Step-By-Step
Student - Using A Group Discussion Board
(Text version)

1. Some instructors make use of the Blackboard Group Pages. Instructors and TAs have the option to allow groups 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 your instructor has created a Discussion forum on your group's page you can access that discussion board by:

• Log into the Blackboard course site as usual.
• Click on Communications / Group Pages and click on the name of the group your instructor has given you permission to access.
• 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. In most cases, instructors do not allow group participants to create new Discussion Thread. However, if your instructor allows group participants to create new Threads you can do so by:

• 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 your instructor allowed anonymous posts you will have the option to post this thread anonymously by check marking the "Post message as Anonymous" . If your instructor did not allow anonymous postings in the forum options this checkbox will not appear.
• If your instructor 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 your instructor did 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.

4. Usually instructors do not allow group members to start new Threads. In these cases the instructor will post the initial Thread. Group members can then view the thread and reply to it. Group members can also view any reply posted by any member of the group and reply to that posting as well. To view the initial thread or any reply to the initial 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 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. 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 your instructor allowed users to modify their posts a modify button will be displayed to the right of any message you post. If your instructor allowed users to remove their posts, a remove button will be displayed to the right of any message you post.

5. 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 your instructor allowed anonymous posts you will have the option to post this reply anonymously by check marking the "Post message as Anonymous" . If your instructor did not allow anonymous postings in the forum options this checkbox will not appear.
• If your instructor 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 your instructor did 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.

6. 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.

7. Instructors and TAs can lock a group's discussion board forum. If your instructor has locked this discussion board forum you will see a "lock" icon to the right of each posting. If your instructor has not allowed group members to create new Threads and has locked all of the postings, no additional posts can be added to that discussion forum.

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