When I first introduced Discussion Boards, I was worried that students would only see this as a tool to be used outside of class, perhaps for homework, rather than during class time. However, through planning and scaffolding how to use the DB and its purpose, I realized (along with my students) that this tool can have multiple uses both in and out of the classroom environment. I also became more confident at using technology in my classroom, as I realized that even despite the small technological gliches that were encountered, the overall objectives, which correlated with my curriculum, were able to be maintained and eventually achieved.
My colleague who taped my practicum discussed my use of the ICT with me after viewing the lesson, and noted his amazement at my students' work ethic when using the computers and the discussion boards, rather than their usual group work ethic. Students were more thoroughly on task and focused on work achievement through collaboration, and were less apt to become distracted, despite the distractions that the use of the Internet has the capability of providing. He later decided to try using the DBs for achieving this same purpose of collaboration, and noted improvements in their group work both during and after the implementation of the tool.
I realized that, by using the DB as a tool for enabling collaboration, students became efficient at working in a group setting; something that is extremely important for them to achieve as they progress not only through the high school, but through their post-h.s. lives. Students also loved the opportunity to peek at their peers' work and to have this work to go back to later during individual writing assignments. Additionally, because of the work becoming artifacts on the class website, they became more confident at their ability to create statements of themes (which was also clear in their later writing assignments).
After the practicum lesson, my students asked to continue to use the DB for journal entries, as they really enjoyed the ability to comment on each other's ideas and to add their own perspectives. Many of our in-class conversations now stem from their online discussions, bringing the outside use of the ICT back into the classroom as well. Plus, one student made a recommendation to set up a thread for paper assignments, where students could ask each other and myself questions while writing papers, be it about quote blending, thorough analysis, citations or thesis statements, and where they could provide each other feedback. Initially, students were a bit wary to comment on each other's writing in this way, and would directly ask me questions. However, I would respond with more guiding questions for their peers to answer. It has come to a point in the year now when the students address each other rather than initially addressing me when asking questions about writing. Granted, I still check in to ensure that the information they are providing each other reflects what we have reviewed in class, but it is clear that their ability to provide feedback has become stronger, and that they now trust each other to provide powerful responses to their questions. In this way, they are becoming more independent learners as well.
In the future, I will continue to integrate this ICT but I'd like to figure out more ways that the discussion boards can be utilized. I also want to work on adding other tools to integrate that would dove-tail nicely with what the curriculum standards and goals comprise. In order to do this, I know I will need to have clear specific goals in mind that do not comprise too many ideals, seeing as the students often need to learn how to use the tool first. I also know that the more practice students have with ICTs, the more it will become their own, and we can work together to figure out the best ways to use them.
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