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This book supports teaching and learning through online discussion in higher education contexts such as universities, colleges, and polytechnics. It presents an explicit focus on popular asynchronous discussion tools and methods, with attention to disciplinary variety and key principles for successful learning-oriented discussion. It tackles the challenges faced by tertiary teachers implementing online discussion, and outlines common concerns and productive solutions to enhance the effectiveness and manageability of online discussions for teachers. This book also presents a parallel focus on the difficulties commonly experienced by students learning through online discussion. It offers advice for new online learners in a practical and accessible way, and considers assessment issues related to online discussion. Finally, this book offers innovative ideas for future-oriented online discussion in the higher education context.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction the place of online discussion in higher education.- Chapter 2: Variety across disciplines.- Chapter 3: Effective learning through online discussion enhancing student strategies and experience.- Chapter 4: Effective teaching through online discussion enhancing pedagogy and practice.- Chapter 5: Assessment issues and practices.- Chapter 6: Innovative practices in online discussion.- Chapter 7: The future of online discussion.
About the author
Dr Dianne Forbes is a digital learning specialist with a background in teacher education and a particular interest in online (blended/hybrid) pedagogies in tertiary education. Her primary research interests are the human, social and relational dimensions of learning through digital technologies, including ethics and professionalism. She studies innovative pedagogies, from low-tech asynchronous forum discussions, to podcasts, video, social media and flipped/blended learning. A consistent focus of her work is the perspectives and experiences of students and teachers as participants in digital learning.
Associate Professor Nicola Daly is a sociolinguist in the Division of Education at the University of Waikato, New Zealand where she teaches children's literature online and leads the Postgraduate Certificate in Children's and Young Adult Literature. She also co-directs the Waikato Picturebook Research Unit. Her work explores multilingualism and language hierarchies in children's picturebooks, recognising the power of this often underestimated format in the development of language attitudes and the perpetuation of hegemonies. In 2019/2020 she was a Fulbright New Zealand Scholar at the University of Arizona, USA.
Dr Liang Li is working at the School of Arts and the School of Education at the University of Waikato. She is interested in using digital tools to enhance teaching and learning experiences. With a background in corpus linguistics, she actively contributes to the FLAX project and helps develop a corpus-based language learning and analysis tool tailored for EAP (English for Academic Purposes) learners and researchers. As an online instructor, she embraces various tools including asynchronous discussion forums, Perusall and Wikis to foster collaborative learning environments online.
