Best Practices in an Online Forum Presentation Storyboard. 2^nd Editon, Devonee Trivett 07/17/2013

TEXT IMAGE AUDIO/ time

Best Practices for Discussions in an Online Discussion Forum	Image of Many students with computers connected by a visual line, indicating their Internet connection.	Background Modest Mouse: Float On/ throughout the video VOICE OVER: brief introduction such as...Developing a Set of Best Practices for Online Discussions is of Great Importance for Learning Institutions seeking to Provide Quality Online Learning Experiences for Today's Students. Here are Strategies for this. time: 10 seconds
Discussion Questions and Answers are Focused		Voice over: The teacher can encourage specificity with focused, specific questions. Answers should also focused and on topic Time: 5 Seconds
Set a tone of inclusion	Image: Diverse group of people working together	Voice Over: Instructors can set a tone of inclusion, respect and appreciate a diverse set of viewpoints through positive reinforcement... Time: 5 Seconds
Build Trust. Be authentic. Build trust.	Image: Scrabble Letters spelling out the word TRUST.	Voice over:When building an online community of learners it will be important to develop a social presence, and the instructor can encourage authenticity through sharing his or her own experiences throughout the course dialogue... Build trust through rewarding participation, and giving honest and constructive feedback that will help the student improve Time: 19 seconds
Encourage reflection on other viewpoints and collaboration.	Clip of many hands in a circle.	Voice over: Online Discussions offer a prime opportunity for asynchronous learning and for heightened collaboration among reflective learners. Collaboration can be encouraged through a variety of team activities, and through rewarding constructive feedback with points. Other activities... Time: 29 seconds
Model and set expectations for respectful dialogue through “teacher presence”.	Clip of: students shaking hands	Voice over: Teacher presence is established in a variety of ways, through modeling respect for different viewpoints when giving feedback, through designing opportunities for reflection within the course itself, and through facilitating information sharing. More on teacher presence building... Time: 20 seconds.
Set clear expectations. Encourage informal as well as formal, academic sharing that is on topic.	Picture of a rubric.	Instructors can set clear expectations in a variety of ways, and one important way is to be very specific when writing the rubric. Examples of specific rubric criteria are: Time: 45 seconds
Encourage data driven responses.	Clip of a student doing research.	Voice over: This is established through expe ctations. Opinions should always be backed up with reasons, and cited with data-driven research with APA formatting. Time: 20 seconds
Keep it relevant.	Clip of teacher in a classroom environment problem-solving with students.	Voice over: Have students discuss authenti situations that they will have to deal with after gradation. Design discussions around problem solving activities for student to work on together. Time: 30 seconds
Use constructivist learning principles when designing activities.	Picture of ’sVygotsky.	Voice over: Brief explanation of constructivist principles. Time: 60 seconds
Encourage Reciprocal Questioning.	Video clip of students in dialogue.	Voice over: students work together to ask and answer questions …. Time: 10 seconds
Design Structured Controversies Encourge research on a particular controversy	Video clip of students disagreeing, and then listening to each other, and finally coming to a conclusion.	Voice over: Through the asynchronous learning experience online students have a heightened ability to research different opinions and points of viewpoints. Students in this learning environment can work together to research a particular controversy and should be encouraged to come to their own conculsions. Time: 20 seconds
Encourage constructive feedback.	Image of a student giving pointers to another student.	Voice over: Students will experience greater levels of learning if they are given the opportunity to receive constructive feedback that is both postive and negative. This can be done in order to help the student improve. Time: 20 seconds
To Review....	Image of connected community with lines connecting people all around the world sharing viewpoints, sharing information, reflecting, etc.	Voice over: Best practices for teacher presence include facilitating information sharing, clear expectations, provided opportunities for student reflection, encouraging diverse points of views, encouraging respectful discussions through modeling and through examples, and including opportunities for collaboration that are rewarded. Time: 20 seconds
Following these Suggestions for Best Practices will Facilitate the building of a Community of Learners by the participants.	clip team of learners patting each other on the back	Voice over: Developing a Set of Best Practices for Online Discussions is of Great Importance for Learning Institutions seeking to Provide Quality Online Learning Experiences for Today's Students. Time: 5 seconds