Asynchronous tool activity
For the activity I have posted a topic into a discussion forum titled, ‘Week One Forum – Logging in British Columbia’. The activity is designed to inspire students to think about their future as woodworkers in a larger context. They will be working with wood, but that wood doesn’t just grow magically in a lumber yard, it involves logging. The forum wants students to use what they know, or have heard about logging to express an opinion about the practice in B.C. The forum is not looking for a right answer and for the age group the course is designed for, I’m not expecting deeply philosophical answers, the question is designed to make students think about the ‘big picture’. Students will be expected, as part of their mark, to contribute to the weekly forum. With this first forum my hope is that the question is broad enough, and open ended enough that opinions on logging practices in B.C. will be quite varied and that students will be inspired to respond to each other with varying opinions. The intention is that if that happens it will plant the seed for future forums and if I can get students to feel comfortable expressing opinions and arguments it will carry on throughout the rest of the class. My only concern with this forum, and any future forums is with forum etiquette, however since the forum will be available to look at all the time I will be able to monitor the discussion and make sure it stays civil.