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Discussion Boards (DB) are a key component of online learning. They foster active participation of learners and dialog with fellow learners and instructors. Graduate-level courses require learners to create original posts to course DBs and to engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the course. Original posts and responses should be substantive, and if references are made to the works of others, APA guidelines for in-text citations and references apply.

Minimum Weekly DB Expectations

• Post an original and thoughtful Main Post to the DB prompt.

Respond to at least 2 other posts from learners and/or the instructor (Response Posts).

The first contribution (Main Post or Response Post) must be posted before midnight (Central time) on Friday of each week.

Two additional responses are required after Friday of each week.

For DB assignment prompts with a Part One and Part Two, Part One should be addressed in the first week of the unit with a Main Post and minimum of 2 Response Posts, and Part Two should be addressed in the second week of the unit with a Main Post and a minimum of 2 Response Posts.

More on DBs

At the end of each unit, DB participation is assessed based on level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. DBs allow learners to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB are accepted after the end of the unit. Learners must demonstrate an appropriate depth of understanding of course content to receive credit for having submitted substantive posts. Typically, this is achieved with 3–4 strong paragraphs for Main Posts and 2–3 strong paragraphs for Response Posts.

Deliverable Specifics

Part 1

What are some of the educational claims of popular tablets, laptops, and mobile devices? Do you believe that these claims are valid? Can such devices increase accuracy and speed of research projects? What advantages and disadvantages do you see in online research? How might you plan a research project to find the best and most reliable academic resources for a project? How do your approaches differ from those of your classmates?

Part 2

Locate an advertisement or commercial that implies research study results. Describe the claims made, and discuss how differences in sampling of the population might create biased results. Discuss what could account for the biased results. Read the posts of your classmates, and respond with constructive feedback, suggestions, questions, and additional resources as appropriate and in alignment with the AIU Discussion Board Policy. You will be graded using the Grading Rubric below.

In your own words, post a substantive response to the Discussion Board question(s) and comment on other postings. Your response should address the DB question(s) and move the conversation forward. You will be graded on the quality of your postings, including mastery of the concept as well as critical thinking. If asked for your opinion, do not simply state that it is a good or bad idea; elaborate on your reasons and argument. Include enough detail to substantiate your thinking as well as your position on the questions or comments.

Scoring Rubric:

Your assignment will be graded in accordance with the following criteria: Grading Rubric.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.