How to use the Discussion Board in Blackboard
The Discussion Board is a text-based, asynchronous communication tool. Communication that takes place in the Discussion Board is archived and can be sorted.
The Discussion Board feature uses the following terms:
- Post - the written entry from an individual person
- Thread - a grouping of related posts; a "conversation"; a main post and all related replies
- Forum - the place where conversations take place; a Forum contains a collection of Threads; Blackboard course shells can contain any number of Forums
Reading in the Discussion Board
- Select the link provided on the navigation bar for the Discussion Board.
- Select the name of a Forum to access it.
- Once you are inside of a Forum, you can read existing threads by selecting the titles.
- Use the + and - signs to expand or collapse the threads.
Create a Discussion Thread:
- Click Add a New Thread and the Create New Message page will appear.
- Click in the Subject box and type in the subject of the message.
- Click in the Message box and type your message.
- Click Submit to send your message.
Reply to a Message in a Thread:
- Click on a Thread to read it.
- Click the Reply button next to a message to post a reply to the current thread.
- Type a Subject for your reply message thread.
- Type the text for your message into the Message area.
- If anonymous posting is allowed, check the box for Post Message as Anonymous if you wish to send your message without other users knowing your identity
- To add file attachments to message threads and replies, click the Browse button, navigate and find the desired file, and click the Open button.
- Click the Preview button to see your message before you post it.
- Click the Submit button to send your message.
- Your message will display with a New icon within the list of current message threads.