Discussion & communication guidelines

Discussion is an important learning activity in this course, whether it’s in a discussion forum, chat, a breakout room in Zoom, peer review, or a shared document. Whatever the forum is, I will also participate in our discussions! I won't reply to every single post, but I will follow the conversation and add my own thoughts.

Digging deeper

Here are a few tips to deepen our conversations:

  1. Share your own personal experiences as they relate to the topic. Make connections to your own background and culture.
  2. Explain your opinions.
  3. Share reputable sites, books, or articles that pertain to the topic.
  4. Add different viewpoints, with specific examples or evidence.

Respectful engagement

  • Avoid sarcasm. People who don't know you may misinterpret your meaning.
  • Use appropriate language.
  • Avoid "flaming" (online "screaming") or sentences typed in all caps.
  • Be courteous to your fellow students. You might find it helpful to read your posting out loud before you submit it. When you read your message out loud, does it sound the way you would say it in a classroom?
  • You can disagree with ideas, but do not make personal attacks.

Additional (and optional) guidance

If you've never used Canvas discussions, you may find the following three-minute video helpful. It demonstrates how to view, reply to, and edit discussion posts.

Note: To view captions for this video, click the CC button on the bottom toolbar. 

Click Next to continue.