These documents remain in the same format as when uploaded and are made available to others to download via a link, a convenient mechanism for sharing documents. The discussion forum software has a notification module that delivers, via e-mail, daily notices of new posts on the individual forums. The notices are brief messages indicating new posts by subject and author and giving the URL of the forum, which reminds those receiving the notice how to get to the forum and provides an active link to those who read e-mail using a Netscape browser. We encourage instructors to use their class listserv as the notification list. By putting discussion forum administration in the hands of the forum owners, we gave instructors the flexibility to use forums whenever and however they wished.
Instructors can create and maintain their forums at their convenience via a Web interface.
Forums can be restricted or open. At the time of creation, forum software automatically generates a single class ID to be used when access to the forum is restricted. Using an option on the maintenance menu, the instructor can change the password to restrict or unrestrict access to the forum at any time. Though all class members access the forum via a single ID, the submission form allows authors to identify themselves or post messages anonymously. Pedagogical Implications Four examples below are suggestions of how discussion forums fit with learning theory and teaching methods.