Nexus Review: Ed Discussion

Introduction

There are several challenges faculty face when facilitating meaningful interaction in online synchronous and asynchronous courses. For example:

• How can I encourage students to ask questions and learn from one another rather than relying solely on the instructor?

• How can I structure online discussions so they remain organized, searchable, and useful over time?

• How can I support participation and interaction without significantly increasing my facilitation workload?

Brightspace already includes a discussion tool that meets many of these needs, and for many courses, it may be sufficient. However, some instructors, particularly those teaching STEM, coding, or other practice-based subjects (e.g., Computer Science), need a discussion tool that better supports troubleshooting, testing ideas, and sharing work in progress. 

Ed Discussion, an online discussion and Q & A platform that integrates with Brightspace, is one such alternative. Ed Discussion can be requested (NYU login required) for use in individual courses at NYU. Once activated, it allows instructors to supplement existing discussion practices with features designed to support technical problem solving, such as sharing code snippets, working through errors, and discussing solutions in a structured, searchable environment. 

Key Features

• Support for Asynchronous Interaction

  • Threaded replies, reactions, polls, and mentions support ongoing interaction in asynchronous courses without requiring constant instructor facilitation.

• Tools for Applied and Technical Discussion

  • Ed Discussion supports code snippets, math notation, image annotation, and embedded media, making it well-suited for technical and practice-based courses.

• Organized and Searchable Discussion Spaces

  • Ed Discussion organizes conversations into categorized, searchable threads, making discussions easy to navigate and more useful over time. 

• Student-Driven Questions and Peer Learning

  • Students can ask questions, respond to peers, and build on existing answers, with instructors endorsing strong contributions to guide learning.

Using Ed Discussion

Below are two examples of how Ed Discussion might be incorporated into your course.

1. Coding, Technical, and Practice-Based Feedback

   • In a coding or technical course, students might share short code snippets or problem solutions in Ed Discussion, ask specific questions about their approach, and receive feedback from peers and the instructor within the same thread.

2. Discussion and Reflection

   • An instructor might post a weekly case or reading prompt and invite students to raise questions, challenge assumptions, and respond to peers over time, allowing ideas to evolve rather than closing discussion after a single post.

While Ed Discussion does not fundamentally change how online discussions function, it is a tool that may be more relevant in courses with frequent student questions, applied problem-solving, or STEM-based work, where students benefit from sharing and testing solutions. 

To use Ed Discussion, faculty must request access through the Brightspace Pilots and Integrations form (NYU login required) and have the tool activated for each course. Given this requirement, faculty should plan ahead, allow sufficient time for setup, and provide a brief student orientation, particularly if they are interested in experimenting with discussion formats that support technical or coding-based interaction.

To learn more about using Ed Discussion, contact the Nexus team at nexus@nyu.edu and see NYU’s Ed Discussion resources below:

• Request the Ed Discussion tool via the Brightspace Pilots and Integrations Form.

• Instructional Tools for Coding: Ed Discussion (Main article)

• Instructional Tools for Coding: Ed Discussion for Instructors

• Instructional Tools for Coding: Ed Discussion for Students