Discussion: Develop the Preferred Story/Solution

(To Insure Personal Success)

Due to the nature of these research-based discussions, these learning activities have something of a “paper~presentation-like” feel (i.e. higher word counts, evidence-based research, thoughtful analysis with examples, application, and specific structure and style). Consider these discussions as meaning-making opportunities. They are not designed to be opinion-based discussions but rather for the development and assimilation of pertinent material for your course’s cumulative learning experience. With this in mind, the remainder of this document provides basic parameters and an Addendum: T.I.P.S –To Insure Personal Success in these unique research-based conversations.

Basic Parameters:

· You will meet the first expectation of the discussions by posting a well-developed, evidenced-based discussion thread. Get this! Your initial thread sets the stage for a classmate’s contributions. All required sources and readings/-to-date must be meaningfully woven into the thread. That includes a citation for each required course resource (check your Syllabus for clarification on the required course resources) in each Discussion thread. Required sources and readings-to-date are delineated in the Course Schedule and emphasized in your Professor’s communiques.

· After posting the discussion thread, you are required to post a well-developed, evidence-based reply to at least 1 of your classmate’s threads. Make sure to noticeably support all assertions/claims, etc. (i.e., School of Behavioral Sciences students use current APA standards and School of Divinity students use current Turabian Form). Complete in-text citations or footnotes and a References or Bibliography section are required.

· An annotated outline format (see end of document) is required to provide organizational clarity, easily viewed material, and to align with the course’s connected, collaborative, cumulative research/writing approach. As a live, evolving document, it then can be easily provisioned with insights from your degree’s learning journey. Make sure to build every post from a .docx document. This file could become a resource for future counseling sessions. If you have a related discussion question, “raise your hand” in the Question & Answer Center.

· Unless otherwise stated, the discussion thread must be at least 450 words. Unless otherwise stated, threads are due on Friday 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final discussion has a different rubric as it focuses on a specific module’s content.

· Unless otherwise stated, the discussion reply must be at least 150 words. Unless otherwise stated, replies are due on Sunday 11:59 p.m. (ET).The final discussion has a different rubric as it focuses on a specific module’s content. The final discussion also has different due dates. Please check the Couse Guide for more information.

· Your Professor’s feedback will assess according to these guidelines and as delineated in the Discussion Grading Rubric.

The overarching goal of each discussion is to promote critical thinking within the classroom and to produce knowledge that is essential for the completion of subsequent learning activities. This is achieved by satisfying two directives.

· Remain noticeably connected to all of the readings by integrating what you have already learned into the current discussion (cite/reference accordingly). In this course, all learning activities lean and connect in your unique final project – see first four discussions (Phases 1-4). This means assignments will have varying levels of freshly synthesized redundancy.

· Do not disconnect; continue to push supporting truths, insights, and techniques FORWARD!

· For example, each discussion thread must noticeably integrate at least 1 pertinent insight from each required course resource/readings-to-date. Each discussion reply must noticeably integrate at least 1 pertinent insight from a required resource/reading to date.

· Pertinent material from all required readings-to-date should be synthesized weekly (see Course Schedule) and integrated into subsequent learning activities.

· Develop an atmosphere for learning in every post by “digging deeper” and “exercising striking influence.” In other words, do not hesitate to respectfully challenge and/or resource weaknesses in a classmate’s posts (cite accordingly). This is NOT opinion-based interaction; make assertions that noticeably connect with verifiable truth (i.e., create a path of investigation via appropriate citation).

· State areas of agreement (dig deep). Perhaps this already comprises the bulk of your response to classmates’ posts. However, simply reiterating what has already been said or stating “I agree” does not help you or your classmates learn. Instead, dig deeper into the readings/presentations and noticeably “contribute and/or “add to” the developing conversation, especially with assertions/affirmations/arguments grounded through appropriate citations/footnotes and References/Bibliography.

· State areas of disagreement (i.e., exercise striking influence) with your classmate’s post; cite accordingly. Your instructor is not suggesting that you should launch into offensive attacks (we can disagree agreeably) but to demonstrate an influence that probes what is said and challenges thinking. You can make statements such as “While I agree with…I tend to disagree with . . .” (then state why and noticeably support the rationale). You can also say “I was intrigued with your statement that. . . but I’d like more explanation. What can you tell me about. . . ?” Or, “I’d like to explore your concept of . . . further. My question is. . . “. NOTE! When you pose a question or leading statement, continue with sufficient insight from the readings to help the reader track with your thinking about the matter in question.

Disagreement is perfectly acceptable within a discussion if it is offered respectfully and substantively, as a well-thought out and supported response (cite accordingly) within assignment parameters. For interaction to truly flourish, critical thinking and respectful challenges should influence every conversation.

· The following foundational axiom is essential to meaning-making:

Without timely and sometimes “striking” interaction, there is no significant growth!

Inspiration supports this premise: “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Pro. 27:17, NKJV). “Digging deeper and exercising striking influence” will add to our collective growth and development.

By way of illustration, think about gardening. Visit a nursery and ask a gardener how to plant azaleas. You may be shocked to hear that the root ball must sliced before planting. Sounds detrimental to the health of the plant, doesn’t it? Actually, cutting the sides of the root ball allows the roots to make a fresh connection with life-giving earth. If this does not occur, eventually the roots will continue to grow inward rather than outward, causing the azalea to languish and eventually die. Likewise, the use of striking influence empowers growth and development by challenging root-bound ideologies.