Creating the Discussion Forum | Description of Forum Settings
Your online course provides a discussion board as a communication tool. This feature is designed for asynchronous use, meaning users do not have to be available at the same time to have a conversation. An additional advantage of the discussion board is that conversations are logged and organized by forums that contain threads and all related replies.
The first step in setting up an online discussion is to create a forum. We recommend creating a new forum for each new discussion topic.
- Log into your course site.
- Click the Discussion Board link in the navigation menu.
Note: You may also access the Discussion Board through the Control Panel.
- Click the Add Forum button.
- Next, type a title and description
for your forum.
- Under Forum Availability, you may choose to make the forum available right away by selecting Yes. You may also set a date restriction, if desired. Typically, we recommend that you leave a forum available to students once they have access to it.
- Under Forum Settings, we recommend that you check the following
options:
Allow author to modify own published posts
Allow members to create new threads
You may choose to check other options depending on your preferences. Please note that typically it is not recommended that you check Allow anonymous posts. It is best to have the author take responsibility for their statements.
- Click the Submit button.
If you want to limit who has access to the forum once it has been created, click the Manage button to the right of the name of the forum.
The following is a quick summary of each option available under Forum Settings.
Allow anonymous posts
This option allows students to post messages without revealing their identity.
It should be used only when you are looking for everyone in your course
to post anonymously, such as a mid-term discussion on how your students
feel the course is going. However, it is not the most efficient way to gather
anonymous messages. This feature requires that the students check a box
to make the post anonymous. If they forget, the message will be posted with
their name attached. If you need to gather information, such as course feedback,
it is a good idea to create a survey instead
of allowing anonymous posts.
Allow author to remove own posts
This option allows students to post a message and then remove it without
any evidence of the initial posting. We STRONGLY recommend that this option
not be used. If a student removes his or her message, it may also remove
any other messages associated with that thread. If posting messages is part
of the requirements for the course, other students’ work will be affected.
Please avoid using this option.
Allow author to modify own published posts
This option allows a student to post a message and then, if he or she discovers
a typo, to go back and correct that error without removing the message entirely.
Allow users to reply with a quote
This option allows students to place a copy of the original message in their reply to that posting.
Allow File Attachments
This option allows students to attach a document or other media to a message.
This option may be useful when asking students to submit resources, projects,
or papers for other students to review. If you ask students to submit papers
or projects for your review (and other students do not need to review the
attachments) or for grading purposes, we suggest using the Assignment
feature.
Allow members to create new threads
This option allows students to create new messages. Please note that
if you do not choose this option, you will need to set up the initial thread
to which your students will respond. Otherwise, no messages can be posted
by students.
Allow members to subscribe to threads
If you select the option to Allow members to subscribe to threads, then
participants in a discussion may choose to receive an email alert when a
post is updated or a user posts a reply.
Allow members to rate posts
The Discussion Board can be a good place in a course for peer review. Each student
may start a thread and include their work in the initial post. Other students
then review the work, assign a rating to the initial post, and include comments
in a response. As users respond, the feedback expands as users reinforce
and build on points made by other students.
Force moderation of posts
Instructors can assign Discussion Board users to act as moderators. Moderators
review posts before they are added to a thread and displayed to the class.
The Moderator may be the Instructor or other responsible participants.
In general, it is advised that the instructor and students agree on guidelines for posting to the discussion board at the start of a course rather than designate someone to filter all messages.
Grade
The Instructor has the option to grade students at the forum level or at
the thread level. In this way the Instructor can accurately compare student
participation to the expectations set forth.
An alternative to the instructor reviewing and grading every posting is for students to complete self-assessments of their contributions to the discussion. For more information about how to create a discussion board self-assessment, please contact us.