Student discussions have long been both thorn and rose of online courses. When online learning was first introduced to academia, skeptical face-to-face instructors believed that the courses must lack any discussion, likening them to a television broadcast. But online educators immediately recognized that the format allowed for more and deeper discussion than face-to-face courses. Online, students have unlimited think-time to craft responses, there is no time limit on discussions, and discussions often bring students who are afraid of public speaking out of their shells. Finally, students can speak to each other as well as to the instructor.
