Online Discussion Board Tips for Students

If you’re taking online healthcare classes, you may be required to participate in discussion boards as part of your coursework. If you’re not familiar with these, a discussion board is essentially an online chat room where students can communicate and interact with instructors and others in the class.

You might ask a question, answer another student’s question, or share your knowledge or opinion on a subject being covered in class. Because your participation can contribute to your understanding of the topic at hand (and may even impact your grade if it’s a requirement), here are four tips for online discussion board success.

#1: Don’t Skip Online Discussion Board Participation

In a traditional classroom, students can talk to classmates before and after class. Instructors sometimes share their thoughts and opinions during these times as well. This provides the opportunity to learn a lot from one another, such as gaining tips for studying the material, best practices that other classmates have discovered, and other helpful information that may be easily overlooked.

In a virtual classroom, this tradition is brought forward through online discussion boards. By reading classmates’ and instructors’ posts, questions, and comments, you can develop a better understanding of the discussion topic. Discussion boards also give you a way to express yourself and apply the knowledge you’ve gained. This makes participating in them worthwhile — even if doing so isn’t required in your class.

#2: Share Meaningfully When Responding to Discussion Posts

Replying to other people’s posts is important for facilitating the learning process. You’re able to share your views and opinions, which can help others learn, while also being exposed to the views and opinions of people with different backgrounds and experiences, contributing to your knowledge bank. Your reply can also help build rapport with your classmates.

To share in a meaningful way, put some thought into your discussion board responses. Think about what information you can share that may help broaden others’ knowledge, understanding, or analysis of the topic. Did you have an experience you can talk about? Have you learned a different way to look at it or found some best practices that make it easier to study or understand?

If you need clarification to supply a thoughtful response, ask questions about their post. Or you might comment on something you agree with or mention something you learned while reading their post. This can also contribute to greater learning.

#3: Be Sure to Answer the Entire Question

Instructors sometimes post questions to help you develop your critical thinking skills. Or another student may ask a question as part of a class assignment. When answering a question posted on an online discussion board, make sure you address all parts of the question in your response.

One way to do this is to rewrite the question so you can refer to it, making sure you are covering all points of discussion. This helps you focus on the entire question so you don’t inadvertently leave part of it unanswered.

For example, if the question asks for the pros and cons of working as a pharmacy technician, make sure you add information about both aspects. If you only give the pros, others get a one-sided view. Adding the cons as well would give them other angles to help them gain a better understanding of the topic overall.

#4: Use Netiquette in the Online Discussion Board

When using the class discussion board, online students benefit from following some basic ‘netiquette’ or internet etiquette guidelines. This helps keep the online conversations respectful and courteous, contributing positively to the learning process.

Some netiquette rules to keep in mind include:¹

• Be empathetic to others
• Keep a friendly tone
• Stay respectful
• Fix any typos or mistakes before publishing your post or response

These four tips can help you when participating in your online classroom discussion board. If you need additional help, UMA students can also contact Learner Services at 888-216-0544. We’re here to assist with a variety of your course-related issues and questions. In the meantime, happy online discussion board posting!