The typical use of a discussion forum in online and hybrid education can be described as a correspondence process in which learners supposedly discuss a topic over the course of a week. In many cases, this experience is typified by an initial post by Wednesday and two replies to peers by Sunday evening. Having been a learner in these kinds of discussion forums and having a respect for healthy discourse, I continue to research and reflect on the subject of discourse in discussion forums. I believe that discussion forums as a practice in online and hybrid education need to be revised for the sake of discourse. If the learners are meant to engage one another in critical discourse, we need to cultivate space and practice that will engage them in discourse.
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