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Distance education greatly extends classroom
learning
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Individualization of learning: Personal
responses to forum topics are not limited in time or the length. Students
have the freedom to continue dialogues about the topics that interested them
most.
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Encouragement of critical thinking:
Effective forum topics are open-ended and designed to encourage students to
take a position on issues. To respond to a forum topic requires organized
thought and synthesis of concepts introduced in class. If a student's views
were challenged, he or she typically adds carefully considered reasons to
back up previous comments.
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Student autonomy: Students have the
flexibility to reflect on their thoughts and read the responses of others.
Many students have stated that they routinely discussed the forum topics
with friends, family and colleagues outside of class before putting their
comments online.
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Increased interaction time: A 45-hour
semester places severe limits on the quality of discussions and experiences
possible in a course. Often a course is the only one of its type required in
a program. The instructor is thus under extreme pressure to provide
extensive and meaningful learning. In a three-hour class meeting of an
average class size, an equal division of time allots only 5 minutes of
discussion per student. Regular forum discussion adds hours of interaction
over a semester.
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More democratic exchange: In any class of
25-30 students, there will be dominant personalities, and students who may
feel intimidated or unmotivated to speak. Therefore discussions, even in
small groups, do not allow equal time to all students. In the online forum,
each student has a voice that will be heard by anyone who chooses to read
his or her comments.
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More time to formulate responses and
opinions: Because the forum discussions occur completely online, students
have the flexibility to add their input when they are prepared. Some choose
to answer questions immediately, while others prefer to consider the
responses of others first. Undergraduate students are often much more
comfortable discussing topics online after reading the viewpoints of the
more experienced students. Students are encouraged to revisit past topics
during the course, as their opinions changed.
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Flexibility and convenience: Students
set
their own schedule for the forum. A forum is available at all times of day
or night to accommodate school, work, and family demands. The forum is
accessible from any Internet connection via the World Wide Web, allowing
students to participate even when they were sick or traveling. |
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Students learn about the content from another
perspective.
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Students experience a professional
communication process. Participants experience personal and academic
gains as result of their communication with their peers. A goal is for the
students to value such professional interchange, and seek it out among their
colleagues, and for electronic communication to facilitate the process.
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Students find a content/expertise resource.
Some professions tend to be somewhat isolated. The forum introduces to
others who could serve as resources during the course, and into employment.
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Forums offer the advantage of archiving
discussions by student, topic, or other parameter.
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