1. Online Facilitation Strategies: Panel Presentation and Discussion Stan Freeda Barbara Patterson Pam Waters

2. 1. Craft good questions that stimulate discussion and engagement Questions should involve higher order thinking so that they stimulate discussion. Questions that ask for facts or opinions (lower level) leave no room for discussion or development of the concept.

3. 2. Know your audience and offer appropriate assignment choices for them While facilitating a course on Instructional Approaches for Teachers of English Language Learners, I quickly realized my course was made up primarily of coaches and Special Education teachers rather than the expected ELL teachers. Assignments had to be modified or added to meet the needs of these learners and make learning relevant to their particular situations.

4. 3. Create an interactive learning environment It’s important to stimulate students to interact with one another rather than depend solely on the facilitator. This enables them to take information provided and turn it into meaningful knowledge by constructing what they know and sharing it with their peers.

5. 4. Reflect the question to engage student thought When students ask questions, or are confused about a concept, it is easy to give them the answer, but thinking in the entire class stops when you do that. Students naturally think that the teacher knows all the answers and wants a specific one. Reflect questions back to students in the threads, offering advice on what to think about and where they might find the answer, posing further questions to think about, asking the class to help out.

6. 5. Provide feedback often and establish a non-threatening atmosphere A lot of adult learners are not as tech-savvy as their students and are easily intimidated by the idea of an on-line course. Once immersed in the course they are usually "hooked".

7. 6. Be present, involved and communicative The ability to clearly communicate expectations, personalize the learning environment and inspire thoughtful discussions will help ensure a successful learning experience. Be visible online to keep the students participating and let them know someone cares about their success. Send emails to create personal connections.

8. 7. Write a good retrospective at the end of the unit While unit introductions are good, it’s also important to summarize the discussions and point out what students have learned at the end of the unit. You can still include a short introduction to the new unit, but students may be more appreciative of reading about all they have accomplished in the past unit, and how it all fits together. Retrospectives are a good reinforcement of learning, and it keeps students focused on the objectives of the course.

9. 8. Clear expectations of discussions are necessary for learners to engage in meaningful dialog Lead by example with thought provoking questions rather than simply giving the expected answer. Discuss your evaluation rubric and criteria for successful discussion entries.

10. 9. Keep a sense of humor! Having a sense of humor goes a long way in a sometimes frustrating environment... i.e. a student can't access the discussion board or the assignments suddenly disappear for one or more students in the workshop (!)

11. Questions and discussion… What “tenth” strategy do others have to share? What questions or scenarios do you struggle with as a facilitator?