participating

Why is it important to actively participate in online learning?

  • Create a lively learning community. The online learning environment comes to life as a result of your active participation, whether in the discussion forum, through email, or with other communication media.
  • Stay connected. By participating, you’ll feel less isolated and more a part of the online learning community.
  • Enlarge your horizon. By actively contributing to discussion forums, you’ll exchange perspectives with fellow students. This free exchange simulates the campus experience.

Participation Tips

  • Initiate communication. Feel free to contact learning partners, such as peers and instructors, whenever you have a question, comment, or contribution to take the discussion further. Even if you are the first to post in a new discussion thread, go ahead and post your contribution.
  • Keep the participation loop going. Respond to others' questions or take a discussion further with your perspective or additional facts to keep the interaction working. For example, if your peers have discussed poverty from a social perspective, make comments on the issue using a global view.
  • Ask questions. When stuck, recognize your need for help and pose clarifying questions to your instructor, peer learners, or others.
  • Have fun. Interaction with peer learners guarantees fun in learning and deepens its value.
  • Follow communication netiquette. Without non-verbal cues, it’s even more important in the online learning environment to follow "netiquette", such as avoiding "flaming" and not being sarcastic to your contributions.

iSchool courses for spring 2010 reached their cap. Students who have not yet registered are unlikely to obtain a seat.

iSchool is no longer accepting Student Information Forms (SIFs) for spring 2010 registration.

The 2010-2011 application process will open in March 2010.

To ensure students can participate fully in iSchool courses: iSchool Technology Survey »

ischool blog econ 201