Session 1 of Effective Moderation and Animation of Online Discussions for the Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Broken Bay

1. Effective Online Moderation
Written and presented
by
Dr Carmel Bendon Davis
&
Mr Francis Flores

2. What?
• Online technology is the MEANS for educational
delivery, NOT the education itself.
• Technology should enable, facilitate, support
and enhance learning and skills acquisition.
• Similarly,Good online moderation enables,
facilitates, and supports communication between
those who are working on enhancing their
learning, their skills acquisition and their
professional interactions

3. What is a “moderator”?
• One who acts moderately
• One who takes the „middle line‟, or acts as
a „go-between‟, in interactions in order to
bring benefit to all parties.

4. What is a[n] [online] moderator?
• A moderator is a forum user who has been given (by the
administrator or employer) access to the posts and threads of all
members for the purpose of overseeing, facilitating, managing and,
when necessary, animating the discussion. At times a moderator
might answer users' concerns about the forum, and highlight general
questions and comments from forum users for the purpose of
furthering the discussion. A moderator might also redirect technical,
and other specific, questions to more appropriate
[professional/technical] people.
• In addition, a moderator might also responsible for deleting offensive
or inappropriate posts; merging, moving, and splitting of posts and
threads; closing down and renaming threads; liaising ex-forum with
contributors who violate forum rules and/or netiquette expectations
for the site.

5. What is an “administrator”?
• The administrator manages the technical
details of running a website such as
creating new sites and discussion sections
and sub-sections; managing and
overseeing the site rules; making
announcements pertaining to the website
– its functioning, maintenance, databases
and backup operations

6. What is a “post”?
• “A post is a user-submitted message enclosed
into a block containing the user's details and the
date and time it was submitted.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum )

7. What is a “thread”?
• A thread (sometimes called a topic) is a collection of posts, usually
displayed from oldest to latest.
• A thread is defined by a title, an additional description that may
summarize the intended discussion, and an opening or original post
... which opens whatever dialogue or makes whatever
announcement the poster wished. A thread can contain any number
of posts, including multiple posts from the same members, even if
they are one after the other.
• A thread is contained in a forum, and may have an associated date
which pertains to the last/latest contribution to that thread (and not to
the date on which the thread was commenced).
• (Information here is based on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum )

8. Australian Internet Usage 2011(Source: ABS)
• At the end of June 2011, there were 10.9 million internet subscribers
in Australia (excluding internet connections through mobile
handsets). This represents annual growth of 14.8% and an increase
of 4.4% since the end of December 2010.
• The phasing out of dial-up internet connections continued with 95%
of internet connections being broadband.
• Australians continued to access increasingly faster download
speeds, with 87% of access connections offering a download speed
of 1.5Mbps or greater.
• Mobile wireless internet (excluding mobile handset) connections
(44%) now exceed Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connections (41%)
in Australia. Mobile wireless (excluding mobile handset connections)
was the fastest growing internet access technology in actual
numbers, increasing from 4.2 million in December 2010 to 4.8
million in June 2011.

9. Australian Mobile Usage (Source: ABS)
• MOBILE HANDSET SUBSCRIBERS
• At the end of June 2011, there were 9.7 million
mobile handset subscribers in Australia. This
represents an increase of 18.1% from December
2010.
• Of the 9.7 million mobile handsets, 3.6 million (37%)
were dedicated data subscriptions and 6.1 million all
other active standard mobile subscriptions.
• The volume of data downloaded via mobile
handsets over the three months ended 30 June
2011 was 3,695 Terabytes.

10. WHO is the moderator?
There are 3 main types of moderators:
• The “hidden” moderator (who might also be the
administrator). (In some very vast social network sites
this moderator may be an algorithm, not a human).
• The “expert/tutor/leader” moderator who is guiding the
discussion for pedagogical benefit of the group users.
• The “peer” moderator who is one among several/many
group members who facilitates and animates the
discussion of his/her peers but is not “the expert”, and
who maintains at all times an attitude of professional
respect towards his/her peers.

