First, is the time issue. I take online courses because I don’t have the time to go to class in person several days a week. I work full time and take care of a household on top of taking other classes. What makes these professors think that I have all this time to research and discuss a new topic every week? If we must do these discussions, at least consider requiring one discussion per month instead of one per week.

Second of all, we don’t get tested on the discussions. I am NOT suggesting that these inane discussions are included on any tests. I AM suggesting that either we should not be required to do these discussions since they have no bearing on what we ultimately need to know to pass the class, or that they should be on material that will be on the quizzes and exams.

Finally, please find a topic that I might actually care about, or allow me to choose which concept I want to discuss. Maybe I have ADD or something, but nothing makes me feel more like running around in circles and screaming than being forced to discuss something that I find uninteresting. It’s even possible that someone will post a topic that I originally didn’t find interesting, but they offer a different perspective on it that will make me take a second look.

This is just my 2 cents, of course. I just thought that some professors could use a student’s perspective on these discussions. I can’t be sure of other students, but I personally see no benefit to doing the discussions the way in which they are currently conducted.