Discussion forums are an integral part of online learning, as instructors and students alike engage one another in active class discussions centered on the material being learned or on extensions of the topic at hand.

Skilled educators can elicit the active participation of students with thought-provoking questions or by challenging the class to come up with examples or applications of the concepts under discussion. Online discussion forums can be an ideal avenue for expression for otherwise shy or introvert students. Effective educators are also thoughtful provocateurs, unleashing the innate curiosity of students.

Nurturing, moderating, and steering online discussion forums can be rewarding, yet time-consuming for instructors. What's more, scoring the quality and quantity of class participation can be onerous.

Our Virtual-TAs handle, or assist the instructor with, these activities. Aided by broad guidelines and a rubric from the instructor, our TAs can help forums become a powerful complement to the learning process.