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Threaded discussion is... A form of asynchronous (non-simulataneous) electronic dialog where original postings and replies to those postings are aranged and linked in a tree-like hierarchy. Each hierarchy of postings and subsequent replies constitutes a "thread" of the discussion. In a threaded discussion, messages in a given thread usually share a common subject line and are linked to each other in the order of their creation. Each message is stored on its own page. Thus, to follow the discussion, users must load each message separately. |
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Why Use Threaded Discusion?
Threaded discussion emphasizes the posting-response relationship, and can be highly effective for seeking answers to specific questions or for delving into subtopics and tangential exploration. However, messages in threaded discussion systems can seem "disconnected," and such systems are less well suited for topic-oriented discussion or for online conferences with a high volume of messages. How to Use Threaded Discusion: The easiest way to use threaded discussion is to access a Web-based threaded discussion tool. These come bundled in with the more popular Web-based course management tools, such as Blackboard and WebCT, or as stand alone services and tools. Some threaded discussion tools, such as Webboard, require the installation and configuration of software on a server at your institution -- a job for IT professionals -- while others require little more than a link to another website that actually hosts the tool and stores the messages. There are many such tools and services on the market, some of which have been reviewed by ZDnet. |
