This thread is very useful. Please read and learn.
To moderate means to preside over -- to regulate, to control. Forum
moderating means presiding over the online discussions occurring in
the forums used in the course. Moderating a
computer-mediated-communication forum can require skills and
abilities that differ from those necessary when leading a
traditional face-to-face class. In many cases, the success of the
CMC forum will depend on the moderator's abilities to harness the
capabilities of the tools and the participants. A successful
moderator is:
Experienced. Online discussions have their own feel and flow. A
prospective moderator will find it useful to have had some
experience with this environment as a participant before taking on
the moderator role.
Flexible. A moderator must be flexible and inventive enough to cope
with unplanned extents and help continue the discussion toward its
aim.
Tolerant. A moderator's tolerance might be stretched to the
breaking point, but a good moderator will deal with all situations
and individuals with an absence of anger and frustration.
Supportive. A prime responsibility of the moderator is urging
participants to contribute and offering support when
required.
Knowledgeable. A good moderator, while careful not to dominate a
discussion, should be capable of correcting misunderstandings and
have the ability to make useful and proactive statements about a
topic that points the discussion in interesting directions.
A good listener. Given the lack of physical cues and the increased
possibility of misunderstanding, it is important that an online
forum moderator be good at discerning not only what participants
have said, but also what they meant to say.
A good communicator. The moderator of a forum must demonstrate all
the characteristics of good online communication, including clarity
and conciseness.
Not authoritarian. A good online forum is one in which all
participants feel free to contribute without fear of ridicule or
embarrassment.
Organized. The moderator of an online, educational forum is
responsible for bringing together a collection of students from a
variety of backgrounds, often with little or no online experience,
introducing them to each other and a new environment and helping
them achieve some predefined goal. To perform such a task
effectively, it is essential that significant planning and
organization be carried out.
Responsive. A fear of many new participants in online forums is
that their messages are not being received, especially if the
educator is grading participation. The moderator should respond to
messages and questions within an acceptable time frame.
Has the time. Moderation of an online forum takes time and is not
restricted to any particular day or time. Time investments of more
than an hour a day, seven days a week, are not unusual.
Understands technology. A moderator must have a sufficient
understanding of the technology, or appropriate technical support,
in order to respond to difficulties that will occur during the
running of the forum. The moderator will usually become the first
stop for participants when they are unable to participate in the
forum for technical reasons.
Enthusiastic. For participants, especially newcomers to the online
world, not many things will affect their feelings about the new
environment more than a reluctant, unenthusiastic moderator.
Morally Upright. A moderator should be morally upright. He must not
belittle others or name call or be hurtful. Most of all he should
understand that he is here to serve people in the forum and hence
should conducted himself properly
