1. Plan your posting. Think through your ideas, read other postings to see what others are saying, and address comments that support or contradict your ideas.
2. Turn your thoughts into questions. Make bold or provocative statements. Check back often to see what discussion you’ve generated and respond to it.
3. Add value. Say why you agree/disagree with other postings and explain your rationale. Raise some thoughts or questions for others to respond to.
4. Be concise. In general, short and sweet is best. Aim for short and purposeful postings – avoid repetition and lengthy explanations. Stick to one or two main points with supporting evidence in each posting.
5. Make the context clear. Be specific about what aspect of a posting you are responding to. [Paraphrasing provides feedback for the poster on how well ideas were communicated].
6. Use keywords in your posting titles. This can include the discussion thread title and a bit about the content of the posting [e.g., Discussion #3 Personality in Animals: Animals lack anatomical structure for personality].
7. Be open. Different perspectives are the point of discussions and can deepen your understanding of the issues being discussed. Difference of opinion is an opportunity for learning.
8. Feel free to change your mind. Take a stand at first, but realize that your ideas aren’t permanent. Let the new information from the discussion modify your stand and say so when it does.
9. Feel free to disagree. Disagree with points, not people. Support your contradicting point with evidence. Debate makes for a very productive and meaningful discussion.

10.  Avoid emotional posting. In the heat of the moment write up a response but don’t send it. Wait a day or two then re-read your response and remove all the emotional statements. Stick to the main points and support your points with evidence from the lectures/readings.

11.  Avoid sarcasm. It is easily misinterpreted in an online environment. Stay on topic, stick to the key issues raised and avoid personal judgments or emotional responses. If you are joking, use emoticons to convey the nature of the message.

12.  Create cohesion and community. Get to know each other! A bit of friendly chit-chat and appropriate personal stories help your personalities shine through. Give positive feedback, use light humor, use first names, respond promptly, offer assistance, and avoid negative undertones.

13.  Enjoy yourself! Online discussions will enrich your understanding of course material and foster co-operative learning with your peers. It is also an excellent forum for developing learning, communication, and social interaction skills that are valuable in all aspects of your life.

Source Educational Development Centre

Clink on the link at the right.

Next, make a reflective comment on something you read and comment one or more of your classmates comments.

Then: Answer this question.

In reading about T.S. Eliot, you may have noted his conversation to the Anglican Church. There was reluctance to believe he was a true convert.

Now that you have read about Thomas Becket, how to you feel about Eliot’s converstion? Do you think Eliot wrote about Becket for a particular reason?

Due date for Becket discussion is Thursday, Jan. 12,  at 9 p.m.

For this book to make sense, it is imperative to know something about the setting (lit term!).  Follow the link to the right and read the PowerPoint.

The answer to the  question running through your mind is, “Yes, you need to know what the slides are about!”

NEXT: Go to the Modern American Poetry link. Read  T.S. Eliot’s Life and Career | Biographical Timeline | Bibliography | General Statements on Eliot

Write a comment reflecting on what you read.  Due by Thursday at 9 p.m.

Comment on your classmates postings due by Monday at 9 p.m.

Be ready for class discussion.