Note: After you've read the information, you will submit an acknowledgement (see bottom of page) to the instructor.

Contract Due 8-21-06

Using WebBoard

Two tutorials listed below will assist you in learning how to use the threaded discussion software. Please review them carefully before attempting to log in for the first time. The first time you log in you will be asked if you are a new or existing user. You will have to log in as a new user the first time. Please use as your user ID your first initial plus last name.  There after, you will sign in as an existing user.

WebBoard Tutorial - logging in as new user

WebBoard Tutorial - using WebBoard.

General Directions

Discussion of theory course content and issues should bring professional growth, perspectives unknown before, and intellectual curiosity about theory-based nursing. Your responsibility for professional discussion in the electronic online threaded discussion group is to prepare for the discussion by reading course readings, seeking internet sites/sources, and completing course assignments to gain information about the topic. You also must be involved in the discussion as scheduled.

Threaded discussions will be conducted between students assigned to teams of four or more. The discussions will be done using the WebBoard site on the dates outlined in the Course Units. Unit "Group" activities will be completed and discussion on topics and issues of concern will be done during these scheduled discussions (discussion will be asynchronous). During each threaded discussion, student(s) will facilitate the working process of the discussion. Group and facilitator assignments will be posted on the threaded discussion at the start of the semester. Obviously, other e-mail communication and discussion can take place at other times. These conference times represent formal "set" days to conduct N750/751 business. 

1. Individual student responsibilities prior to online discussions include review of individual and group activities for the unit to determine what preparation is necessary for meeting, as well as review of meeting topic as described in the on-line Course Units information and the professor's directions for a given discussion. When doing threaded discussion, the facilitator should make the initial response to the weekly topic under their group heading at the discussion site, then other students respond to the facilitator and others.
2. Discussion on N751 (clinical) activities: facilitator should elicit information from group members related to clinical activities. For example, ascertaining whether student has accessed a family for assessment activities or a self-help group for the group observation assignment. 
3. Facilitator e-mails brief report on activities of the threaded discussion. These reports, as well as individual input, will be used in evaluating clinical conference participation.

Participation Guidelines

You will be involved by typing in your responses to the subject or questions at hand. You will be sharing pertinent information; agreeing or disagreeing with others; pointing out strengths and weaknesses in arguments for or against the topic; identifying statements that over simplify the issue, problem, or solution; and defining, describing, discussing, and analyzing information. Be prepared to share your sources of information. You are required to respond to the discussion at least once during scheduled discussions. More often it is appropriate to offer input more than once during the discussion, checking back in at different times or days. The subject and nature of responses will determine what is appropriate. Discussions are started on Thursday at 9am of the scheduled week, and limited to Thursday to Sunday (noon) to allow facilitator to summarize and send report to all by Monday at 4pm. If you cannot fully participate on Thursday, you need to at least sign in on Thursday and let your group members know when you will be back to input.

The expectations and goals for your participation in this electronic discussion group are:

Goals:

1. Recognize the value of discussion on nursing and other theories.
2. Increase your access to nursing colleagues.
3. Conscientiously address each discussion topic by:
   1. partaking in discussion at least once
   2. sharing information
   3. reading  all discussion and considering all others' points of view before providing constructive criticism and input to others. 

Other Expectations:

1. Maintain discussion focus by use of factual information and empirical examples.
2. Be supportive to one another and still provide useful comments on others' responses.
3. Have the reading assignment on the topic completed in time to reference your readings in some of the discussion you type in.
4. Remember individuals' comments and discussion are private.
5. Offer constructive criticism in a specific and positive manner.
6. Serve as facilitator of the discussion topic as assigned.  The facilitator will monitor the discussion frequently. Facilitator will attempt to contact "missing" members by email and cc it to the instructor. The facilitator will type a summary of the conference topic and submit to the instructor and fellow students by e-mail. See guidelines below.

Conference Summary Guidelines:

The designated facilitator will type and e-mail a conference summary using the following format:

1. Topic discussed or questions addressed
2. List the main themes of the discussion and provide a brief synopsis of the information shared under each theme
3. State conclusions made
4. Brief summary
5. E-mail summary to group members and instructor by 4p.m. on Monday directly following the discussion.

Contract to Submit - Due 8-21-06

Enter WebBoard (see instructions at the top of this page), and after creating your profile, go into the Threaded Discussion Contract conference.  Follow the instructions in the first post.

Finally, while theory can seem like a menacing subject, please have fun and learn a lot!!