A Break From the Norm

Canvas discussion boards can be made more engaging by offering students choice in how they participate and providing opportunities for them to ask questions.

Choice in Discussion Boards

Choice in Readings and Prompts: Instead of assigning one reading or using a single discussion prompt, instructors can offer multiple reading options and/or discussion prompts. Students can then choose which readings and prompts to engage with based on their interests.
Choice in How Students Interact: Instructors can provide choices for how students interact with the content and with each other on the discussion boards. Some examples include:
  • Asking a question in the reply
  • Responding to a peer's question
  • Commenting on something interesting from the readings
  • Reply with a video or audio recording instead of text
Choice in How Students Earn Grades: One approach is to have a set number of points for the week and allow students to choose how they will earn their participation points. For example, original posts could earn more points than replies or points could be awarded for asking questions.  Points could easily be calculated while using using Speedgrader in Canvas. 
Providing choice increases students’ autonomy, which can lead to increased interest and motivation.

Making Connections

Relate discussion topics to real-world situations, current events, or students’ experiences. This helps them see the relevance of the course material and also provides a more AI-resistant assignment. 
Personal Experience Examples include:
  • If you could time travel to any moment in your life, when would it be?
  • What’s a significant life decision you have made that shaped who you are today?
  • What is your favorite historical era and why?
  • In what ways, both positive and negative, has technology impacted your personal well-being?
Current Event Examples:
  • Analyze the economic effects of rising inflation rates on different socioeconomic groups and propose potential policy solutions Links to an external site. Links to an external site..
  • Evaluate the societal implications of advancements in artificial intelligence, focusing on areas like healthcare, education, or employment Links to an external site. Links to an external site..
  • Explore the challenges facing democracy due to the spread of disinformation, and suggest strategies to combat this issue in the digital age
  • Create a short video or audio recording discussing a current event. Include:
    • Brief event summary
    • Your personal analysis
    • Potential societal implications
    • Connections to course material

Local Impact Examples:

  • Consider the local restaurants available in your town/city.  If you had the financial ability to open a restaurant, what type of food would you serve and why?  Could the population of your town/city support this type of restaurant?
  • If you received a $50,000 grant for improvements in your town, what would you choose to do with it?  Why would this be important to your town/city?
  • Research volunteer opportunities in your town/city.  List 3 here and choose one that you feel drawn toward.  Why did you choose this organization?
  • As residents of our local community, identify a current social, economic, or environmental challenge in our region. Using concepts from our course, develop a potential intervention strategy that could address this issue. Be prepared to discuss how your proposed solution might create positive local impact.
Don't just rely on text-based posts in your discussion boards. Incorporate different media, such as videos, images, podcasts, or even guest speakers. 
Click on the following link for more ideas and examples.
1,700+ Easy Topics for Group Discussion With Your Students Links to an external site.

Student-Led Discussion Boards

Students sign up at the beginning of the semester for a chapter topic presentation based on the textbook.  Each week, several students present via video on their topic. 

Benefits of This Format

  • Personal Connection: Seeing and hearing classmates creates a more personal learning environment.
  • Reinforcement of Concepts: Visual and auditory presentations help reinforce key concepts.
  • Encouragement of Creativity: Students can present information in innovative ways.
  • Active Engagement: Promotes active participation and peer-to-peer learning.

Make sure to provide any specific guidelines regarding video length, response requirements, and grading criteria.  The following scribe provides directions on recording videos through Canvas.  

How to Record a Video Using Canvas Links to an external site.

Prepare Your Presentation (For Presenters)

  • Study Your Chapter(s): Thoroughly review the assigned chapter(s) to understand key concepts and ideas.
  • Create a Video Presentation: Summarize the key points in a video format. Be creative and engaging to capture your classmates' attention.
  • Post Your Video: Upload your video presentation as your initial discussion board post during your assigned week.

Engage with Classmates (For Non-Presenters)

  • Read the Assigned Chapters: Familiarize yourself with the content of the chapter(s) being presented.
  • Watch Classmates' Presentations: View the video presentations posted by your classmates to understand their interpretations of the material.
  • Respond Thoughtfully: Provide comments or questions on one or two classmates’ presentations to foster interaction and engagement.

Foster Ongoing Discussions

  • Engage in Follow-Up Conversations: Reply to comments on your own post and continue discussions on others’ posts to deepen understanding and collaboration.

Repeat Weekly

  • Continue this process weekly, with different students presenting each week, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to engage both as presenters and responders.