Free course

Building confidence in using online forums

Free statement of participation on completion

Are you studying online? Do you need to use online learning forums as part of your online studies? Do you sometimes feel nervous or anxious about posting your thoughts on an online learning forum? Are you sometimes anxious about what other learners might think of what you post? Are you unsure about the value and benefits of posting to online learning forums?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, this course is designed to support you!

Transcript⁶⁵

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

recognise the learning benefits of participating on online learning forums with other learners
recognise factors that might be a barrier to effective participation on online learning forums
implement strategies to help overcome any barriers to effective participation on online learning forums
use strategies to participate more fully in interactions on online learning forums, including ways of listening and responding to different points of view, and taking part in, and encouraging, discussion.

Enter course

First Published: 13/08/2020

Updated: 13/08/2020

You can start this course right now without signing-up. Click on any of the course content sections below to start at any point in this course.
If you want to be able to track your progress, earn a free Statement of Participation, and access all course quizzes and activities, sign-up.

Course content

Introduction
- Current section:
  Introduction
  This free course, Building confidence in using online learning forums, lasts 8 hours and is divided into four study ‘sessions’. Each session involves approximately 2 hours of study. You can work through the course at a pace that suits you and at times that fit around your daily life and routine. You can do one session per week, or you can do more or less than one session per week – whatever suits your own pace best. So, if you have more time one week, you can happily complete a further study...
  - Why is this course important?
- Acknowledgements
Session1Session 1: Forums as you see them
- Current section:
  Introduction
  Welcome to Session 1 of this free course which aims to build your confidence in getting involved when using online learning forums. In this, the first of four study sessions, you will start to consider how you feel about using online learning forums – no matter whether you already have experience of using them. You’ll consider whether you feel – or would feel – more excited or more anxious about posting to online learning forums, and you will see examples of what some Open University ...
- 1 What is your experience of using online learning forums?
- 2 Pros and cons of online forums
- 3 Reflecting on student experiences of online learning forums
- 4 Summary of Session 1
- References
- Acknowledgements
Session2Session 2: Forums as a playful space
- Current section:
  Introduction
  This session will continue to explore your experience of using online learning forums. It will also help you to recognise the ways in which they can support your learning. In particular, it will begin to help you think about online learning forums as playful spaces where you can bounce ideas off other learners and develop your learning through getting involved.By the end of this session, you should be able to:understand how your past experience of writing in learning contexts (such as school...
- 1 Changing the story of writing
- 2 Thinking about your story of writing
- 3 What is playful writing?
  - 3.1 Why is playful writing a good story for forum writing?
  - 3.2 Putting messy play into forums
- 4 Making forums into a playful space
- 5 Summary of Session 2
- Acknowledgements
Session3Session 3: Forums as a space for talking
- Current section:
  Introduction
  In Session 2, you considered the ways in which online learning forums can be playful spaces. You tried some activities which helped you do that. You also played around with ideas as a way of creating responses which you could post on a forum thread. This session continues the theme of playfulness but extends it to think a little more about the kinds of interaction that can support both your learning and other people’s learning. By the end of this session, you should be able to:start a ...
- 1 Participating in online forums means reading too
- 2 Starting out: introducing yourself on an online learning forum
- 3 Using your time wisely
- 4 Introducing yourself on an online learning forum
- 5 Getting the conversation going: starting your own thread
- 6 Keeping the conversation going – replying to other people
- 7 Keeping the conversation moving forward
- 8 Thinking about the audience
- 9 Summary of Session 3
- References
- Acknowledgements
Session4Session 4: Forums as a shared social space
- Current section:
  Introduction
  In this session you will reflect on the importance of good online behaviour on online learning forums and then consider the barriers that you may face when contributing to them. You will then reflect on some of the barriers you experience and think of ways to overcome them. Finally, you will reflect on your learning throughout this course and start to plan to engage on online learning forums in the future. By the end of this session, you should be able to:understand the key features of good ...
- 1 Netiquette
  - 1.1 Features of good netiquette
- 2 Managing barriers that may reduce contributions to online forums
  - 2.1 Overcoming the barriers to contributing to forums
- 3 Addressing your barriers
- 4 Taking time to respond appropriately
- 5 Reflecting on your learning
- 6 Summary of Session 4
- References
- Acknowledgements

Expand all course content

Rate and Review

Rate this course

1 2 3 4 5

Average rating 4.2 out of 5, based on 10 ratings.

Review this course

Log into OpenLearn to leave reviews and join in the conversation.

Course reviews

Simonetta Senesi 1 December 2024 12:25PM

1 2 3 4 5

Rating entered.
Great course and easy to follow. highly interactive

Flag As Offensive
Debbie Lee 1 October 2024 2:26PM

1 2 3 4 5

Rating entered.
Helped build my confidence

Flag As Offensive

More reviews Total 8 reviews

Your course resources

As you work through this course you will need various resources to help you complete some of the activities.

Track your progress
Review and track your learning through your OpenLearn Profile.
Statement of Participation
On completion of a course you will earn a Statement of Participation.
Access all course activities
Take course quizzes and access all learning.
Review the course
When you have finished a course leave a review and tell others what you think.

For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.

Have a question?

UOF_1

My OpenLearn Profile

Building confidence in using online forums

Course description

Course content

Course reviews