Online discussions in computer science courses: how to make them an effective learning tool

This paper discusses the experience of using asynchronous online discussions obtained by a group of faculty teaching graduate computer science courses online. We also discuss a number of advantages of using asynchronous discussions and how they can enrich the learning experience of students. This is followed by a collection of our practices in course management when online discussions are used. The paper is concluded by a case study describing how online discussions were used in a data warehousing course offered to graduate students online.