Utilizing a Discussion Board for Educational Purposes...

As with any technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages to implementing a discussion board. I have listed both below:

Pros:

• Allows for quick, to the point discussion of course material.
• Students engage in thoughtful discourse with their peers and teacher.
• Promotes a sense of community beyond the classroom.
• Helpful for students who are uncomfortable asking questions in the classroom.

Cons:

• Students may become overly reliant on the discussion board and perhaps stunt the development of important social and communication skills.
• Discussion boards need to be constantly moderated by the teacher in order to continue being a purely educational resource.
• Students who do not have a computer at home, will not be able to participate as readily in discussion outside of the classroom.

5 Ways Class Interactions are Enhanced by Using a Discussion Board:

--> Allows students to engage in discussion outside the clasroom.

--> Students get the opportunity to understand the thought processes of their peers, which may help them understand their classmates better.

--> On discussion boards, students are allowed to express their unique opinions on educational material and in turn may become more inclined to appreciating the ideas of others.

-->Discussion boards can also serve as a resource for further reading on course material, which may prove especially benefical to 'gifted' students and those students who simply want to learn more!

-->Finally, discussion boards are an excellent way for teachers to get to know their students' thought processes. This ultimately enables teachers to understand which concepts need to be covered in class more thoroughly. Therefore, a greater focus can be spent in class on those concepts that need further examination.