How to Participate in the Online Environment
In some Alaska online education programs, participation counts for as much as 20% of your grade. Read our tips on how to participate meaningfully in the online classroom.
Understand the purpose of online discussion posts. The mission of online discussion boards is to help students understand the material more deeply and learn from classmates' comments.
Review the discussion directions thoroughly. For your comments to enhance the Alaska online education environment, they need to follow the directions for the posting and stay on-topic. Ideally, you should read through the discussion questions before you begin your readings for the week. By doing so, you will be able to focus on the portions of the material that will strengthen your discussion board post.
Gather your thoughts and references. Think about the point you want to convey to your instructor and peers. Make sure it is applicable to the topic at hand. Once you have an idea of what you want to say, collect quotes and other references to support your arguments. When you refer to someone else's work in a post, you should list a reference for other students, though it does not have to be formal or formatted.
Write your post. Once you write out your thoughts, proofread your work for spelling, grammar, and readability. Paragraphs that are longer than 5-7 sentences in length can be difficult to follow online, so try to break up your main points into smaller sections.
Make your post value-added. Posts that just say "I agree" or "Thanks for your thoughts" do not add any value to the discussion because they do not facilitate dialogue. The goal of your post should be to elicit discourse and critical thought from other students. Of course, your post should also demonstrate a command of the subject matter, but remember to keep your tone conversational. You're participating in an Alaska online education discussion, not writing a formal paper.
Relate the material to real life. Sharing your personal, professional, and educational experiences that tie in with the material will make your comments more interesting and relevant to the other students. You should of course refer to the reading in your posts, but personal experiences help bridge the gap between book learning and real-world applications. If this sounds like a lot of work, please read our are you right for alaska online education page.