Due Date: Weekly.
| Criteria | Non-performance | Basic | Proficient | Distinguished |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applies relevant course concepts, theories, or materials correctly. |
Does not make use of relevant course concepts, theories, or materials. | Summarizes and reports on relevant course concepts, theories, or materials. | Applies and explains relevant course concepts, theories, or materials correctly. Demonstrates coherent understanding. | Critically thinks about, analyzes, and evaluates course concepts, theories, or materials correctly. |
| Collaborates with fellow learners, relating the discussion to relevant course concepts. |
Does not engage in productive and relevant back-and-forth exchanges with other with fellow learners throughout the week. Does not make initial post to the DQ before or on Wednesday. | Responds to fellow learners' posts, but without relating discussion to the relevant course concepts. Not engaged in relevant back-and-forth exchanges—clusters posts during one or two days during the week. | Actively participates in a relevant back-and-forth exchange throughout the week with fellow learners; is focused on the DQ issue and maintains relevance in the discussion using appropriate course concepts. | Engages in productive and relevant back-and-forth exchanges with fellow learners and critically thinks by extending the dialogue throughout the week by engagement in back-and-forth exchanges. |
| Applies relevant professional, personal, or other real-world experiences. |
Does not relevantly contribute to the scholarly discussions on the DQ issue, drawing upon professional, personal, or other real-world experiences. | Contributes to the discussions on the DQ issue, drawing upon professional, personal, or other real-world experiences, but lacks scholarly relevance. | Relevantly contributes to the scholarly discussions on the DQ issue by integrating course concepts and integrating relevant professional, personal, or other real-world experiences. | Relevantly contributes to the scholarly discussions on the DQ issue by integrating course concepts and integrating relevant professional, personal, or other real-world experiences, and critically thinks by extending the dialogue through DQ relevant challenging ideas. |
| Supports position with applicable knowledge. |
Does not offer a relevant position. | Offers a relevant position but absent of appropriate and adequate support. | Establishes a relevant position and supports position with applicable and adequate scholarly knowledge. | Establishes a relevant position and supports position with applicable and adequate scholarly knowledge and also illustrates the position by integrating professional, personal, or other real-world experiences into the argument. |
Actively participates in discussions by engaging in productive and relevant back-and-forth exchanges with fellow learners over the course of the week. To do this you should create a scholarly argument for each of the discussion topics. Each post should reflect (and thus demonstrate) your understanding of the relevant course concepts and theories. Responses to other learners should also reflect and represent your scholarly voice; they should contribute to the conversation by asking critical thinking questions, respect others' points of view, and present supporting information relevant to the topic.
To afford yourself and others the opportunity to learn through the back-and-forth exchange of ideas you should offer your position on the issue early rather than later in the week. To allow other learners time to respond, you are required to post your initial responses to the DQ by no later than Wednesday. Posting at the very end of the week will not afford you maximum opportunity to learn, which as a result diminishes your understanding of course concepts—and understanding is essential for success.
The week begins on Monday (1:00 AM Central) and ends on Sunday (11:59 PM Central)—postings before or after will not constitute collaborative participation. Moreover, clustering postings at the very beginning or at the very end of the week will not afford your engagement in the very important back-and-forth exchanges with fellow learners. Therefore, spreading your engagement throughout the week is the best strategy for maximizing learning.