Learning Power Online Component: Guidelines for Threaded Discussions

Online Component, September-October: The online component of the course will

account for 50 points.

• Weekly discussion topics created by content specialists

• Teacher-led discussions focusing on strategy integration
• Expectation of 45 minutes weekly asynchronous participation
• A general rule of thumb is to check in daily and respond as appropriate. The
attached rubric shows you how we plan on assessing online participation. In
addition, once during the course we will ask you to assess your own participation.
After you’ve recorded your assessments, the facilitator will provide feedback.

Modules will open for discussion each Monday. The discussion threads will
close on Sunday nights at midnight. The following guidelines may help direct
your postings:

1. Plan on posting an initial response to the posted discussion question(s) by no later

than the corresponding Wednesday.
2. Log in and respond twice to at least two other postings. Feel free to post more
frequently.
3. Keep postings focused and concise. Try to address only one issue or idea in each
post. If you would like to address a variety of ideas or topics, post them separately.
4. Whenever possible and appropriate provide relevant anecdotes or examples to
illustrate your points.
5. Provide links to web sources when appropriate.
6. Avoid saying “I agree” or “Good point” without including your reasoning.
7. Make sure your postings are thoughtful and reflective.
8. Be respectful to group members, even when your opinions differ.
9. Spell check. Sometimes it’s a good idea to first compose your post in a Microsoft
Word document and then copy it into the threaded discussion.
10. Remember, you can post your own questions or concerns. The initial questions are
simply designed to get the discussion flowing among group members.
Threaded Discussion Rubric—Week One-Week Six (Sept. 13-Oct. 22)

Category .5 1 1.5 2 POINTS

Promptness and Does not Responds to most Responds to postings Consistently

Initiative respond to most threads late in the in a timely fashion responds to
discussion week; limited usually within a 24 postings within
topics; rarely initiative hour period; requires 24 hours;
participates occasional prompting demonstrates
freely to post good self-
initiative

Utilizes poor Errors in spelling Few grammatical or Consistently

spelling and and grammar spelling errors are uses
Delivery of Posts grammar in evident in several noted in posts grammatically
most posts; posts correct posts
posts appear with rare
"hasty" misspellings

Posts topics Occasionally posts Frequently posts Consistently

which do not off topic; most posts topics that are related posts topics
Relevance of relate to the are short in length to discussion content; related to
Post discussion and offer no further prompts further discussion
content; makes insight into the topic discussion of topic topic; cites
short or additional
irrelevant references
remarks related to topic

Does not Unclear connection Opinions and ideas Expresses

express to topic evidenced in are stately clearly opinions and
Expressiveness opinions or minimal expression with occasional lack ideas in a clear
ideas clearly; no of opinions or ideas of connection to topic and concise
connection to manner with
topic obvious
connection to
topic

TOTAL