2. Be vulnerable
Posting on a discussion board among other professionals is naturally vulnerable. I get it: You take yourself and your job seriously. You need to be professional. You are also called upon to publicly expose your thoughts, which carries the risk that you might come across as foolish. I have noticed, though, that some adult learners mistake being professional for looking like you are really smart and have all the answers. It does not foster conversation if you start off posting and responding to others in a way that communicates expertise at such a level that there’s nothing anybody could say to enhance or question your thinking. Experts who have a growth mindset and are willing to admit to their peers how much they need to grow generate amazing conversations.
If you fear appearing foolish, understand that all your coursemates feel the same way! As the great Helen Fielding wrote, “No one is thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves. Just like you.”
If you have difficulty being vulnerable, have hope. Some of the most vulnerable conversations I’ve had in my life began with, “I have trouble being vulnerable.” (Also, reading or watching Brene Brown on TED Talks or Netflix is a must.)
3. Ask questions
Questions are interactive. They invite a response. If you ask someone to share their expertise, you are tapping into innate desires to be important and help others. You might also ask questions that require elaboration or express your interest in a peer’s experiences. These kinds of questions can benefit the whole group as any collection of adult learners possesses a vast array of experience, just waiting to be tapped into.
Questions are also a terrific way to generate debate, gently. For example, if I think that someone has misinterpreted an element of course material or expressed a narrow point of view, I might ask questions that start with, Do you think it is possible that …? Or How would your thinking change if you took the perspective of …?
For best results, always make your questions meaningful and authentic. A quick Google search for question stems will give you plenty of ideas.
4. Probe your peers’ thinking
Asking questions is one strong strategy I use to probe discussants’ thinking. But I also deliberately seek out ways to respond to posts with stories of my own or others’ lives. Stories expand perspective. When I do this, I’m never overtly challenging someone’s thinking, I’m adding to it.
I have noticed that when students probe each other, they open up new worlds for their peers, and hence play a role in their growth. This is a heartwarming experience for all involved, and when peers are supported in this way they are grateful and tend to reciprocate.
5. Share resources
Busy professionals engaged in the kind of online learning that emphasizes practical skills, like the programs offered through OpusVi, always appreciate applicable resources. If you know about or come across an article, a website, a book, TED Talk, or infographic that you find interesting, chances are that your classmates will, too! Excellent discussants in online programs share readily and by doing so encourage others to do likewise. I’ve had classes request that I gather together such collections of shared resources so that they have a record of them all in one place for future use.
