Help! Asynchronous Online Discussion Posts: How to Make Them Effective Without Zapping Faculty’s Time and Energy

Keywords: Discussion posts; online asynchronous learning; student engagement

Abstract: This roundtable focuses on improving online discussion posts while preserving faculty time and resources. With the swift transition to online learning due to COVID-19, faculty members instituted discussion posts to continue peer-to-peer interaction. As faculty cope with the uncertainty of Fall 2020 and beyond, we must better understand how to engage students in remote formats. We hope to facilitate discussions around creating engaging prompts, encouraging students to share contradictory viewpoints, and providing feedback in a timely, fair, and effective manner. The outcome will be a best practices document for those interested in using online discussion posts in future classes.