Discussion Board Posts
In this section, you'll find resources on writing Discussion Board Posts.
Writing a Discussion Board Post
Types of Discussion Posts:
- Introduction
Introductory discussions are designed to help you and your classmates get to know each other better. You should include information about your personal and professional background, as well as your goals for the course.
- Debate
Debate discussions include a statement based on the week’s module content that offers an opportunity to discuss opposing views, opinions, and research on a topic. You should choose a firm stance and include support for your viewpoint.
- Experiential
Experiential discussion posts pull from your personal or known experiences. Think about how you can relate the prompt to your own life, and explain your perspective in this way.
- Current Events
This type of discussion asks you to relate the prompt to current events in society or your specific field. Consider how the course content is connected to events that have been reported in the media within the past 12 months.
- Flipped Discussions
When you are assigned a flipped discussion, you are expected to create a discussion board prompt for others to respond to. Pose a question of prompt that is related to the course content and encourages your classmates to dig deeper in a specific area.
- Portfolio Milestones
Portfolio milestone discussion posts provide an opportunity for you to propose a topic and get feedback from your classmates and professor. You should state the topic(s) you are thinking about, as well as provide some context and information about the direction of your research.
- Reflection
Reflective discussion posts ask students to reflect on what they have learned so far in the course. You should consider how the course content relates to your personal learning experience. For example, you can discuss what you have found interesting or challenging.
- Situational/Case Prompt
Situational or case prompts provide a scenario that you will respond to. Based on what you have learned so far, discuss how you would respond to the prompted situation. Provide support and context for your perspective.
Keep the following tips in mind when constructing posts for Discussion Boards:
- When posting responses and engaging with your classmates, ask questions that expand and continue the conversation. Dig deeper into the topic and ideas to gain further understanding and insight into the thoughts and perspectives of others.
- You are expected to express your own thoughts and analysis regarding the topic or discussion question/prompt. If you choose to use information from outside sources, you should include both in-text citations and a references list.
- Be sure to check the discussion rubric to ensure you are meeting expectations.
If you have questions about the type of discussion post or specifics about your assignment, please consult your instructor.
These sample posts will help you get started with your assignment. Note that one sample is designed to be more research-focused and includes citations, while the other demonstrates a more casual style discussion post forum. Please refer to whichever is most appropriate for your assignment.
