Step-By-Step
Configuring A Group Discussion Board
(Text version)

1. Instructors and TAs have the option to allow groups to access to a Discussion Board function. The Group Discussion Board function operates in a manner identical to the Course Discussion Board. The only difference is that only members of the group can participate in the discussion. Group members cannot initiate a new Forum discussion. Only instructors or TAs can initiate a new Forum. If you have created a Group page and allowed that group access to a Discussion Board, you can initiate a new Discussion by:

• Log into the Blackboard course site as usual.
• Click on Communications / Group Pages and click on the name of the group you would like to initiate a Discussion Board. This will display the group's Group Page.
• Click on the "Group Discussion Board " link. This displays the Discussion Board page for that group.

2. The Discussion Board operates on a Forum / Thread / Reply structure. A Forum is a general title for a group of Threads. A Thread is a title for a particular discussion. A Reply is a discrete element of a Thread.

3. To create a new Forum:

• Click on the "Add Forum" Button located at the top of the Discussion Board Page. This will display the "New Forum" dialogue page.
• Type in a Title for the Forum in the box marked "Title" and a description for the Forum in the box marked "Description".
• Under "Forum Settings" choose the options you want to include for this Forum
• Check Marking "Allow Anonymous Posts" will allow users to reply to threads with the option of either attaching their name to the post or remaining anonymous.
• Check Marking "Allow Author to Edit Message After Posting" will allow the author of any post to go back to their posts and edit the content.
• Check Marking "Allow Author to Remove Own Posted Messages" will allow the author of any post to remove that post at any time.
• Check Marking "Allow File Attachments" will allow users to attach a file to their reply.
• Check Marking "Allow New Threads" will expose the "New Thread" button on this Forum. This allows users to add new Threads and as a result the forum cannot be "Locked".
• Under "Forum User Settings" it is possible to assign or un-assign any student already added to the group, administrative privileges for that form. First, click on the student's name and then click on either the "Admin" or "Normal" buttons. If you assign any student as the forum administrator, they will have access to the "New Thread" button, and will be able to remove any posting and lock or unlock all of the reply's which in effect ends the discussion on this particular forum.
• Under "Forum User Settings" it is possible to block any student already a member of the group from participating in this particular forum discussion. First, click on the student's name, then click on either the "Block" or "Unblock" buttons. A blocked account cannot participate in this discussion forum.
• When you are finished adjusting the forum settings, click on the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page. The Group's Discussion Board page will be displayed with the new Forum now available.

4. In most cases, instructors do not "Allow New Threads" as a discussion board option. This gives the instructor or TA more control over the discussion. If you do not allow new Threads, you must provide a new Thread to the discussion so students will have something to reply to. To create a new Thread:

• Click on the name of the Discussion Forum. This will display the discussion.
• Click on the "Add New Thread" button. This displays the "Create New Message" form.
• Fill in the subject for the new thread in the box marked "Subject"
• Fill in the message for the new thread in the box marked "Message". This is usually a description of the topic you want the group to discuss.
• If you allowed anonymous posts you will have the option to post this thread anonymously by check marking the "Post message as Anonymous" . If you did not allow anonymous postings in the forum options this checkbox will not appear.
• If you allowed file attachments you have the option to attach a file to this thread. To attach a file, click on the "Browse" button. This will display your computer's file locater dialogue. Using the dropdown box on the top of the file locator, locate the directory and folder that contains the file you want to attach. Click on the name of the file then click on the "Open" button on the file locator. The locator dialogue box will disappear and the path to the file will be located in the box next to the "Browse" button. If you do not allow file attachments this "Browse" button will not appear.
• Finally, click on the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page. This will display the forums discussion page with the new thread posted.

