Jennifer , Nice job. When you help the students see the themes/threads in the dicussion you can go deeper. And, your point about planning ahead is well taken. For the email burnout, try this - Set up a Frequently Asked Questions discussion board. Tell students NOT to email you but post their question on the discussion board so that all students may benefit from the question and answer. Then, provide a little extra credit for students who answer the posted questions correctly and completely. You'll be surprised how your email overload will lessen. Thanks!