Discussion forums are something with which I was already familiar and enjoy them very much. I also think they can be of significant value in reaching other points of view on any given topic. Often, others bring in a new slant or angle to a debate that I had never considered and I leave a more enlightened person. For this reason, they can be a very useful tool in the classroom. However, caution must be exercised as many people on some of these discussion forums can be rather caustic (particularly the political sites). When civil discussion is taking place and a student engaged in this activity is attacked and their arguments are characterized as meaningless or stupid, for some this could be devastating. In most cases a person needs to have a pretty thick skin to tread in these waters. Students must be forewarned about some of the volatile personalities they are likely to encounter and not take comments too personally. By the same token, there are many thoughtful and intelligent people to encounter. In my opinion, the positives outweigh the negative of these forums. This can be a wonderful tool for students to learn to debate and express their perspectives in a coherent and understandable manner without engaging in ad hominem attacks.
