Online courses are usually designed around discussion teams or study groups. Why is there an emphasis on collaborating with others in online learning?  By working in groups and teams, you learn how to work and interact with your peers. Teams allow for the practice of authentic skills in an environment with others under the pressure of deadlines and time constraints. Group discussions and projects allow you to process the content knowledge you have gained. Collaboration is becoming standard in the workplace; skills of decision making and work sharing are vital to succeed in today's work place. Working in collaborative teams builds confidence and hones your problem solving skills. 

So, if collaboration and team projects are good for us, what can we do to optimize these learning experiences? Collaboration and interaction with your group members is key. Share your ideas and observations with members of the group. Each of us interprets the assigned readings in light of our own experiences. The comments submitted to the discussion reflect these varied viewpoints. Sharing ideas with one another opens us to new and different viewpoints and interpretations. 

Online comments make a significant contribution to the discussion. Comments can suggest alternative solutions to questions and problems. Comments of others can highlight and identify potential or real problems. Individual contributions may supply arguments from outside sources. New theories and approaches are introduced to the group. But most importantly, groups allow us to share relevant experiences and knowledge with one another.

As a group member, you must be responsive. It's part of being a proactive learner. This means that you should check in on the discussion on a daily basis. If you check in less often, you may find yourself having to catch up to the rest of the group. When you respond, you should acknowledge the contributor of the posting to which you are responding. It helps clarifying the context of your response when you copy the pertinent lines of the message to which you are responding. Do not copy the entire message. Only quote enough of the original posting to give context to your reply. 

Here are some guidelines on participating in online discussions:
 

	Learn the balance between meaningful contributions and submitting too much or too little. When postings from you dominate the discussion, you are probably sending too much.
	When you quote, do not include headers or signatures. There is no need for it. Quote only the lines to which you are responding.
	Keep your postings on topic. It is easy to build on the comments of others and go off on tangents. Given the time frame of the discussion and of the course, it is very important to stay on topic.
	Do not post topics or use language of an inflammatory nature. If you disagree with someone, keep your responses professional.
	Take the time to re-read your words of wisdom before posting them to the group.