Discussion Board - Overview:

The Discussion Board is the primary asynchronous communication tool in Blackboard.

The basic component of the Discussion Board is a message (also called a post). A message is "posted" by a user, meaning the user has entered the message and submitted it to the course site. Messages may also include an attached file. Because the Discussion Board is an asynchronous tool, other users do not have to be online at the time of posting to read the message; they can read it at any time.

Messages are organized into threads. A thread is an original message and all of the messages that are responses to that message. Generally, replies are indicated by a "Re:" (for "regarding") in the Subject line of the message and by being indented beneath the message to which it is a reply. By default a thread is usually collapsed, which means you only see the original message and have to click on a button to see the replies indented beneath it. A thread where you can see the original message and the replies is said to be expanded.

In Blackboard, threads are stored in Forums. A Forum can contain as many threads as you want. Each Forum can be assigned different properties, such as allowing users to post messages anonymously or allowing users to edit or remove their own messages after they have been posted. Instructors can set up multiple Forums to organize the various classroom discussions around different topics or to vary the properties for different kinds of discussions. The options that are available are:

a. Allow anonymous posts - If enabled, users have the option of posting messages under the name "Anonymous."

b. Allow author to edit message after posting - If enabled, a user has the ability to make changes to their messages after posting them. Otherwise, only the instructor may make changes to the message.

c. Allow author to remove own posts - If enabled, a user has the ability to remove their messages after posting them. Otherwise, only the instructor may remove the message.

d. Allow file attachments - Enabling this function allows users to attach files to messages they post to the Discussion Board

e. Allow new threads - If enabled, users may create new threads. Otherwise, no new threads may be added to the forum by anyone (including instructors).


All of the Forums together make up the Blackboard Discussion Board. The course has one main Discussion Board, accessed through the Communication section of the course site. All instructors and enrolled students have access to this main Discussion Board. Unenrolled users and guests cannot access the Discussion Board.

NOTE: An instructor can set up Group Pages for groups of students within the course and may, if so desired, give each group its own Discussion Board that is only accessible to the group members.

Adding a new "Discussion Board" thread

1. Enter the "Discussion Board" by clicking the "Communication" button on the left side of the screen and then selecting the "Discussion Board" link on the page.

2. Enter the forum you wish to participate in by clicking the link on the page.

3. Click the "Add New Thread" button.

4. In the "Subject" box type a brief subject what you are going to say.

5. In the "Message" box type your message.

6. Click the "Submit" button on the bottom right of the page.


Options:

1. The "Smart Text, Plain Text and HTML" settings

a. Smart Text - This is the default setting. This setting presents the text as you type it but will support links and other simple HTML commands.

b. Plain Text - This setting presents the text exactly as you type it. This is useful when you are describing HTML commands that you want to be displayed as text.

c. HTML - This setting displays all of your text according to HTML formatting.

2. The "Annonymous" setting allows you to post a thread without you name appearing as the submitter. This option can be turned off by the instructor.

3. The "Preview" Button allows you to see exactly what you're message will look like after it is posted. This is particularly helpful if you are using HTML.

4. Attachments - For instructions on adding attachments search for "Discussion Thread Attachments."

"Discussion Board" Options

After entering a "Discussion Board" forum there is a "Show Options/Hide Options" tab on the right side of the screen. When the "Show Options" tab is clicked (therefore the "Hide Options" tab is displayed) a group of option buttons appears across the top of the Discussion Forum. The purpose of these various buttons is as follows.

1. Select All - this selects or puts a check in the box next to every message.

NOTE: The boxes next to the discussion threads are only shown when "Show Options" is selected.

2. Unselect All - This unselects or removes the check mark from the box next to all of the messages.

3. Invert - This button changes all selected files to unselected and all unselected files to selected.

4. Read - This button marks all selected (check-marked) messages as "Read." Read messages are not bold and the "New" label on the right side of the message is removed.

5. Unread - This button marks all selected messages as "Unread." Unread messages are bold and have a "New" label on the right side of the message.

6. Collect - This button opens all of the selected messages for viewing at one time.

7. Lock - This button locks all selected messages. Locked messages cannot be replied to. This button is only available to Forum administrators.

8. Unlock - This button Unlocks all selected messages. This button is only available to Forum administrators.

9. Remove - This button removes all selected messages. This button is only available to Forum administrators.

Modifying a "Discussion Board" forum

1. Click on the "Communication" button on the left side of the screen.

2. Click on "Discussion Board".

3. Find the forum you wish to modify and click "Modify" on the right side of the screen.

4. In the "Title" box type a title for the forum. This is the name the forum will display when users enter the Discussion Board area.

5. In the "Description" area type a description of the topic to be discussed within the forum. Also include any rules for postings.

6. Select the options for the forum. The available options are as follows:

a. "Allow anonymous posts" - This allows users the option of removing their name from postings they submit

b. "Allow author to edit message after posting " - This allows users to enter a posting and make changes after it has been submitted.

c. "Allow author to remove own posted messages " - This allows users to remove messages they have posted. Otherwise only Forum administrators can remove messages.

d. "Allow file attachments " - This allows users to attach files (such as text documents or images) to their messages.

e. "Allow new threads " - This allows users to start new threads. Otherwise they can only reply to threads started by a forum Administrator.

7. Set the user rights for the forum. The default values are usually acceptable. To change the rights for an individual user:

a. Click on the user's name to highlight it.

b. Click on the level of permission you want to assign to that user (ie:ADMIN,NORMAL,BLOCK,UNBLOCK)

8. Click the "Submit" button

NOTES: Instructors and System Administrators always have admin rights to any forum. All Forums must be created by the instructor or an administrator. Only a Forum Administrators, Instructors, and System Administrators can modify Forums

Archive a Discussion Thread

To Archive a Discussion Thread:

1. Enter the Discussion Forum you wish to archive threads from .

2. Click the link "Click Here for Archives."

3. Click the button "Add Archive."

4. Give the Archive a title in the box marked "Title."

5. Give a breif description in the box marked "Description."

6. Click the "Submit" button.

7. On the right side of the new archive listing click the "Modify" button.

8. Click in the boxes next to the threads you wish to move from the discussion board into the archive.

9. Click the "Submit" button.

10. Click the "OK" button to leave the archive.

Deleting a "Discussion Board" forum

1. Click on the "Communication" button on the left side of the screen.

2. Click on "Discussion Board".

3. Locate the forum you wish to delete (or remove).

4. Click the "Remove" button on the right side of the screen

NOTES: It is always a good idea to look into the forum to verify it is the one you want to delete before removing it.