Guidelines and Rubric for Online Discussion Boards - In this class, online discussions will count towards your Assignments grade in the course (see syllabus). The purpose of the discussion board is to frame and promote collaborative learning. Active and regular participation is not only important for me to see, but also important for you in learning the course content and in developing your thoughts and positions on various topics. The total of your participation in a single discussion board question (topic) will be graded on a ten point scale. Here is the protocol for posting and contributing to an online discussion: You are expected to participate on at least 3 different days. You should begin at least one thread and provide at least two posts in response to other participants' threads.

Posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs. Word totals for each post should be in the 100-200 words range. Whether you agree or disagree explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate. Be organized in your thoughts and ideas. Incorporate correlations with the assigned readings or topics. Stay on topic. Provide evidence of critical, college-level thinking and thoughtfulness in your responses or interactions. Avoid summarizing. Contribute to the learning community by being creative in your approaches to topics, being relevant in the presented viewpoints, and attempting to motivate the discussion. Be aware of grammar and sentence mechanics. Use proper etiquette. Remember that being respectful is critical.