5 Tips to Spark Lively Online Discussions Infographic

Break the Ice
Encourage learners to upload an avatar or photo of themselves and post discussion prompts or questions that will help people get to know each other and foster relationships among the learners.
Structure discussions
Distribute appropriate guidelines, suggest comments are proofread prior to submittal and encourage learners to be considerate of others' comments.
Support critical thinking
Ask questions that reference learning objectives in the course and encourage learners to analyze, identify, describe, etc. the content further based on their own reflections or personal experience.
Promote peer involvement
Allow different learners to moderate discussion, adopt leadership roles and invest themselves in meaningful interactions with their peers.
Offer continued assistance
Create separate discussion thread where learners can vent or request help, provide clarification for those who may be confused or unsure what to do and reach out to learners who are failing behind.