The transition to online instruction at UW-Madison has increased the use of discussion boards and chat forums. If you are assigning discussion posts on Canvas, the Writing Across the Curriculum program offers a model below for designing stimulating and thought-provoking discussion posts centered around course material. This example is well suited for a discussion-based course with shared texts. It can be scaled up or down depending on the frequency of class meetings.

When designing engaging discussion board prompts, be mindful that the transition to online instruction may have disrupted your students’ sense of routine and normalcy. Be compassionate and understanding—and clear—in laying out expectations for these posts.

Consider breaking a discussion prompt into different parts, each one building off the last, due on successive days. This will give students flexibility in when and how they respond. In the prompt below, note that the instructor clearly lays out what they expect their students to write. The following prompt is from English 142: Mystery and Crime Fiction.