Discussion Questions 

NOTE: We will be using a blog for the first couple of weeks until Blackboard has been setup.  Students must create an account on blogger, go to the following link: http://www.blogger.com. 

DQ Requirements 

1. All discussion question original responses are due on the assigned date. Late responses will not be accepted.
2. All original responses must be written in a scholarly manner.  "Scholarly" means using complete sentences and at least one quote from a subject matter expert supporting your response. Please include citations using APA format.   (http://www.apastyle.org) 
3. All responses should be at least 50-100 words (without the citation). You may compose in Microsoft Word and "copy and paste" your reponse into the comment field.
4. Peer response (respond to 2 (two) other original responses) by the assigned date. No late peer responses will be accepted.



EXAMPLES:

Original Response: Collaboration is critical in the e-learning environment. The current technology innovations have provided instructors with multiple methods to maintain meaningful “conversations,” synchronously or asynchronously. The use of wikis, blogs, learning management systems, or interactive discussion programs such as Skype; provide quick and easy communication between learners and the instructor. “When collaboration is not encouraged, participation in the online course is generally low and may take the form of queries to the instructor rather than dialogue and feedback” (Palloff & Pratt, 2001, p. 33). 

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2001). Lessons from the cyberspace classroom: The realities of online teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Peer Response: Using collaborative projects does provide more opportunities for authentic learning.  Educators must remember to use differentiated instruction to reach all different learning styles.  Today's learners are multi-taskers that require many different forms of learning styles.  Collaborative projects do provide an opportunity to multi-task and work in an environment that faciliatate multiple learning styles depending on the task assignment.