The benefits
Why should you put time and effort into forums?
- You get support when you need it (in exchange for giving support to others).
- You have a richer vein of experience to draw on, because you can pool examples, references and ideas.
- A group can often produce better work than an individual. One person might put forward a thought or idea, often not completely formed or finished; someone else picks up on it and takes it forward - that sparks off more ideas in others. Between them the group creates something much better than any could have done on their own.
- Learning by 'talking' is more powerful for most people than learning by reading. You think about things more deeply, and are likely to remember things better.
- The best way to check your own understanding is to explain it to others. Explaining things for your fellow students is good practice for the kind of explanations you'll probably have to do in assignments.
- You keep in more regular contact with your tutor and fellow students.
Key points
For some practical ideas, see the section on How to help a forum to 'work'.
It keeps you in touch, stops you deviating off route. It provides a sense of well being, knowing you may have similar ideas on a subject to others.
Next: An effective forum
