How do you moderate digital learning discussions?

1 Set clear expectations

Before you start a digital learning discussion, make sure you communicate the purpose, goals, and guidelines of the activity to the learners. Explain what you expect from them in terms of participation, quality, and frequency of contributions, as well as the criteria and feedback you will use to assess their performance. You can also provide some examples of good and bad posts or comments, and encourage them to read and follow the netiquette rules of the platform or tool you are using. Setting clear expectations will help you create a positive and respectful online learning environment, and reduce confusion and conflict among the learners.

3 Monitor and intervene

As a moderator, you need to monitor the digital learning discussions regularly and intervene when necessary. Monitoring means observing the activity and progress of the learners, checking their posts and comments for quality and relevance, and identifying any issues or challenges that may arise. Intervening means providing guidance, feedback, support, or correction to the learners, depending on the situation and the need. For example, you can intervene to acknowledge, praise, or challenge the learners' contributions, to clarify doubts or misconceptions, to redirect or refocus the discussion, to resolve conflicts or misunderstandings, or to encourage participation or collaboration. Monitoring and intervening will help you maintain the quality and direction of the discussion, and enhance the learning outcomes and satisfaction of the learners.

4 Use different formats

Another way to moderate digital learning discussions is to use different formats and modes of communication that suit the purpose, content, and audience of the discussion. For instance, you can use synchronous or asynchronous formats, depending on the availability and preference of the learners, and the level of interaction and immediacy you want to achieve. You can also use different modes, such as text, audio, video, or images, depending on the nature and complexity of the topic, and the diversity and accessibility of the learners. Using different formats and modes will help you cater to different learning styles and preferences, increase engagement and motivation, and enrich the discussion with multiple perspectives and resources.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?