11. Basic Requirements of a Moderator in a peer-
facilitated and an educational online site
• An understanding that learning is about communities
• Ability to set clear “rules of engagement” – in the
opening post – about the practical, social and
educational aspects of the forum
• - in the school situation, to set out clearly what is
expected of students and what they can expect from you
(as the tutor/moderator) in the forum
• Ability to generate engagement/conversations in the
forum area
• Ability to know when to “animate” and when to “step
aside” – e.g. Sometimes students or participants will
answer each other‟s questions; let them

12. Specific responsibilities
(may not apply to all moderation situations)
1. Establishing forum time and netiquette parameters
2. Alluding to macro-level issues of the course content if applicable
(that is, acting as a "navigational" presence)
3. Drawing in participants, facilitating and animating discussion
4. Identifying areas of agreement/disagreement
5. Clarifying unclear or contentious points; enabling understanding
6. Encouraging, acknowledging, or reinforcing student contributions
7. Focusing the discussion on specific issues
8. Summarising the discussion

13. How? Establishing forum time and
practice parameters
• In the first discussion forum BE THERE before
any students/peers access it.
• Introduce yourself and set out a couple of
simple, straightforward “rules” or guidance in
how the forum should be used.
• Model the responses – in form and content –
that you expect from the forum participants

14. Example of introducing (tutor) time limits
Tutor-facilitated
• Hello everyone and welcome to ABC101. I‟m your tutor, Dr E. Ville and I‟ll
be guiding you through all the components of this online course. A very
important component – and one that you‟ll note is compulsory and worth up
to 25% of your marks – is the discussion forum. This is where we discuss
the main topic areas and where you‟ll be responding to specific questions
and sharing your ideas. You‟ll get better acquainted with what is expected
the more you participate and I‟ll post more detailed instructions once we‟re
really into the course. In the meantime please note that this is an
asynchronous discussion so you can post at anytime during the week of the
topic with which we‟re dealing. I‟ll be reading all your contributions but,
because of my own busy schedule, I‟ll only be responding to your posts and
putting up my own tutor contributions on Tuesdays between 1 & 2 pm, and
on Fridays between 10 & 11. If you need a speedy response to your post or
online query then those times are the best for you to be online. Otherwise,
as I‟ve said, I will respond but only during the specified times. For other
more general inquiries please email me at: e.ville@sweden.edu.au

15. Drawing in participants, facilitating and
animating peer-facilitated discussion
• Assume a welcoming and “equal” tone, acknowledging that
you are a peer, one of the group
• Draw in, encourage, others to participate by a brief statement
about the benefits that YOU (personally) see as coming from
forum participation
• Do not overpower the discussion, not dictating either the pace
or quantity of others‟ contributions
• Be discerning in your role: if the discussion is going well
between other participants then “step back”
• Do not answer questions posed in the forum by participants;
that is, others (peers) should share their ideas and responses.
Of course, you can offer an opinion or even suggest a
relevant research article if it‟s warranted but, perhaps, “hang
back” a while to see if others offer this advice

16. Example: Peer-facilitated
Hello everyone. Welcome to our first forum in this online module. I‟m
Carmel D, one of your peers/fellow teachers/principals and I‟ll be
moderating the next (few) discussions as part of my own
professional development and, hopefully, together, we‟ll find this
forum to be a supportive and stimulating space in which to share our
insights and ideas. Our discussion here is asynchronous so please
feel free to contribute at any time of the day (or night) that suits you.
My schedule this term allows me to look over your contributions and
offer my own on Monday evenings between 9 & 10 pm and on
Saturdays between 8 & 9 am but, remember, if you need technical
help with the site at any time you can email
helpful.harry@weknowall.org.au

17. What constitutes a “good” discussion
contribution?
Criteria for effectively “grading online
discussion” provides workable parameters.

