The Blackboard discussion forums provide an opportunity for you to discuss what you are learning with each other.  They can either earn you extra credit points, provided that you participate regularly as the semester proceeds, or they can be a good way to get extra points, as they are not graded.

To get extra credit you will need to make substantive entries during each part of the course, before and after the midterm.  By substantive I mean that your entry should go beyond something on the order of, “I like what you had to say and agree with it.”

In each course forum I have provided some questions for you to think about, but you are free to start threads of your own.  You do not have to answer every question, nor any of my questions, nor do you have to participate in every forum posted, as long as you take part regularly, rather than all at once at the end of the course. Forums will be counted only if entries are made during the relevant part of the course. 

At the end of the course when I am entering grades I check all the forum entries and assign points to your total.  I will monitor the forms regularly, although I am not able to respond to each entry.  I do, however, read them all.  I encourage lively discussion in which disagreements are voiced with respect for others’ opinions.

History 121 | History 122 | Updated December 9, 2011