1&2 300words each

The Discussion Board / Modeled Examples English 225

In any course, the Discussion Board represents an incredibly important area of engagement for students and faculty. At its best, the forum is an engaging and active

space where students offer their views on key course concepts and test those views with

rigorous responses to their peers. It also offers faculty the opportunity to encourage

deeper levels of critical thinking through robust commentary that can sometimes develop

into a sustained dialogue – in the specific forum, and throughout the class!

With these points in mind, we have provided some exemplary model discussion

responses. Note that the annotated student responses are actual responses by students

– we’ve just added specific references to key areas.

Week Two Discussion: Genre Theory [Student Post] Paranormal Activity is a horror movie [Student identifies the film’s genre] that I have watched and was intrigued by. Although many may debate the likelihood of these events

happening, it is scary to think about. “Horror films effectively

center on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and alarming events”

(Goodykoontz & & Jacobs, 2014). [Here, the student directly references the text, though without introducing the quote] Paranormal Activity did all of those things by having events happen that nobody can explain. [The prompt asks students to discuss the conventions that are typical in films of that genre (or sub-genre)] An invisible presence haunts this family at night. Things are found moving with no explanation as to

why (no windows open, no people present). As shown in this clip while the couple is

sleeping, the sheets are moving and the door slams shut but nobody is there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQXm9BBQNuQ (BenB, 2013). [Student includes a link to a clip from the film] This creates a fear because it cannot be explained. You want to think, who is there or who is doing this, but in this movie it isn’t a person. There

isn’t someone messing around or someone that can be caught and stop it. Although

there is not blood and violence in this movie, it still keeps viewers on the edge of their

Material developed by Nate Pritts, PhD, and James Meetze.

seat by trying to figure out what this presence is. Makes you think if this could really

happen.

Reference:

BenB, Y. (2013, October 19). Paranormal activity 1. Retrieved from YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQXm9BBQNuQ

Goodykoontz, B., & & Jacobs, C. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San

Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education Inc.

Material developed by Nate Pritts, PhD, and James Meetze.