18. Assessments: Student Expectations
Research reveals that students value:
• Clearly expressed expectations
• Clearly discernible relevance – association
between course content and assessment tasks
• Timely and constructive feedback
• Marks and grades that reflect stated criteria

19. Some suggested criteria for grading
online participants’ discussion
(from Sharon Kleinman, „Strategies for Encouraging Active Learning, Interaction, and Academic
Integrity in Online Courses‟ in Communication Teacher. Vol. 19, No. 1. January, 2005, pp.13-18)
• Exemplary
• Contributes well-written commentaries about the assigned readings
and thoughtful response messages to the discussion boards
• Offers examples and demonstrates understanding of assigned
readings in an exemplary manner
• Properly cites sources of information and ideas
• Meets deadlines for submitting commentaries and response
messages
• Regularly asks and answers questions and participates in online
discussions above and beyond the required contributions of
commentaries and response messages
• Responds to requests for assistance [on technical and/or course-
related issues from fellow students]

20. Some suggested criteria for grading online
participants’ discussion (continued)
(from Sharon Kleinman, „Strategies for Encouraging Active Learning, Interaction, and Academic
Integrity in Online Courses‟ in Communication Teacher. Vol. 19, No. 1. January, 2005, pp.13-18)
Good
• Contributes well-written commentaries about the
assigned readings and thoughtful response messages to
the discussion boards
• Offers examples and demonstrates understanding of
assigned readings
• Properly cites sources of information and ideas
• Meets deadlines for submitting commentaries and
response messages

21. Some suggested criteria for grading online
participants’ discussion (continued)
(from Sharon Kleinman, „Strategies for Encouraging Active Learning, Interaction, and Academic
Integrity in Online Courses‟ in Communication Teacher. Vol. 19, No. 1. January, 2005, pp.13-18)
Satisfactory
• Contributes commentaries about the assigned readings and
response messages to the discussion boards by the weekly
deadlines
• Offers examples and demonstrates understanding of assigned
readings
Failing
• Does not contribute regularly and substantively to the discussion
boards

22. • Citation Details: Rourke, L. and
Anderson, T. (2002). Using Peer Teams to
Lead Online Discussions.Journal of
Interactive Media in Education, 2002, (1).
ISSN:1365-893X
[www-jime.open.ac.uk/2002/1]

23. Source: Rourke & Anderson (2002), (continued).
• The pedagogical rationale for discussion is best understood
from a constructivist perspective. Constructivists argue that
knowledge is not so much discovered, or transmitted intact
from one person to another, as it is created or „constructed‟ by
individuals attempting to bring meaning and coherence to new
information and to integrate this knowledge with their prior
experience. Discussion can be an excellent activity for
supporting these efforts. Oliver and Naidu (1996) assert that
explaining, elaborating, and defending one‟s position to others
(as well as to oneself) forces learners to integrate and
elaborate knowledge in ways that facilitate higher-order
learning. Research in face-to-face settings by Arbes and
Kitchener (1974), Azmata and Montgomery (1993), Berkowitz
and Gibbs (1983), Gall and Gall (1990),Maitland and
Goldman (1973) has provided empirical support for these
notions.

24. Source: Rourke & Anderson (2002), (continued).
... Anderson, Rourke, Garrison, and Archer identify “three roles or sets of
responsibilities that must be addressed if online discussion is to be a
valuable component of students‟ learning. Referred to collectively as
„teaching presence,‟ the three roles are:
• instructional design and organization - includes responsibilities such as
selecting topics from the course content that are suitable for discussion,
implementing a specific discussion strategy, and establishing participation
expectations.
• discourse facilitation - includes responsibilities such as drawing
participants into the discussion; identifying areas of agreement and
disagreement; and establishing a supportive climate for learning.
• direct instruction - includes responsibilities such as presenting content,
diagnosing misconceptions, and providing assessment and feedback.
Attending to each of these responsibilities is a complex and time-consuming
task. Yet, each is necessary to ensure that the discussions contribute to
the students' learning experience."

