Session 3: Forums as a space for talking
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 conversation on a forum
- keep the conversation going
- reply to other participants on a learning forum.
This session starts with a brief note about what participating in online learning forums means. You will then look at how to introduce yourself on a forum and get to know other participants. Next, you will consider ways of getting conversations going. How do you start a conversation about an issue or a topic in a way that will encourage other people to join in? Finally, you will look at how to continue conversations by responding to forum threads in ways that play around with and extend ideas in interesting and engaging ways.