Reading+Discussions+How+to+Participate

Weekly Reading Assignment Instructions
You are required to make one substantial posting in response to the readings each week, and to respond to your peers' postings at least twice each week. A substantial post is one that clearly defines your response to the reading you address, includes your own ideas, and invites others to think with you about the issues you have raised. Do NOT attempt to "top that" because the issues we are dealing with rarely have a clear right or wrong answer. Instead, the readings are designed to help us explore issues from different perspectives. So make sure you are inviting your peers to think with you. You will find an example of a substantial post in the Week One Reading Discussion area to help you understand your responsibilities. After that, you are expected to make a substantial post on your own, without waiting for others to respond first. You may post more frequently--these requirements are the least you can do.

**Academic Freedom**
Each of us brings our own unique understandings and perspectives to this work. It is our responsibility to be courteous and willing to entertain ideas that do not match with our own. Keep in mind that we are engaging in **academic discussion** here. That means that the literature we read informs our responses, and that we write from an analytic and critical perspective that does not include unsubstantiated opinions, or kitchen table conversation. Kitchen table conversation happens when you air your opinions that are not informed by the literature and that have not been critically examined with a scholarly eye. This frequently occurs in bars and restaurants as well. : - )

You may certainly disagree with the interpretations of the readings in your postings, but you will do it respectfully, and with sensitivity to the feelings of others. In this class we accept our differences, and we learn from each other. Offensive language is not allowed at any time. //These rules are non-negotiable and will be strictly enforced.//

Here are some **helpful tips** on how to participate in threaded asynchronous discussion forums.


 * Make sure you read carefully, and take some time to form some ideas about what you have read before you click "post."
 * There is a discussion prompt (a prompt is a question or statement designed to provoke thought and help you get started in the discussion) for each reading, and you may choose the prompt that is most interesting to you. You may respond in any of the discussion threads--we could have several threads for each assigned reading.
 * Before you post, read the posts already there, if any--this will keep the discussion focused and you really don't want to just repeat what has already been said, because that is not a substantial post and it lowers the quality of the overall discussion.
 * I encourage you to write "good job" or "nice thinking" in order to be courteous and responsive to your peers, but that is not a post that counts as your substantial post.
 * Do not be a DRIVE-BY POSTER! It is your responsibility to check back frequently to see if someone has responded to your posts or your responses.
 * The discussions are formal, academic discussions, and the rules of spelling and grammar apply. Do not use abbreviations or texting language.

It is most important to be thoughtful and reflective in the discussions because those are the places that our learning is most visible, and we have a real chance to stretch our minds and learn from new perspectives. So don't be afraid to share your thinking, and don't be afraid to really "listen" to the thinking of your colleagues.The purpose of these readings is not to confirm what you already know, but to take your ideas to places they have never been before.