Assignment Spotlight: Discussion Board Samples - Part 1

While the sky is no limit to the types of creative assignments that can be developed in an online course, it can sometimes be difficult to create engaging discussion board assignments. For that reason, I have highlighted the month of February as "Engaging Discussion Board Assignments" month. To get us kicked off, I will be sharing some of the assignments I have created for one of my courses on Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare. 

One of the keys to make an assignment engaging is to spark some joy or excitement with it. This is not a simple task. It can help to think about Bloom's Taxonomy as a starting point. I LOVE the "Create" level in Bloom's Taxonomy and always try to see if I can find a "create" assignment. Typically though, "create" assignments are quite lengthy (like a project) and not appropriate for a weekly discussion board post, so I tend to stick with "explore" options instead. 

One of the first things we discuss in my health policy course is how nurses can be great leaders of change. Here is an example of an Discussion Board assignment I give during this intro:

Assignment

Lillian Wald's story is a reminder that nurses have been, and will continue to be, active participants in health policy debates from the home to the national level and in turning ideas into reality. How can nurses affect healthcare through policy and politics?

Edge Runners are the practical innovators who have led the way in bringing new thinking and new methods to a wide range of health care challenges.

• Read about the current EdgeRunner projects found HERE
• Select one Edge Runner and summarize the innovative project that was developed and why you selected it. 

This is a simple, brief exercise that students can do that is not terribly time consuming and can also spark great joy. I know that I get very motivated when I see the creative and innovative ideas that others come up with (this is probably why I love attending conferences). Imagine how students' interest might be sparked when they start reading about the great innovations and ideas that other nurses have developed.  This simple assignment has the power to do just that. Students have the opportunity to view ideas and innovations from other nurses. An added benefit is that students can see all the possibilities nurses can open up for patients and the difference nurses can make in their lives and in communities. 

I'd love to see some of your own ideas for sparking joy and creativity through engaging discussion board assignments. Be sure to share your ideas in The Online Educator Facebook Group by clicking the link HERE. Also, as a treat don’t forget to GRAB YOUR FREE GUIDE to the 3 Secrets to Teaching Online Successfully.