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[lilyteach]

For an online, semester-long, three-credit class, how many posts/responses would be appropriate if these are the bulk of the weekly activities?

I'm thinking of giving them five questions and requiring three 10+ sentence posts and two 5+ sentence responses, but I don't know if I should require more responses to create more discussion or more posts in general, or if I should even differentiate from posts/responses? Thoughts?

[proftowanda]

For an online, semester-long, three-credit class, how many posts/responses would be appropriate if these are the bulk of the weekly activities?

I'm thinking of giving them five questions and requiring three 10+ sentence posts and two 5+ sentence responses, but I don't know if I should require more responses to create more discussion or more posts in general, or if I should even differentiate from posts/responses? Thoughts?

I tend to ask five questions, with 30 to 40 students, each from a different supplementary reading, (in face to face intro-level classes, too).  I require only one initial post and one or two reply responses each week but for ten weeks, rather than for every week, as this mitigates problems of my campus' late-registration period, of many emails on excuses, etc.  (there still are some, of course, but fewer), etc.   At the same time, I give students incentive to get going and not defer on this by awarding (minimal) extra credit for any beyond ten.  That means that extra means extra, and such credit comes only after meeting the required minimum.

I do differentiate, with explicit instructions as to what they must do in initial posts and in responses.  For example, in initial posts, they must use the textbook reading and the lecture and the supplementary reading.  In responses, I have learned the hard way to force them to actually be responsive to a classmate by citing/complimenting a classmate for at least two points that the classmate made, addressing those, and again specifically from readings and/or lectures (but not all of the above, as in the initial assignment) -- but not just repeating what they used from the readings and/or lectures in the initial assignment.

I don't use sentences; I use number of words.

I based this design at first on what a colleague did in a comparable course, part of a two-course survey, but I have somewhat increased the workload since, although not to the extent that I understand that you foresee here.  In part, I don't know if yours is an intro-level or upper-level course.  I will be interested in other comments.

[bone_gal]

One piece I would add is to specify what days you want them to post on (like a first response posted by Wednesday, and messages spread out over at least two days), and to have different point levels tied to this. If they won't lose points on their grade, everyone will post everything the last minute and then that's not a discussion. In my class, you get maximum points for posting the correct #, with at least one post before Wednesday, messages spread out over at least two days, and messages of good "quality" (I give explicit directions on this, including word count, citations to course materials, etc.). Then points go down from there if they don't have the right # of messages, they don't have a first post by Wed, all messages are posted on one day, messages aren't of good quality, etc.

I would also suggest more replies if you want good discussion. My classes have to post 3-5 quality messages a week and it's only 30% of final grade. IMHO, If discussion is the bulk of the work, then some serious magic needs to be taking place there.

[proftowanda]

One piece I would add is to specify what days you want them to post on (like a first response posted by Wednesday, and messages spread out over at least two days), and to have different point levels tied to this. If they won't lose points on their grade, everyone will post everything the last minute and then that's not a discussion. In my class, you get maximum points for posting the correct #, with at least one post before Wednesday, messages spread out over at least two days, and messages of good "quality" (I give explicit directions on this, including word count, citations to course materials, etc.). Then points go down from there if they don't have the right # of messages, they don't have a first post by Wed, all messages are posted on one day, messages aren't of good quality, etc.

I would also suggest more replies if you want good discussion. My classes have to post 3-5 quality messages a week and it's only 30% of final grade. IMHO, If discussion is the bulk of the work, then some serious magic needs to be taking place there.

I'm rethinking workload, thanks to this discussion.  I can see many advantages in more posts per week, even if not as long, because students do seem to lose track of need to maintain contact in an online course.  I can up the discussion points to 30 percent for more posts, too.

Mine is an intro-level, first-year course, bone_gal.  What level is your course?  What sort of campus, if you can share?  Thanks.  (And yes, the posts definitely need to be scheduled with deadlines, incentives for early posts, etc.  I also tell them that a significant incentive can be that early posts allow me to email about corrections, suggestions, etc., that I will be glad to regrade.)

[prof_cj]

I assign about 5 major questions/points per each lesson (for my online literature courses). At least 2 have to be addressed in the longer homework assignments, which are due every other week. Weeks the assignments aren't due, the other 3 questions have to be discussed on the forums, which I check in on a few times a week.

They seem to like the variation between forum posting and paper writing, this also allows for them to bounce ideas off each other (in a non-plagarism sort of way) in the forums.

[lilyteach]

Thanks for the feedback! I decided to do a mix of discussion questions, online quizzes, and longer reading responses (due four times a semester) in addition to a portfolio. I think this will be a good mix for them since some people hate discussion boards but like quizzes (and vice versa), and I think it will be easier for me to assess them.

[blackadder]

This thread is helping me too. In the past I've required 3 posts - an initial post and 2 follow up posts with "substantial content" and supportive references. But I didn't require the first post within a specific time frame and some groups try to jam everything into the last couple of days. So fixing that for next semester.

My questions vary by number depending on the subject matter. Usually it's 3 and they have to choose at least one to post on. The f/u posts have to add to or provide more information/suggestions/ideas. This is just for undergrad classes though.

As for mix of assignments, I have a group project (yeah....they hate group projects but this one doesn't make sense to do individually), discussions every Unit, a written analysis paper every Unit, midterm and final exam (both proctored in the library). 6 Units - 2-3 weeks each. So far this seems to be working out pretty well.