The Blackboard discussion forums provide an opportunity for you to discuss what you are learning with each other.  They can earn you up to 50 extra credit points, provided that you participate regularly as the semester proceeds. They are a good way to get extra points, as they are not graded. To get extra credit you will need to make a minumum of 5 substantive entries during each half of the course, that is, before and after the midterm. 

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 from time to time, rather than all at once at the end of the course. After the midterm, no entired in earlier forums will be counted. 

The forum or forums for each half of the course count for extra credit up to 25 points.  To earn extra credit points you should make at regular substantive entries, including responses to classmates' comments.  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.”

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 a lively discussion in which disagreements are voiced with respect for others’ opinions.

History 121 | History 122 | Updated July 20, 2010