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For printable PDF version of this tip sheet, please click here.
Every course site includes a self-contained discussion board. A discussion board can be used to foster student interaction outside of class, encourage group collaboration on projects and share ideas. The discussion board is organized into forums (main ideas), threads (single subjects), and individual posts (messages).
To Start your discussion board:
- Click the Communication button
- Click Discussion Board
- Click Add Forum
- Enter a title, configure your forum using “Forum Settings,” and click Submit
Note: Only Instructors and their T.A.s can use the Add Forum function
To Add a New Thread:
- Click on the name of the forum you wish to post a message in
- Click Add New Thread to begin a new discussion
- Type in your message and click Submit
To Read a Message:
- Click on the title of the message
- From here, you can choose to reply to the message, navigate to other messages in the thread, or exit to the forum page by clicking OK
To Reply to a message:
- Click on the title of the message
- Click the Reply button
- Type your post in the message box
- Click Submit
Forum Settings:
- When creating or Modifying a forum, the following settings can be manipulated:
- Anonymous Posting
- Author’s ability to edit a message after posting
- Author’s ability to delete a message after posting
- File attachments
- New threads
- Each of these elements can be turned either on or off by using the checkboxes
To Delete a message:
- Click on the name of the message
- Click Remove
- Click OK
Note: Instructors and T.A. can remove a message posted by anyone. Students can only remove their own messages if the appropriate box is checked in Forum Settings.
To Attach a File to a message:
- When posting your message, click on the Browse… button next to the Attachment field
- Using the box that pops up, find your file, select it, and click Open
- Click the Submit button
To Print multiple messages at once:
- Click on the name of the forum you wish to print messages from
- Click the Show Options button
- Check the boxes next to all of the messages that you would like to print
- Click Collect
- From the page that loads, print as normal using the Print command from the File menu.
Discussion boards can also be set up within group areas, and there are various options available for configuring a discussion board to allow for such things as allowing students to manage aspects of the discussions.
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