Using the Blackboard Discussion Board (Audience: Students

Using the Blackboard Discussion Board
(Audience: Students)
Access the Discussion Board through the Tools Menu
1. Click Tools from the Course Menu.
2. Click Discussion Board.
Post a Thread
1. Access the course discussion board.
2. Click the underlined Forum title.
Example:
3. Click Create Thread.
4. Type a Subject that describes the post. This is essentially the title which will
identify the post to other users.
5. Type the body of your post in the Message text box.
6. To attach a file to the discussion board post:
a. Under the Attachments section click <Browse My Computer>.
b. Locate the file to be attached and click <Open>.
7. Click <Submit>.
NOTE: If you click Save as Draft your post will NOT be submitted to the
discussion board.
Read a Discussion Board Post
1. Enter the discussion board forum.
2. Click the title/subject of the thread to be read.
Example:
3. Use the legend below to learn to read and reply to posts:
1. Blue highlighting Indicates which post is displayed below (see 4-6).
2. Thread title/subject Click to display text below (see 4-6).
3. Response title/subject Click to open post (see 4-6).
4. Post Information Provides information about post – author, posted
date, views etc.
5. Post Content Displays the post content.
6. Reply Click to <Reply> to the displayed post.
Reply to a Discussion Board Post
Comment [KL1]: This is confusing – maybe say
“click to open thread/post”
1. Display the post you will reply to.
2. Click <Reply>.
3. Type your response in the Message text box.
4. To attach a file to the reply:
1. Under the Attachments section click <Browse My Computer>.
2. Locate the file to be attached and click <Open>.
5. Click Submit.
NOTE: If you click Save as Draft your post will NOT be submitted to the
discussion board.
TROUBLESHOOT: My instructor doesn't see my discussion board post.
If you and/or your instructor cannot see a discussion board post that you were
sure you submitted, most likely you clicked <Save as Draft> rather than <Submit>.
Directions for checking for this error are below. The discussion board forum must
be available to students to complete these steps.
1. Enter the discussion board forum or thread where your post should be.
2. If you do not see your post, hover the cursor over Display and click Show
All. (See #1 & 2 above.)
3. If your post was saved as a draft, you will see the word Draft next to the
post subject and in the Status column.
4. To submit your saved post, click the subject/title of the post.
5. Click Edit in the box where the body of the post is displayed.
6. Click Submit.
Creating a Thread in a Forum
1) Log into Blackboard and navigate to the Discussion Board page. Click on the
forum name.
2) Click <Create Thread>.
Comment [KL2]: Maybe include screenshots
3) Under Message, enter a name for the thread in the Subject textbox and a
message in the Message textbox. Click <Submit>.
4) The thread will then show in the forum.
Set Flag
Flags are not visible to other users.
Printing Thread
Flags do not show up in print view.