Discussion Tool Tutorial
 

The discussion board allows students and instructors to send, read, and search for public messages posted for the class. The discussion board can be divided into different topics depending on how your instructor organizes the course. Within each topic, there are a variety of discussions listed, therefore creating a thread of discussion. Everyone in the online course can access the topics designated by the instructor. It is also possible that the instructor may add you to a private group topic. The discussion board is a public tool. If you post a message all students including the instructor will be able to view and reply to your message.
 
     

Homepage Icons

  

Where is the Discussion Board?
1. From the homepage go to Communication.
Figure 1
Figure 1    
     
Communication  

2. From the communication page, select Discussion Board. Tip: A green border around the Discussion board indicates there is a new posting.
Figure 2
Figure 2    
     
Discussion Board Homepage
Figure 3 		 

3. The discussion board screen will display a compose message button, a search button, and a topic settings button. You will also find a list of topics that your instructor has set up for your online course. Each topic will list a unread messages, total messages, and the status of the topic.
Figure 3
     
 

Compose Message Button
Figure 4

 

Compose Discussion Message:
1. From the discussion board screen, select the Compose Message button.
Figure 4
     

Compose Message

  

2. Select the appropriate Topic from the dropdown menu. Enter a subject into the subject textfield. Type your message into the message textfield.

Similar to email, you can select the HTML editor button to launch the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor to format the text of your discussion message.
Figure 5

Figure 5    
     
WYSIWYG Editor
Figure 6 		 

3. Figure 6 represents the WYSIWYG editor. Notice all of the options to edit your discussion posting. Below is a list of some features in the WYSIWYG editor:

  • Cut and Paste
  • Bold
  • Italic
  • Underlined
  • Font Color
  • Left Aligned
  • Right Aligned
  • Insert Table
  • Bullets
  • Numbered List
  • Alphabetical List
  • Indent
  • Insert Hyperlink
  • Insert Bookmark
  • Insert Image
  • Ruler
  • Spell Check


Figure 6
     
Attach File   4. To attach a file to your discussion posting, select the Browse button.
Figure 7
Figure 7    
     
Browse for File   5. Select the file you wish to attach and hit the Open button.
Figure 8
Figure 8    
     
File Structure
Figure 9 		  6. Once you select your file, the file structure will be placed in the attachment textfield. Notice that there are still no files attached. You must hit the Attach File button.
Figure 9
     
Attached File
Figure 10 		 

7. Once you have attached your file you will find it listed with the option to remove it if you need to.

To post your message, select the Post button. Your message will now appear as a public message for the entire class to read.
Figure 10
   
 
Discussion Board
  
View Discussion Postings
1. To view messages in a discussion board topic, select the topic title.
Figure 11
Figure 11    
     

Discussion Board Topic
Figure 12

  

2. It is best to display your discussion postings as All and Threaded. This will allow you to view all new and old discussion postings grouped by their subject.

To expand a discussion thread click on the Arrow Button arrow button to the left of the discussion topic. Once the arrow is expanded Expanded Arrow you will be able to view all messages associated with that particular discussion thread.

The discussion board topic will display all new and old messages. The status column will indicate either a closed or open envelope. A closed envelope signifies a new discussion posting and an open envelope signifies a read discussion posting. You can click on the subject of the discussion topic to read the posted message. You can also view the author and the date of the posting.

Figure 12