A strong discussion prompt should follow these best practices:
Each discussion should follow a three-part formula: a lead-in (set the stage for students), a discussion (and activity if necessary), and a reflective piece (response prompt). The response prompt should guide students in their response posts. How do we want students to interact with one another? Discussions should serve the purpose of providing students the opportunity to: Practice their skills in a low-stakes setting and receive feedback from the instructor/peers Consider authentic applications of course concepts (such as scenarios in which the student would need to make a decision regarding the most effective/efficient approach, and provide justification for their reasoning. Review the work of others, critique their methods, and question their strategies Respond to prompts that are open-ended and encourage dialogue Ensure prompts are written to encourage meaningful, thoughtful engagement and foster interaction among students. Avoid prompts that simply summarize or define. Include authentic, critical-thinking discussions that connect theory to personal experience or real-world contexts. Discussions should be written in question format (not verb format). For example, “Explain how osmosis differs from infusion” should be “How does osmosis differ from infusion?” Discussions should go beyond asking for definitions, as requests for definitions would all be the same initial posts. They should allow for multiple viewpoints or interpretations and require critical thinking. For example: “Define each sociological perspective in about two sentences” should be revised to something that elicits more critical thinking: “How did one or more of these theories ‘make the familiar strange’? How did it change your perspectives?” Examples of Response Prompts
The following are examples of response prompts that can be a start for discussions. They should be revised to reflect the topics at hand. Do not use the same response prompt verbatim for multiple discussions; instead, revise it so that it fits specifically to the topic at hand.
Responses: Identify similarities or differences between the arguments of your peers and your own. How does their perspective challenge or reinforce your understanding of the topic? Responses: Offer insightful reflections, pose thought-provoking questions, and respectfully challenge the perspectives shared by your peers. Responses: Expand upon their analysis and incorporate additional evidence from the primary sources to strengthen their argument or provide alternative interpretations. Responses: Address how the primary source readings this week illustrate growing tension and efforts to strengthen each position on the world stage. Responses: Expand on how leaders in the independence movements of these countries appealed to capitalist or communist ideologies in their work to reorganize the post-colonial governments, economies, and cultures. Responses: Identify a primary source that supports their analysis of the context of the era. The source might be assigned this week as a reading, or you may bring in an outside source. How does this source illustrate growing tension and efforts to strengthen each position on the world stage? Responses: Compare and contrast their analysis with your own. Do you notice similarities or differences in how they portrayed the diplomatic strategies, military build-up, and ideological confrontations during each presidency? Responses: Compare your view of the critical issues with those of classmates and analyze differences in perspective. How has your study of global history since 1945 altered or enhanced your interpretation of current events (economy, conflicts, environmental issues, gender issues, etc.)? Responses: Compare your peers’ examples of ecological transformation to your own. How did the changes they described compare to those you researched? Identify key similarities or differences in your analyses and explore their significance. Responses: Find a post that offers a different perspective on Nixon’s strategy than your own. How does their argument challenge your view? What evidence do they provide that makes you reconsider—or strengthen—your position?
Discussion Prompt Best Practices