Designing and assessing graded discussions in MyUni

Design MyUni Discussions as graded assignments using scaffolding, guidelines, and rubrics with measurable criteria.

Asynchronous discussion forums, particularly those using a “post once, reply twice” model, are often criticised by both educators and students. Educators may see them as ineffective for achieving learning outcomes, and students can find them mundane and obligatory. However, the challenge usually lies in how these discussions are implemented. When added as an afterthought rather than being thoughtfully designed and integrated into the course structure, they are less likely to succeed.

MyUni provides a robust platform for managing class discussions, enabling both educators and students to initiate and participate in topic-driven conversations. These forums support interaction across the entire class or within specific groups. When intentionally designed, discussions can become meaningful learning activities and can be assigned for grading. Graded discussions integrate with the MyUni Gradebook and can be assessed using SpeedGrader with a clearly aligned rubric.