{"id":8989,"date":"2022-01-25T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/?p=8989"},"modified":"2022-01-21T12:08:55","modified_gmt":"2022-01-21T12:08:55","slug":"how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/","title":{"rendered":"How to encourage student engagement using Canvas discussion forums"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"512\" height=\"342\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8990\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed.png 512w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed-100x67.png 100w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed-150x100.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed-200x134.png 200w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/unnamed-450x301.png 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Online discussion forums can be a useful tool for asynchronous communication amongst teachers and students. The functionality allows for both focused (singular posts for short-lived interactions) and threaded discussions (multiple posts\/comments for in-depth conversation). Discussions are integrated within Canvas, and they can be used as an assignment as they are linked to Gradebook, and\/or assigned to existing student groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When managed effectively, discussions can enable student interaction and improve the quality of online learning and the sense of learner community. However, discussion forums are also notorious for becoming stagnant, with low engagement and students lacking the incentive to contribute amongst the top obstacles found in a<a href=\"https:\/\/jisajournal.springeropen.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s13174-019-0120-0\"> recent study<\/a> (de Lima <em>et al.,<\/em> 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So why should we invest often limited time and resources into managing student forums?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The dedicated discussion area can facilitate reflection on module content and activities, whereby students have time to think and formulate responses.<\/li><li>Some students prefer contributing their ideas and questions via a discussion board rather than during in person teaching. For those students the space can feel safer and more informal, particularly if they have anxiety or are not speaking in their first language.<\/li><li>It promotes a collaborative way of sharing perspectives and connecting students, allowing flexible engagement e.g. students can contribute in their own time and are able to use various multimedia.<\/li><li>The conversations are accessible throughout the module and can be an ideal place to develop ideas and the depth of discussion over time.<\/li><li>Forums can have designated uses. E.g., Q&amp;A forums help answer frequently asked student questions in a more public setting which, in turn, leads to less repeated email queries.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding the benefits is perhaps straightforward, yet how can we alleviate discussion burn-out and promote student engagement whilst actively managing teacher workload? Below are five key principles to designing and overseeing a successful online forum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>Determine your Objective:<\/strong> What is the purpose of the discussion and therefore what do you want to elicit from student answers? How questions are phrased will directly frame student answers to form introductions, reflections, a critical review, or a debate. The clarity of the task is important to facilitate engagement. Create discussion questions ahead of time and ensure they are open-ended and linked to other weekly activities. See examples of tasks in \u2018<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fold.org.au\/docs\/TheGuide_Final.pdf\">The Guide to Fostering Asynchronous Online Discussion in HE<\/a>\u2019.<\/li><li><strong>Set Expectations:<\/strong> Set clear expectations. Tell students when, where, and how often to contribute to the discussion and when you will be monitoring the activity. You can enable \u2018available from\u2019 and \u2018until\u2019 dates on individual forums and add the discussion activity to a specific date on a student\u2019s Canvas to-do list. Consider your cohort size and whether an open forum or private discussion groups are better suited for your task objective. See the University of York\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.advance-he.ac.uk\/news-and-views\/designing-learning-and-teaching-online-role-discussion-forums\"> \u2018Five Questions\u2019 framework<\/a> for setting discussion expectations.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/2022-01-21_11-59-45.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"234\" height=\"339\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/2022-01-21_11-59-45.png\" alt=\"screenshot showing options within discussion forums\" class=\"wp-image-8994\" title=\"Different options within discussion forums\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/2022-01-21_11-59-45.png 234w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/2022-01-21_11-59-45-207x300.png 207w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/2022-01-21_11-59-45-100x145.png 100w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/2022-01-21_11-59-45-150x217.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2022\/01\/2022-01-21_11-59-45-200x290.png 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 234px) 100vw, 234px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Different options within discussion forums<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\"><li><strong>Moderate to Promote Engagement:<\/strong> With expectations set, you can moderate the discussion forum by providing affirmations, encouragement, or feedback as and when are needed. If student posts start to lag, rephrase the question or introduce a new element to the discussion as a prompt. Remind students of any due dates for discussion-based activities and reference the forum in other activities such as seminars.<\/li><li><strong>Model Good Practice:<\/strong> Prompt early discussion by leading by example. Keep your posts short and showcase what type of engagement is expected. Consider walking students through the process of posting during teaching time. Summarise individual and group sentiment and draw each discussion point to a close before starting a new activity.<\/li><li><strong>Encourage Multimedia Use:<\/strong> Promoting the use of multimedia allows discussion threads to become technologically diverse and more engaging. Students currently can upload images, audio, videos, and documents using the rich content editor and use common apps to embed content such as Ted Talks, Tweets, and YouTube videos. You can also enable the \u2018likes\u2019 feature which replicates familiar social media functionality. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2>Summary and resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to note that even if not all students contribute to a discussion, many will still benefit from viewing other students\u2019 contributions and the overall discussion. Discussion forums on Canvas are just one of many ways to engage a student cohort within an online learning environment. For further support with digital teaching activities, please contact TEL at <a href=\"mailto:tel@sussex.ac.uk\">tel@sussex.ac.uk<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Resources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/canvas.sussex.ac.uk\/courses\/14993\/pages\/building-learning-communities-all-modes\">Building Learning Communities (TOLA)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/community.canvaslms.com\/t5\/Canvas-Basics-Guide\/What-are-Discussions\/ta-p\/3\">Canvas Basics: What are Discussions?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2018\/07\/17\/5-ways-to-make-online-discussions-work-in-your-teaching\/\">5 ways to make online discussions work in your teaching<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2018\/06\/29\/canvas-highlights-discussions\/\">Canvas highlights 7: Discussions<\/a><\/li><li>de Lima, D.P.R., Gerosa, M.A., Conte, T.U. <em>et al.<\/em> What to expect, and how to improve online discussion forums: the instructors\u2019 perspective. <em>J Internet Serv Appl<\/em> <strong>10, <\/strong>22 (2019). <a href=\"https:\/\/jisajournal.springeropen.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s13174-019-0120-0\">https:\/\/jisajournal.springeropen.