The Future
What more need I do to fully contextualize this completed project? What are the natural sequels to this project? What other applications are there for what I have learned here?
- a review of scholarship: I did not search for and collect much in the way of existing relevant scholarship on discussion in general or discussion boards in particular in preparation for this project.
- Bloom's taxonomy: In particular, I need to do some research on the plusses and minusses of Bloom's taxonomy, which I rather cavalierly adapted as the basis for the "five eyes," and the current esteem it has in the educational community.
- grading: Since I was still working out the kinks during the project class and since I was not confident in the legitimacy of the hierarchical response options, I did not feel comfortable applying detailed evaluation criteria based on the "five eyes" and those response options. A next step, however, would be to work out a system in which I can work with students individually if necessary to improve their postings and then to hold them strictly accountable.
- assigning the "eyes": Instead of leaving the choice of serves open, I think I'll also experiment with 5-person groups in which each person is assigned to kick off a conversation from the perspective of one eye.
- a culminating paragraph: The conversation on the board is supposed to be open-ended and, theoretically continuous, but I think about asking for a formal paragraph at the end of a discussion thread that might go 4-5-6 steps. In other words, let's say (see above) the thread was designated to analyze, then, in conclusion and based on the discussion, each participant would write a formal analysis paragraph.
- other uses for the "five eyes": I have a notion to try the "five eyes" in non-discussion board assignments; in particular, I am considering experimenting with chucking full-length essays for paragraph-length writing assignments structured by the eyes.
- effect on essays: In this class, the students did not write essays as they normally would in my classes. Discussion was an end in itself. A further step would be to see what effect improved discussion at the intermediate level of learning has on formal essays as the end product.
