A New Tool to Improve Online Discussions

February 7, 2020 Author: Read time: 1 min

Graphic of a spotlight on a red background shining onto the words "Faculty Spotlight"

Brianna Anderson sees a significant difference in student discussions on Packback compared to traditional discussion boards

Brianna Anderson decided to use Packback because she wanted her students to have a thought-provoking dialogue about digital marketing instead of the two-sentence conversations she saw on traditional discussion boards. On Packback, Anderson was excited to see that students weren’t just writing more, they were providing context to their ideas with critical thought and credible sources.

INSTITUTION

WSU Tech

DEPARTMENT

Digital Marketing

COURSE

Introduction to Media Arts

SIZE

12 Students

“Our students have been using Packback, and they’ve been very engaged. I feel like it’s very different from the traditional discussion boards that I have experience with where people pose a question, it’s one or two sentences, and you don’t get too much background on that question. With Packback, students are required to cite their sources, which I believe gives another layer of information so that they can really facilitate a conversation that uses critical thinking… And it’s been really great to bring into class and expand on those conversations.”