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s13174-019-0120-0<\/a><\/li><li>Verenikina, I., Jones, P. T. &amp; Delahunty, J. (2017). The Guide to Fostering Asynchronous Online Discussion in Higher Education. Available from: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fold.org.au\/docs\/TheGuide_Final.pdf\">www.fold.org.au\/docs\/TheGuide_Final.pdf<\/a>&nbsp; Accessed [17\/01\/2022]<\/li><\/ul>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-twitter-8989\" class=\"share-twitter sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Twitter\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-facebook\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-facebook-8989\" class=\"share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Facebook\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-tumblr\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-tumblr sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=tumblr\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Tumblr\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-print\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-print sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to print\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to print (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pinterest\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-pinterest-8989\" class=\"share-pinterest sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=pinterest\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pinterest\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pocket\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-pocket sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=pocket\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pocket\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Online discussion forums can be a useful tool for asynchronous communication amongst teachers and students. The functionality allows for both focused (singular posts for short-lived interactions) and threaded discussions (multiple posts\/comments for in-depth conversation). Discussions are integrated within Canvas, and<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-twitter-8989\" class=\"share-twitter sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Twitter\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-facebook\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-facebook-8989\" class=\"share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Facebook\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-tumblr\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-tumblr sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=tumblr\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Tumblr\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-print\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-print sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to print\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to print (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pinterest\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-pinterest-8989\" class=\"share-pinterest sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=pinterest\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pinterest\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-pocket\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-pocket sd-button share-icon no-text\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2022\/01\/25\/how-to-encourage-student-engagement-using-canvas-discussion-forums\/?share=pocket\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Pocket\"><span><\/span><span class=\"sharing-screen-reader-text\">Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[137836],"tags":[157000,4185],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4IWEK-2kZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8554,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2020\/12\/08\/peer-learning-with-canvas\/","url_meta":{"origin":8989,"position":0},"title":"Peer Learning with Canvas","date":"8th December 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Peer learning is a term that covers a broad spectrum of activities in which students work together to further their learning, from peer teaching, to group working, to peer assessment. There are great benefits to be seen from peer learning approaches. Students can be given opportunities to organise their thoughts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Canvas&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2020\/12\/feedback-2044700_1920.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7185,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2018\/07\/17\/5-ways-to-make-online-discussions-work-in-your-teaching\/","url_meta":{"origin":8989,"position":1},"title":"5 ways to make online discussions work in your teaching","date":"17th July 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you ever tried to complement your teaching with an online discussion and found that the student engagement is sporadic or non-existent? If you have you may stand with many tutors who have given up on online discussions, but did you know: Ensuring our students engage in discussions is a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Active learning&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2018\/07\/5-ways-to-promote-discussion5-1024x933.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7051,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2018\/06\/29\/canvas-highlights-discussions\/","url_meta":{"origin":8989,"position":2},"title":"Canvas highlights 7: Discussions","date":"29th June 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Discussion boards are a common feature of VLEs, supporting the collaborative exploration of ideas and understanding that plays a central role on the development of knowledge. Canvas Discussions offer a rich set of options and a clean, highly usable interface. A tutor's view of a Canvas Discussion topic, showing information\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Canvas&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Canvas Highlights 7 - Discussions","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2018\/06\/Canvas-Highlights-7-Discussions.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6696,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2018\/02\/09\/canvas-highlights-2-groups\/","url_meta":{"origin":8989,"position":3},"title":"Canvas Highlights - 2. Groups","date":"9th February 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Canvas provides lots of opportunities for students to learn together. One of the features that enables this is Groups. This post provides a brief overview of Canvas Groups and suggests some ways in which teachers and learners may want to use them. Groups and Group Sets in Canvas When an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Canvas&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Group Files area","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2018\/02\/2018-01-30_1019.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9422,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2023\/03\/21\/online-teaching-spaces-exploring-the-digital-myths\/","url_meta":{"origin":8989,"position":4},"title":"Online teaching spaces: Exploring the digital myths","date":"21st March 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"From supporting staff with their Virtual Learning Environment module sites and related teaching tools, I have seen past experiences become barriers. I aim to explore some of the myths heard over my 14 years working in FE & HE across different institutions. Student skills We might assume students have the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Learning Technologies&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2023\/03\/pexels-vanessa-garcia-6325938-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7698,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/2019\/04\/02\/communicating-with-students-in-canvas\/","url_meta":{"origin":8989,"position":5},"title":"Communicating with students in Canvas","date":"2nd April 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Canvas includes several tools for communication between teachers and students within a module. In this post I will give an overview of Announcements, Discussions, Chat and Conversations, looking at when each would be a good choice. Announcements The icon for Announcements gives a very good idea of the sort of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Canvas&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/files\/2019\/03\/chat-2389223_1280.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8989"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/367"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8989"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8995,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8989\/revisions\/8995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/tel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}