25. Source: Rourke & Anderson (2002), (continued).
As Kremer and McGuiness (1988) explain:
“Where there is an obvious imbalance of power
and expertise among those present, it is unlikely
that an atmosphere conducive to openness, to
debate, and to a free, frank, and fair exchange of
opinion will ever be fostered” (p. 46).
Ultimately, the concern is that instructor-led
discussions can easily revert to the recitation
structure, or initiate-respond-evaluate
structure, of a traditional lecture in which the
student is often a passive and unreflective
audience member.

26. Source: Rourke & Anderson (2002), (continued).
Advantages of using peers in the role of discussion leader.
“Student-led discussions provide a free and relaxed
atmosphere for discussion, which makes students feel
uninhibited in asking questions and challenging the
statements of others” (p. 192). This type of environment
supports the beneficial processes associated with discussion
and leads to positive evaluations from the students (Bluxom
et al., Tagg, 1994;Kremer and McGuinness; Murphy et al.,
1996).
A[nother]... benefit is the increased depth of understanding
that comes from leading the discussion. Bluxom et al. note
“the person who leads the group can acquire an increased
mastery of the subject matter by learning it well enough to
deal with it effectively in the group discussion context” (p.
224).

27. Source: Rourke & Anderson (2002), (continued).
Disadvantage of “Expert” vs Peer Facilitation:
another view
“De Volder (1982) points out that discussion leaders who
are subject matter experts function more effectively not
only in the direct instruction role but also in the
facilitating discourse role because they know when the
discussion is going off-track; they can ask better
questions; and they are better at stimulating discussion."

31. Working in the Discussion Forum (1)
(Tutor): Hello everyone and welcome to CAR666 The Devil in the
Detail, and a particular welcome to this discussion forum. I'm your
tutor, Carmel, and this is where we'll be “meeting" regularly to
discuss many of the main issues of the course. It's a place where
you can exchange ideas about the course material and your own
wider experience and reading on the topics. I‟ll be giving you some
specific guidelines on how to make the best use of this forum in my
post here tomorrow but for the moment, why don't you begin by
introducing yourself to me and your fellow students. Perhaps you'd
like to share a little about your interests and the reason you've
decided to do this course.
(Student Sue): Well, someone has to start so I guess I'll be brave.
Hello everyone, I'm Sue. I teach Maths at a high school in
Newcastle but I„m hoping to apply for a job at a nearby Catholic
school and so I wanted to get my Grad Cert. I'm married and have 2
teenage boys, I dog and 2 goldfish. I love reading and so I'm sure I'll
enjoy getting back to study - it's been quite a few years.

32. Working in the Discussion Forum (2)
• (Student Cassie):Wow, I've never studied before. My
name's Cassie and I've just finished my HSC. I'm
working part-time in a local café and I'm not sure what I
want to do but I thought studying online could be fun but
I'm pretty nervous about it. Does anyone know what
we're meant to do with all those assessments. And how
do I know when I should be online in this forum.
• (Student Harold): Hello, I'm Harold and I have 4 PhDs
and a number of Masters in various fields and I'm very,
very smart so I'm sure I'll be able to help you with any
enquiries, Cassie. You'll note that the tutor said she'd tell
you in another post how to use the forum.

33. Working in the Discussion Forum (3)
• (Tutor): Thank you, too, Harold, for your offer of help to Cassie -
I'm sure you'll have lots to contribute. It might be best, however, if
course-specific enquiries are directed to me as the tutor. This
ensures that there's no confusion about what's expected of students.
That doesn't moan, of course, that you shouldn't help each other -
sharing information and ideas is what this discussion area is really
about. And, yes, you're right, Harold, I will be giving some detailed
information here tomorrow so please all be sure to look for, and take
careful note of, that message.
• (Student Tom): I'm Tom. I like surfìng and I'm into all kinds of
technology so that's why I'm doing this course. Got no idea what
we're meant to do here though. How do I find out? Does anyone
know what we're meant to be reading?

34. (Student Sue): Carmel said she'd tell us tomorrow but I
do know that the readings are clearly accessed by links
in the main study area. There's readings for all the
modules. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get the hang of it.
(Student Tom): What's a module?
(Student Harold): What's a link?