Grading Discussion Boards

How does Lorenz grade discussion boards?

 Professors have different methods for evaluating and grading discussion boards. Professors also vary regarding whether they require students to respond to other students' posts after they make their initial posts. Discussion boards in my classes will no longer make responding to other students part of the discussion board grade.  You can see my old policy below if you have ever had my classes in the past. I am removing this requirement from all of my classes. If you see any language requiring that in any of "my" classes (Lorenz) please message me in class and let me know so I can remove it. 

Responding to Other Students (Not Required) But Still Encouraged!

 Despite removing the "requirement" to respond to other students, I still encourage you to respond to other students if you like and share information and ideas. The "Characteristics of Good Feedback to Other Students" below still apply even if you are not being graded on it. 

 In my courses, the maximum value of the students' initial posts is 80 percent of the grade, and their responses to other students are 20 percent of the grade. If each discussion board is worth 25 points, the initial post is worth up to 20 points, and the responses to other students are worth 5 points. 

Blackboard classes and face-to-face classes are not like social media. 

That includes discussion board posts and assignments. Emotions, fads, pop-culture movements, insults, canceling people, and political ideology are not ideal for the learning environment. This does not mean you can't have beliefs, emotions, opinions, or a political ideology. Just understand that in classes, you are asked to think critically and logically and back up your opinions and conclusions with facts and data. It is okay to disagree with other students or me, but do so professionally and politely. That is how science and learning work. We disagree respectfully and are not afraid to ask questions and ask for the numbers. 

What if students do not get the total points for their initial post?

 If a student does not get the total point possible (either 15 or 25), it is usually because the student didn't use complete sentences or just didn't answer the question as asked. This sometimes happens when students use Generative AI (GAI) to answer questions. AI can only answer as well as you can ask the question, and thus, students fail to create the correct prompts for AI and, therefore, get a bad answer because they are lazy. 

However, suppose the student then comments on another student's posts with more than just empty praise, and Lorenz is so moved by the articulate, inciteful feedback that Lorenz rewards the student by increasing the points on their original post. That is entirely possible. 

(*Note: Each time a student makes a post or responds to a student in discussion boards, I am notified in my "needs grading" section, even if they have already achieved the maximum points.)

Why does Lorenz hate social media?

 I do NOT hate social media. Social media is suitable for communicating with friends, sharing photos, and making superficial observations about what interests you and others. Social media is absolutely worthless for critical thinking, science, law, medicine, and generally anything that might affect a grade in your classes. 

• If I tell you not to drive 120 mph on the highway, does that mean I hate cars?

• If I tell you not to drink and drive, does that mean I hate alcohol?

• If I disagree with your opinion about something, does that mean I hate you?

• I frequently disagree with my mom about all sorts of things. Does that mean I hate her?

The answer to all of those questions is NO! Where does the absurd idea that disagreeing with someone means you hate them come from? Social medial. 

Like driving, drinking, and disagreement, everything has a place. Social media has a place. 

Don't drink, drive, or rely on social media for anything in your classes. 

Don't get me wrong; you can obtain good information from social media if you are interested in good information. If you are only interested in emotional pop culture, feel-good information that changes from day to day, and all of your social media friends are hateful, judgmental, and have a negative outlook on everything in life, you will get bad information. Social media contains algorithms that feed you your interests. The more you look at something on social media the more of that same topic and idea social media will feed you. If you click on bad information, you will get more bad information, and that will multiply on your account. The opposite is true with good, healthy information. 

Where does what you know come from, and what is critical thinking?

 If you disagree with something you learn from the book or in this class, first ask yourself where the differing information you know comes from. You might be wrong if you do not know where you obtained the knowledge you know. We all obtain information from various sources in life, and not all of them are correct. When what you read in this class conflicts with what you think you know, there is a solution. Research it, read about it, and check your facts. If you find out that you were wrong, it means you are smart. It means you are capable of forming an opinion and then modifying that opinion when you receive further data. Finding out you were wrong does not mean you are dumb; it means you are smart, and that type of thinking is called critical thinking. 

Characteristics of a good discussion board post:

• Is organized and identifies the questions being answered accurately so everyone can determine what the person is answering or discussing

• Uses complete sentences, paragraphs, and punctuation

• Is professional and does not use slang or emojis

• Provides a balanced analysis of the topic without bias or emotion

• It's okay to disagree with someone professionally and politely. This does not mean destroying people. 

• Answers all parts of the questions asked

Some Discussion Boards May Include a Short Test

 As some of you will see, some of my discussion boards will come with a short test that will usually require you to answer the test questions first and then make your initial response. Don't worry; the questions will not be difficult, and the answers will be pretty easy to find in the material you are being asked to discuss. 

Points

 When a discussion board includes a short test, the test will usually be worth 10 points, and your post will usually be worth 15 points. This will likely also mean that I will give you a specific question or narrative to discuss instead of many questions to answer in your initial post. Most students will probably like this because there will be a more balanced emphasis on your knowledge of the subject versus how well you write. To Be clear, both are still very important. 

Why has Lorenz Modified the Structure of Discussion Boards

There are several reasons I have or I am in the process of modifying my discussion boards.

1. Generative AI (GAI) - Students increasingly use AI to create their thoughts and answers from start to finish. I can detect the use of GAI with some tools and simple analysis, and then I must utilize a lot of time addressing this with students. There are proper (legitimate) ways to use GAI. That is for another discussion. 

2. I have found that students have not read the material before making their initial post. Thus, they have no idea what they are talking about and I can detect this immediately when they just haven't read the data.  In one of my discussion boards, I provide students with data from the FBI, which gives the exact stats of what crimes will most likely be solved (cleared). Over 50 percent of my students don't read the 2-page PDF from the FBI and instead give me their social media answers, which are absolutely, positively wrong.  Thus, they don't understand what I am talking about when I tell them that murders are the easiest crime to solve and have the highest solvability rate - more than any other crime. Don't believe me? Read this - FBI UCR - 2017 Offense Cleared. Also read Data, Data, Data - Crime Solvability.

3. Having students take a short, easy test over what they read makes them better prepared to create their discussion posts. It focuses their thoughts and forces them to consider the actual questions being asked and not default to the popular social commentary that is worthless when answering factual questions and critical thinking. 

Where can I find these "Discussion Board Question Tests"? 

Under the "Lessons" link in Blackboard. That is if I have implemented them for your discussion board. Remember, I am still developing this in my classes, and it takes time to create the questions and modify the material. 

Discussion Board Post is Worth 25 or 15 Points

Below is an example of an initial post in a discussion board. This is either worth (25 pts) or (15 pts) if the discussion board includes a short test of the discussion material, which is usually worth (10 pts).