Promoting Higher-Order Thinking in Online Discussion Forums

DEVELOPING ONLINE DISCUSSION FORUMS TO PROMOTE HIGHER-ORDER THINKING Quality Matters East Coast Regional Conference Friday, March 23, 2018 Dianna Sand & Elizabeth Jones Holy Family University

Discussion / Review of Research / Examples Application and Activities Sharing of Results Conclusions MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THE SESSION

Participants will evaluate stated learning objectives using the revised Bloom s Taxonomy Consider how to develop prompts that promote higher-order thinking for online discussion forums Develop questions which align with student learning outcomes LEARNING OBJECTIVES

What challenges have you encountered when using discussion forums in online or blended courses? QUESTION FOR PARTICIPANTS

Research Question How can we use online discussion on forums to promote higher-order thinking and also align with course learning outcomes? Problem Statement Students may perceive discussion forms as busy work when forums are not perceived to be meaningful. Discussion forums are sometimes used to check that students completed the readings by asking students to provide the single right answer. Student motivation to participate in discussion forums directly relates to the nature of the prompts or questions posed. Discussion forums emphasizing only recall or understanding do not lead to active debates among the students. OUR ISSUES OUR FOCUS

A variety of discussion forums which increase in the cognitive presence (e.g., structured, scaffolded, role- playing, and forced debate) are best Learning in a social context is as important as individual characteristics Online discussions can promote higher order thinking, especially at the application and analysis levels. Reflection is important in online discussions HIGHLIGHTS THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES & LITERATURE REVIEW

Quality Matters Rubric Course Technology Quality Matters Rubric Course Activities / Learner Interactions 6.1 Tools used in course support learning objectives and competencies 5.1 Learning activities promote achievement of stated learning objectives and competencies 6.2 Course tools promote learner engagement and active learning 5.2 Learning activities provide opportunities for interaction that support active learning BEST PRACTICES: QUALITY MATTERS RUBRIC

Connect online discussions with overall course learning outcomes and course activities Develop discussion forum prompts and questions which can inspire students to apply, analyze, and evaluate information Provide students with sufficient time to think deeply about important topics, ideas, and issues See Bloom s Taxonomy Revised (Krathwohl, 2002) View online discussion forums as formative assessments Give students multiple opportunities to express their thinking about issues or topics through discussion forums See Christopher (2004) BEST PRACTICES: FORUM STRUCTURES

Forum Questions to Promote Higher-Order Thinking Forums Connected to Learning Outcomes What does "learner-centered" mean to you? See handout, pages 6 - 7 What does it mean to be a good reader? How can you encourage students to blend their interests with classroom projects? How does project-based learning help students advance their learning? EXAMPLES

Analyze learning outcomes from using the adapted Blooms Taxonomy-Revised matrix Select one or two learning outcomes from a course and develop prompts or questions for a discussion forum that could be utilized and reinforce course learning outcomes See examples above for several course learning outcomes and higher-order thinking questions linked directly to learning outcomes ACTIVITIES

Discussion See handout DESIGNING EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENTS

American Psychological Association. (1997). Learner-centered psychological principles: A framework for school reform and redesign. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ed/governance/bea/learner-centered.pdf Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., Airasian, P. W., Cruikshank, K. A., Mayer, R. E., Pintrich, P. R., ... & Wittrock, M. C. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives (Complete ed.). New York, NY: Longman. Banta, T. W., Jones, E. A., & Black, K. E. (2009). Designing effective assessment: Principles and profiles of good practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Barton, L. G. (2007). Quick flip questions for the revised Bloom's taxonomy: Improving thinking skills at any age with the flip of a page! Garden Grove, CA: Edupress. Bassett P. (2011). How do students view asynchronous online discussion as a learning experience? Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects. 7(11), 69-79. Bye, L., Smith, S., Rallis, H. M. (2009). Reflection using an online discussion forum: Impact on student learning and satisfaction. Social Work Education, 28(8), 841-855. Christopher, M. M. (2004). Raising the bar: Encouraging high-level thinking in online discussion forums. Roeper Review: A Journal of Gifted Education, 26(3), 166-171. Condie, R., & Livingston, K. (2007). Blending online learning with traditional approaches: Changing practices. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(2), 337-348. Conrad, R. & Donaldson, J. A. (2012). Continuing to engage the online learner: More activities and resources for creative instruction. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Darabi, A., Arrastia, M. C., Nelson, D. W., Cornille, T., & Liang, X. (2011). Cognitive presence in asynchronous online learning: A comparison of four discussion strategies. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 27(3), 216-227. Facione, P. A. (2015). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. Hermosa Beach, C: Measured Reasons LLC. Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212-218. McCombs, B. L., & Miller, L. (2007). Learner-centered classroom practices and assessments: Maximizing student motivation, learning, and achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. REFERENCES