Evaluation of online course discussions. Faculty facilitation of active student learning.

Graduate nursing faculty evaluated their initial experiences with online course discussions after making the transition from traditional use of weekly face-to-face classroom discussions to primarily computer-based interactions with students at distant sites. The online discussion data were analyzed qualitatively. The ways the faculty member communicated to facilitate active student involvement in the online discussions were coded. Six categories were identified that describe the ways the faculty member communicated to facilitate active student involvement in online discussions: assist with navigation, explain expectations, clarify faculty role, stimulate critical thinking, share expertise, and provide encouragement. Examples of each were provided to demonstrate ways faculty promoted student learning in online discussions.