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5.3 Posting on a Class

Discussion Board

In your Ashford University courses, one of the most frequent ways you will communicate
with classmates and your instructor is through the class discussion forums. These discussion
forums will occur weekly in all your classes and are some of the most important aspects of
collaborative learning. They are similar to class discussions in a physical classroom, but in
some ways they are even more beneficial.

When you were in high school, your classes were only so many minutes long. Then the bell
rang and the class was over. Very few students saw or talked with their instructors much out-
side of class. During class discussions, the most vocal students often dominated the conversa-
tions, and if the instructor asked a question, usually only one or two students had a chance to
answer or ask questions before the discussion moved on to another topic.

In the online classroom, however, everyone has the opportunity to share his or her thoughts,
ask questions, and participate in the discussion as easily as the more outgoing students. Here
are some guidelines to keep in mind to use the discussion forums effectively and improve
your discussion grades:

• Your discussion posts are required assignments, and all students are expected to
participate. Most instructors deduct points if your required discussion posts are not
made on time and do not address every item required in the assignment. Make sure

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