Weekly outline

  • INTRODUCTION - Start Here

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    FLO micro course

    Welcome to the FLO MicroCourse: Write a Compelling Discussion Prompt!

    Click on each of the materials below to open a webpage and learn more about each item.

  • DAY 1 - EXPERIENCE

    Let’s begin this journey by putting on a learner hat and participating in asynchronous online discussions (AOD) that have been set up on different platforms, using different modalities (e.g., videos, pictures, sound, text), and that achieve different goals.

    Think of what follows as a fair that lets you explore different platforms for hosting an AOD that you may or may not have used before. Feel free to explore as many, or as few, as you want. This is meant to be a fun exploration.

    Instructions for participating in each AOD are provided by clicking on each item below. As you respond and post on each of the AOD, consider:

    • What works? (What engages you as someone who is posting an original post and how motivated are you to explore the posts of your colleagues?)
    • What does not work? (Does the medium enhance or deter you from deep thinking? What are the hurdles to making a post? Are there barriers to exploring what others have posted?)
    • When would such a medium or platform be suitable in a curriculum, and when it might not be? In other words, in which context or for which educational goal might you want to use this platform or AOD format?

  • DAY 2 - THEORY

    Day 2 is about learning about AODs. The BOOK: AOD Foundations will structure that process. Feel free to browse the book superficially or dive into the rabbit hole of its many external resources. If you are looking for suggestions on which chapter of the book to prioritize, the first page identifies chapters with many external resources for those who are interested in getting ideas and inspirations. The choice of how you spend the day is yours.

    After exploring the book, share your main take away in the Discussion: Crowdsourcing the exploration. This can serve not only to take a moment to consolidate your learning, but also as a crowd sourced approach to highlight resources and lessons that resonate with the members of this group.

    Finally, learn about your options for Day 3. You can follow one of two paths. Indicate your chosen journey in the Survey: Choose Your Path.

  • DAY 3 - CHOOSE YOUR OWN PATH

    Day 3 bifurcates into two paths, depending on your chosen journey through this FLO MicroCourse.

    DESIGNERS

    If you have chosen to use this FLo MicroCourse as an opportunity to experiment with your own AOD and pilot it to receive feedback, then today you will work on creating your AOD. 

    STEP 1
    You may wish to start by reviewing the Book chapter Steps to Designing and AOD. This will provide an overview of the suggested framework for designing an AOD. These steps are captured in the following diagram.

    Steps to designing an AOD: LO, structure, prompt, format, evaluation, and instructions

    STEP 2
    Work through these steps (or your own process if you prefer) to create your AOD.

    The Discussion: Designer Support is there to bounce ideas off of other Designers in this Flo MicroCourse, or get help from the MicroCourse facilitators, as you work on your discussion.

    You may set up your AOD on any platform that does not require participants to log in (and therefore provide personal information) to post. This means this LMS's threaded discussion forum, or any of the platforms experienced in Day 1, or other platforms (e.g., Miro) if you have a subscription that allows "any user with the link to post" (without login in). If you need guidance on how to set up an AOD on one of the platforms used in Day 1, the Book: How to Set Up an AOD on non LMS Platforms contains several video tutorials on how to do so.

    SUBMISSION

    To showcase your work, you must enter an original post in each of the two Day 4 discussions.

    1. Discussion: Experience the AODs
      This is where you showcase your AOD.
      • If you plan to host the AOD on the LMS's threaded discussion, simply create a new post where you enter your prompt and/or instructions.
      • If you plan to host the AOD on another platform, create a post in which you provide instructions and a link to your AOD.
    2. Discussion: Feedback on the AODs
      This is where colleagues will post feedback on your AOD and their experience of participating in it.
      To invite such feedback, create a post. The title of the post should make it easy for people to know which of the AOD is yours. In the body of your post, you can either describe your AOD, or copy the text from your AOD. This way, people will know which of the Designers' AOD they are commenting on...


    Note that making a post in each of the above discussion forums is a requirement for obtaining the digital badge for this FLO MicroCourse.

    Aim to have your discussion ready to go by Day 4 (Thursday) at 9AM PST.

    EXPLORERS

    If you have chosen to use this course as an opportunity to explore ideas and get inspirations for future AODs, but are not keen on creating an AOD as part of this FLO MicroCourse, then today you will continue to explore resources and discuss AODs with colleagues.

    Explore

    You may continue to explore the BOOK: AOD Foundations and dive into its rabbit hole of external resources.

    Consider also checking yesterday's Discussion: Crowdsourcing the exploration to direct your attention to hidden gems found by your colleagues during their own exploration of the book.

    Discuss

    Today is also about learning together! Are there specific aspects of AODs that you hoped to learn about or explore that were not addressed yet? Or, are you hoping for more ideas inspired by the experience and toolkit of your colleagues? Explorers have their own dedicated Discussion: Explorer Coffee Chat. It's a free form discussion, meaning that there are no pre-assigned discussion topics. Rather, you select what you want to discuss with your peers.

  • DAY 4 - AOD SHOWCASE

    Today and tomorrow (i.e., this activity is for Day 4 and 5), Designers will showcase their AODs.
    They have been asked to prepare their AOD by 9AM PST on Day 4 (Thursday). Therefore, you may not want to engage in today's activities until then.

    The activities for Designers and Explorers will be a bit different today.
    Participating in today's activities (as a Designer or Explorer) is a requirement to obtain the Digital Badge.

    Designers
    1. Moderate your own AOD in the Discussion: Experience the AODs
    2. OPTIONAL. You can participate in other Designers' AOD and contribute feedback on their AOD (see instructions for Explorers below).
    3. Read the feedback on your AOD in the Discussion: Feedback on the AODs

    Explorers

    You must participate in two ways.

    1. Each post in the Discussion: Experience the AODs is an AOD created by a Designer.
      Engage in at least one AOD. You should participate as though you were a learner in a class where this AOD is assigned.
      • If the AOD is hosted on the LMS's threaded discussion board, you can simply click Reply.
      • If the AOD is hosted on another platform, you should post your comment on that platform.
        Note that to obtain the Digital Badge, you should also click Reply on our own discussion forum and simply write "I have responded on the platform." This will trigger Moodle to mark this task as complete.

    2. Each post in the Discussion: Feedback on the AODs is simply a placeholder to let you know which of the Designers's AOD is being discussed in this thread.
      Reply to at least one post.
      In your response, you want to provide constructive feedback to the Designer about their AOD. You may consider describing a strength and a challenge you experienced in participating in the discussion. Or you may provide a suggestion for modifying their discussion so that it is even more effective.

  • DAY 5 - CELEBRATE and REFLECT

    Today, you will continue to engage in the AOD created by Designers and to provide feedback (i.e., continue the same activities as Day 4).

    As this is our last day, we wrap up with a reflection on what we have Learned (the L of the KWL framework), which we will post on Canva.

    This concludes the course. We hope that you have picked up a few tips and resources for writing effective and engaging prompts and that what you hoped to gain from this course was met. In a few days, you will receive a link to a survey where you can provide feedback on this course. We would appreciate if you could take a few minutes to let us know what worked and what didn't work, so that we can improve the course for future offerings.

    Helena and Annie wish you happy AODing!