5. To view the new thread or any reply to the new thread:

• Click on the "Show Options" button located on the top right of the forum's discussion page. This displays a series of buttons allowing you to view and control the discussion board.
• Place a checkmark in the box to the left of the messages you want to view. As an alternative you can click on the "Select All" button which places a checkmark in all of the boxes.
• Click on the "Collect" button. This places all of the messages on one page and allows you to view and respond to any of them. Students in the group can view the discussion board in this manner as well. Usually students in the group will add to the discussion by clicking on the reply button to either the initial Thread or the reply button to another member's posting. If you allowed users to modify their posts a modify button will be displayed to the right of the message. If you allowed users to remove their posts, a remove button will be displayed to the right of the message.
• As new reply's are added to the discussion board a "new" icon will appear to the right of the posting. Once you have viewed this message the "new" icon will disappear.

6. To reply to anyone's post:

• Click on the "Reply" button at the bottom of the message you want to reply to. This displays the "Your Response" form.
• The subject box will already be filled in with "RE: Subject of the Message". You can change this to whatever you want.
• Fill in the message for the reply in the box marked "Message". This is usually a response to the post you are relying to.
• If you allowed anonymous posts you will have the option to post this reply anonymously by check marking the "Post message as Anonymous" . If you did not allow anonymous postings in the forum options this checkbox will not appear.
• If you allowed file attachments you have the option to attach a file to this reply. To attach a file, click on the "Browse" button. This will display your computer's file locater dialogue. Using the dropdown box on the top of the file locator, locate the directory and folder that contains the file you want to attach. Click on the name of the file then click on the "Open" button on the file locator. The locator dialogue box will disappear and the path to the file will be located in the box next to the "Browse" button. If you do not allow file attachments this "Browse" button will not appear.
• Finally, click on the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page. This will display the forum's discussion page with your reply nested under the post you have replied to.

7. Blackboard provides instructors and TAs a number of tools to manage a group's discussion forum.

• To remove any message on the discussion board first make sure the "Show Options" buttons are displayed. If they are not click on the "Show Options" button on the top left of the discussion page. Checkmark the post you want to remove from the discussion. Click on the "Remove" button in the options button list. A warning will be displayed asking you if you are sure you want to remove the post. Click on "OK" . A second warning will be displayed. Click "OK". The post is now removed from the forum.
• Note that if you allowed users to remove their own messages in the forum options they will be able to remove their own post but not other user's posts.
• You can "lock" a discussion forum by clicking on the "Select All" button in the options buttons list then clicking on the "Lock" button. This will prevent anyone from replying to any of the posts and places a "lock" icon to the right of all of the posts. If you have not allowed new threads, and all of the postings are locked, there can be no further discussion on this forum. Users are still able to view the forum items but cannot respond to any of them.
• Note that if you give administrative privileges to this forum to a student under the initial forum user settings, that student will be able to remove any post and will be able to lock or unlock the forum's postings. However this student will not have access to editing the original forum options and settings.

8. Instructors and TAs can at any time modify the original forum options and settings. To modify the original forum options and settings:

• Click on Communications / Group Pages and click on the name of the group whose discussion board options you want to modify. This will display the group's Group Page.
• Click on the "Group Discussion Board " link. This displays the Discussion Board page for that group.
• Click on the "Modify" button to the Right of the Forum name. This will display the original settings for that forum.
• Make any modifications you want then click on the "submit" button at the bottom of the page. The form setting have now been changed.

9. Instructors and TAs can at any time remove an entire forum. To remove a group's discussion board forum:

• Click on Communications / Group Pages and click on the name of the group whose discussion board forum you want to remove. This will display the group's Group Page.
• Click on the "Group Discussion Board " link. This displays the Discussion Board page for that group.
• Click on the "Remove" button to the Right of the Forum name. A warning will be displayed asking you if you are sure you want to remove the forum. Click on "OK" . A second warning will be displayed. Click "OK". The group's discussion forum is now removed.

10. You can create as many new discussion forums on a group page as you like.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Step-By-Step procedure contact the Tufts Blackboard Administrator at: nhirsig@tufts.edu