Managing online discussions requires many of the same tools as managing face-to-face discussion; preplanning to determine what the student needs to know in order to hold a beneficial discussion, active participation by the moderator encouraging participants to elaborate or debate a point of view, and a summary as the discussion draws to a close.  Regardless of the technology tool (Blackboard, Allaire Forums, WebBoard, FirstClass) used to host the discussion, the main reason for including interaction is to have students share ideas. 

Structure
Facilitating
Obstacles

Structure
Before engaging in an activity requiring critical thinking, students need practice at contributing online.  Practice consists of using the technology effectively, as well as building trust with others in the community.  Gilly Salmon, a British Open University instructor, includes in her book E-Moderating, a diagram of the five steps of interaction. Her ladder-looking steps start at the bottom with access and motivation, then moves up to online socialization.  The third step is information exchange, the fourth, knowledge construction and the highest is development. (5)  This process allows students to start slowly and build as their proficiency with the technology increases and as they develop a community of learners with other students.  Lowell and Persichitte refer to the importance of sense of community as a virtual ropes course, a reference to the well-known outdoor community building exercise. (6)

Many faculty start, after introducing themselves, by requiring an online introduction from students to the rest of the class.  A question and answer site where students can post content-related or technology-related questions is also common.  Other activities providing practice include summarizing a required reading, contributing the address of a web site address that is relevant to a course topic, or summarizing articles from the newspaper which relate.   Like most skills, starting small and adding complexity is the most effective way to prepare students for more elaborate online discussion activities.

Facilitating
The facilitator or moderator has numerous responsibilities. Berge identifies the facilitator's role in four areas: "pedagogical, social, managerial, and technical." (3) Facilitators need to model the kind of acceptable contributions, starting with an introduction and a non-threatening discussion topic. They must keep comments positive, using constructive criticism.  The facilitator keeps the discussion on track, prompts students for other ideas or connections, and encourages the less frequent contributors.  Some comments are best private, using email rather than in front of the entire group.  

One aspect of a discussion which encourages students to participate is the promptness of the feedback given by the facilitator.  Weaving several student postings into one response can simplify the amount of feedback.

In building a community of learners, it is assumed that everyone will contribute, however stating that it is required and giving credit for participation is recommended.  The facilitator is responsible for specifying the expected frequency of contributions, and if the discussion is graded, the criteria involved.  Setting expectations for the discussion, including the rules of acceptable conduct, is also important.  Students can be referred to an acceptable set of netiquette rules as a guideline. (7)

In the beginning of an online discussion the facilitator may also be called upon to answer technical questions.  Inexperienced students may need help in setting up the required software or working through the steps of the actual use of the discussion.

The commitment and expertise of the facilitator is crucial to the value of the discussion.

Obstacles
Obstacles to an effective online discussion come in many sizes and shapes.  Technical issues may be an obstacle for some students until they have the practice necessary to feel comfortable with the software. One of the biggest perceived obstacles is the varying speed with which students proceed through a course.  It may be disconcerting for the first person to contribute to the discussion and then have to wait for others to respond.  The facilitator plays an important role here because the dialog which was initially planned to be between students becomes a dialog between student and instructor.  Engaging the first student while encouraging others to get up to date is an important function.  Being prepared with some already created potential comments will help keep the workload at a minimum while waiting for others to catch up.

The lack of response is caused by several factors.  Some students take on more than they can comfortably handle.  Others may be leery of contributing if they have not yet built up the expertise with the subject or technology.  Others still, like to read what has been submitted and then need to think about their response before actually contributing.  The variety of learners will ultimately create a broader discussion, but getting them all started is a critical issue.  

Poor planning can be another major obstacle.  Starting with a relevant, meaningful discussion topic and planning all of its possible ramifications, how it can go wrong and how it can be put back on track, are important prior to opening the discussion.  Facilitators need to be prepared to invest the required amount of time to facilitate the discussion.  Holding an online discussion is not necessarily any easier or less time consuming than engaging a face-to-face class in a meaningful discussion.  It is just a matter of using the technology for supporting the dialog.