Inspire Blog Tag: discussions

Discussion Boards: Should They Stay, Go, or Revamp in the AI Era?

“Discussions are boring”, “it is so hard for students to truly engage,” “the linearity of the discussions doesn’t help to navigate and find the threads”, “posts could be AI-generated.” If you’ve voiced one of these about discussion boards, you’re not alone. Oftentimes, I hear instructors express these concerns. Discussion boards were once considered spaces for bringing students together to engage in authentic and genuine conversations. However, in today’s AI world, the concerns are compounded by the risk that discussion posts could be generated by AI, lacking students’ own voices and personal investment in building community. What is not working with discussion boards? Discussion boards have been the default tool in online courses to create a space for students and their instructors … Discussion Boards: Should They Stay, Go, or Revamp in the AI Era?
by · June 2, 2026

Let’s Get Active: Adding Active Learning in Your Online Course

By Susan Fein, Instructional Designer, susan.fein@oregonstate.edu In my role as an instructional designer, the faculty I work with are often looking for ways to increase student engagement and add a “wow” factor to their online course. One way to do that is to add or increase active learning practices. Active learning requires students to do something and think about what they are doing, rather than simply listening, as with a passive-learning lecture (Bonwell & Eison, 1991). Active learning brings positive and lasting outcomes to students, including better retention and grasp of concepts, and is particularly evident when students work together to develop solutions (Chickering & Gamson, 1987). Tackling Discussions In 2019, I worked with an instructor developing a biochemistry/biophysics course … Let’s Get Active: Adding Active Learning in Your Online Course
by · March 1, 2021