how to make discussion forums work better in blackboard

by Aliza Medhurst DDS 6 min read

Using a different forum for each week (or topic) will make the discussion boards more organized and have a clear structure. Using only one forum for all class discussions and topics can result in slow loading of the pages in Bb. A weekly forum will need to be created for each discussion.

Full Answer

How do I create a discussion board?

The main Discussion Board page appears with a list of available discussion forums. On this page, you can perform these actions: Select a forum title to view the messages. Forum titles in bold contain unread posts. Select a forum to open the thread of posts. Select the number in the Unread Posts column for quick access to a forum's unread messages.

How do I print discussion board content from Blackboard?

To view a forum and the threads in it, select the forum's name on the Discussion Board page. You can view the forum contents in either list view or tree view. This choice remains in effect until you change it. You may change it at any time. Change the view on the forum page, in …

How to create a discussion board?

On the main Discussion Board page, on the Action Bar, click Create Forum. On the Create Forum page, type a Name. Users click this name to access the forum. Optionally, type instructions or a description in the Description text box. Format the text using the Text Editor functions, if you want. The Description appears below the forum name.

How to access instructor comments and rubrics in Blackboard?

Oct 31, 2016 · Here are five tips I’ve gleaned for improving online discussion boards. 1. Divide and Conquer. Although few of us would ever consider teaching a face-to-face discussion section with 50, much less 100, students, many instructors supply only one discussion board for tens or even hundreds of students to use at once.

How can I improve my online discussion forum?

Here are five tips I've gleaned for improving online discussion boards.Divide and Conquer. ... Direct Traffic. ... Assign Actions. ... Incorporate Student Interactivity. ... Deter Students from Parachuting into Discussion.

How do I make my Discussion Board engaging more?

I've found several helpful sources that offer suggestions; check them out for more ideas. Use Strong Prompts: Create discussion prompts that give students a clear reason to respond and that encourage discovery and creativity rather than summarizing a common text (Faye, 2020; Henshaw, 2020).Aug 6, 2020

What makes a good discussion forum?

Good discussion threads should be substantial but concise: convey only the information that is most meaningful and accessible to your classmates. Make sure to always re-read your response! A good habit is to copy and paste your thread into a Word document prior to posing to check for errors in spelling and grammar.May 13, 2021

How do discussions work in Blackboard?

A Discussion Board is an asynchronous communication tool that allows students to collaborate with others through posting or answering questions. Students respond to a discussion board forum topic by creating a thread, or replying to an existing thread.

How do you engage students in discussions?

Engaging Students in Discussionspre-class preparation (reading, note-taking, thinking, planning)in-class listening in order to truly hear what others are saying and understand them.willingness to reconsider one's ideas.courage to speak.courage to question others' ideas respectfully and defend one's ideas.More items...

How do discussion forums work?

A forum can consist out of multiple topics just like a course can contain multiple forums. Integrate the discussions in your course by linking to it in Content. You can allow your students to discuss a specific topic or place them in groups and have them exchange ideas in a more private setting.Jun 2, 2021

How do you write an effective discussion?

Snippets of Effective Discussions:Summarize the key findings in clear and concise language. ... Acknowledge when a hypothesis may be incorrect. ... Place your study within the context of previous studies. ... Discuss potential future research. ... Provide the reader with a “take-away” statement to end the manuscript.Oct 16, 2020

What makes a quality online discussion?

If you're the first to post, strive to encourage discussion. Get others thinking (and writing) by making bold statements or including open-ended questions in your message. Those who post first are most often responded to and cited by others. Remember to check back and see if and how others have responded to your ideas.

How do you write a strong response to a discussion board?

How to Write a Strong Discussion PostUnderstand the Prompt. Preparation is key. ... Refer to the Scoring Rubric. Every discussion board ought to have a scoring rubric. ... Present Evidence and Examples. ... Draft the Answer before Posting. ... Express Yourself Clearly. ... Respond in a Timely Manner. ... Be Respectful. ... Make it Meaningful.More items...•May 4, 2019

Are discussions correct?

1 Answer. They are both grammatical, and in most cases interchangeable. Discussion is one of those words which can be a mass noun or a count noun. As a mass noun it means the act of discussing in general, as a count noun it means a single event of discussing.

Can you delete a discussion thread on Blackboard as a student?

Open the discussion's menu and select Delete. You can delete an entire discussion along with all responses and replies. Instructors can delete any discussion, while students can only delete discussions they've created. When students delete a discussion, other users see a message about the deletion.

What is a forum discussion?

A forum is a public discussion. It can refer to a meeting, a meeting house or any conversation that is available publicly. There were forums — large public gathering places — in Ancient Rome; they can still be found across the globe.

1. Divide and Conquer

Although few of us would ever consider teaching a face-to-face discussion section with 50, much less 100, students, many instructors supply only one discussion board for tens or even hundreds of students to use at once.

2. Direct Traffic

The most common shortcoming I see among instructors’ use of online discussion boards is that the instructors aren’t directive enough. Most instructors simply post a prompt and tell all students to respond. The instructors also might tell students to respond to each other.

3. Assign Actions

In wording your discussion board prompts, rather than simply asking students, “What did you think about…?”, hinge your prompts on action verbs.

4. Incorporate Student Interactivity

Rather than having all students respond to the same prompt in the same way, incorporate interactivity by requiring variation in students’ responses.

5. Deter Students From Parachuting Into Discussion

Most online discussion assignments are made within a larger learning context, be it a unit, lesson, lecture, or module. Unfortunately, some students try to shortcut performance by parachuting into the discussion board without having completed the prerequisite activities.

Accessing the Course Groups, Part 1

Log into Blackboard and click on the Groups link in the course menu. Please refer to the instructions on how to add the groups link if your course site does not already have the groups link.

Accessing the Course Groups, Part 2

You will now see a list of groups within the course site. Click on the name of the group in which you wish to add a discussion forum to.

Creating a Group Discussion Forum, Part 1

You will now be taken to the group homepage for the group you selected. In the box labeled Group Tools, click on Group Discussion Board.

Creating a Discussion Forum, Part 2

You will now see a screen labeled Discussion Board. At the top of the page, click the Create Forum button to create a new forum.

Setting up Forum Information and Availability

Zoom: Image of the Create Forum screen on Section 1: Forum Information with the following annotations: 1.Name: Enter a name for the discussion forum here.2.Description: Enter a description of the forum here.

Setting Up the Forum Availability

Section 2: Forum Availability allows instructors to set up the visibility of the forum to students:

Setting up Forum Settings: Overview

Zoom: Image of Section 3: Forum Settings with the following annotations: 1.Viewing Threads/Replies: The options in this section determine how students view threads within the forum.2.Grade: This section allows instructors to enable grading for the discussion forum.3.Alignments: This section allows instructors to determine how the discussion forum is aligned with course goals.4.Subscribe: This section allows instructors to enable subscription options for the forum.5.Create and Edit: This option allows instructors to determine students' ability to edit their posts.6.Additional Options: This section allows instructors to modify additional options related to the discussion forum setup..