will be taken over by the e-Learning Services group at the SWITCH foundation.
Students Guidelines for the Forum
- Introduction
- What I Appreciate
- What I expect
- Advices for formulating your contribution
- Reacting when the discussion strays off subject
Introduction
The Forum is central of our learning process since they allow us to continue and deepen subjects that we started in the face to face (f-2-f) course. I therefore want to recommend the Forum especially.
I might not manage to answer to each of your messages, but I am willing to read all postings. That will give me - through the semester - an impression of each one of your. Since you certainly wonder how the quality of messages in the Forum can be evaluated I will tell you here what I look for.
I appreciate
when your contributions (arguments, comments, or questions)- are posted with a pertinent title, that is, pertinent to it's content. Titles such as "question 1" or "Re: My thoughts" are much less pertinent than titles with aspects concerning the content of the posting.
- cite from the message you react to (xx says: " "): which helps to clarify to which idea or thought your react.
- show your intention to rapidly come to the point.
- are based on proof, descriptions of examples or citations
- introduce texts or literature that are not contained in the official course material
- trigger further postings
- help clarify or synthesis the contributions of others
- concentrate on one train of thought.
- are limited to a maximum of two paragraphs. Text with more than 150-200 words are hard to read on the screen.
I expect
that you- learn rapidly to prevent the discussion from straying off subject
- avoid comments such as: "I (don't)agree with so and so.", "I think the same as ...".
- don't retire once you have sent in a contribution. A discussion is more, than a list of contributions. Perhaps someone has answered your contribution or would like to clarify a point or contributes another opinion. Check the forum at least one or two days after you posted your message, for the reaction of others.
Variation:
I expect you to post at least two contributions per week!
Advices for formulating your contribution
- Before reading the reaction of others, make up your own mind. Develop your point of view and decide how you can defend this position. Only then read the contribution of others.
- Answer to contributions that go against your position, that support them, or to those which are missing proof to points that you judge important.
- You can also wrap your own thoughts into questions, or propose an argument (remember, opinions are no arguments). Play the role of the devils advocate, come up with difficult questions.
- Avoid answers that only propose right or wrong perspectives and that ignore other possible answers.
- If your contribution is to be the first one, then provide a thorough analysis coupled with strong (daring) arguments (thesis) and open questions that invite a debate.
- It helps your readers, when you quote citations to which you react in your posting (xx says: " "): this way every one know clearly what you refer to.
Reacting when the discussion strays off subject
- Analyze clearly why you think that a contribution leads away from the focus of the discussion
- try to use elements of that contribution to help guide the discussion back to its focus
- Propose - if need be - the creation of a new discussion topic