Discussion Forum

Discussion forum is an avenue where you are to discuss the issues pertaining to the weekly
topics and more importantly, apply and relate the concepts to any real events in the Pacific
context. The discussion forum is be conducted in groups of 20 students per group. Students
will be grouped randomly.

There will be one assessed forum during the semester; towards the second half of the
semester. The forum will assess the following course learning outcomes (CLOs); program
learning outcomes (PLOs) and USP Graduate Attributes as specified in the course outline:

Forum CLO PLO USP Graduate

Attributes

Forum 7 5 Communication
Critical Thinking &
Quantitative reasoning
Pacific Consciousness
Professonalism
Teamwork

The forum will be opened for one week on Monday morning at 8am Fiji Time and will close
on Sunday at 11:55pm Fiji time. Late forums will be penalized so ensure that you manage
your time wisely.

In the discussion forum, students are to:

 Closely follow the DF marking rubric.

 Actively participate.

 Post an original thought and respond to other students’ postings.

 Be thorough in their responses rather than simply remarking as ‘I agree’ or ‘good

work’ etc.

 Post on a timely manner.

 Respect other student’s thoughts and avoid any discriminatory comments at all times.
You can disagree with other students’ thoughts but refrain from personal attack in
your responses.
The discussion forum will be marked out of 20 and is worth 5% of your final grade. The
grading rubric is as follows:

Grading rubric

Criteria Excellent Good Average Poor

(4 marks) (3 marks) (2 marks) (1-0 marks)

Promptness and Consistently Occasionally Occasionally Rarely responds and
Initiative responds and makes responds and makes responds and makes makes 2 or less
4-5 well distributed 4-5 well distributed 3-4 postings but are postings per week
postings per week. postings per week. somewhat but is not
Demonstrates good distributed distributed
self-initiatives. throughout per throughout the
week week.
Delivery of Post Posts were Few grammatical Grammatical and Most posts have
grammatically and spelling errors. spelling errors in grammatical and
correct with no several posts spelling errors.
spelling errors
Relevance of Post Posts were related Posts were related Posts were Posts do not relate
well to the topic to some extent to occasionally off to the topic and the
with additional the topic. topic. Posts were comments were
references cited. often short with no irrelevant.
further insight.
Expression within Opinions and ideas Opinions and ideas Opinions and ideas Opinions and ideas
the Post were expressed were expressed but were not clearly were not clearly
concisely in relation not related well to expressed and expressed and
to the topic and the the topic and the unrelated to the unrelated to the
Pacific. Pacific. topic and the topic and the
Pacific. Pacific.

Contribution to Frequently engages Occasionally Marginally engages Never engages with

the learning with the group engages with the with the group the group while
community while developing a group while while developing developing the
concise concept. developing a the discussion discussion concept.
concise concept. concept.

Adapted from:

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth501/sites/www.e-
education.psu.edu.earth501/files/file/rubrics/Online_Discussion_Forum_grading_rubric.pdf

https://courses.dcs.wisc.edu/design-
teaching/FacilitationManagement_Spring2016/facilitation-
module/4_Online_Discussions/resources/sample_rubrics_for_discussions_Simmons.pdf