How to Use the Blackboard

Discussion Board

This semester, we will use theBlackboard Discussion Boardas a collaborative writing tool.

When I post a new forum inthe discussion board, you’llpost one response to myprompt and you’ll post aresponse to one or more ofyour classmates’ responses. 

Here’s how it works.

On the first page of the class Blackboard site, you’ll see a column of buttons on the left and the Announcements page on the right. Click on the Discussion Board button on the left.

On the first page of the class Blackboard site, you’ll see a column of buttons on the left and the Announcements page on the right. Click on the Discussion Board button on the left.

After you click on the Discussion Board button, the Discussion Board Forums will appear in the window to your right. To open a forum, click on the forum’s title.

After you click on the Discussion Board button, the Discussion Board Forums will appear in the window to your right. To open a forum, click on the forum’s title.

Click on the forum title

After you click on the forum title, you’ll see my prompt at the top of the forum and all the responses to my prompt below it. To read my prompt, click on the title.

After you click on the forum title, you’ll see my prompt at the top of the forum and all the responses to my prompt below it. To read my prompt, click on the title.

Click on prompt title

After you click on the prompt title, the prompt’s text message will appear. Think about your response before writing it. You may even want to print the prompt so you can read it later.

After you click on the prompt title, the prompt’s text message will appear. Think about your response before writing it. You may even want to print the prompt so you can read it later.

When you’re done reading the prompt, click on OK at the bottom right of the screen. This will take you back to the first page of the forum. To respond to the writing prompt, click on Add New Thread. 

When you’re done reading the prompt, click on OK at the bottom right of the screen. This will take you back to the first page of the forum. To respond to the writing prompt, click on Add New Thread. 

After you click on Add New Thread, the Create New Message page will appear. Type your title in the subject line. Give your response a good title. A good title will pique your readers’ curiosity and make them want to find out what you wrote.

After you click on Add New Thread, the Create New Message page will appear. Type your title in the subject line. Give your response a good title. A good title will pique your readers’ curiosity and make them want to find out what you wrote.

subject line

Type your response in the message window. You can also type your response in a word processing program, then copy and paste your response into the discussion board message window. This will also allow you to keep a record of your discussion board responses.

Type your response in the message window. You can also type your response in a word processing program, then copy and paste your response into the discussion board message window. This will also allow you to keep a record of your discussion board responses.

This is the message window.

When you are done typingyour response, go down to thebottom of the page and clickSubmit. This will take youback to the Add New Threadpage. 

Go down to the bottom ofthe Add New Thread pageand click on OK. This will takeyou back to the forum page.

To check your response, clickon the forum title again. Youshould see a thread with yourname and the title of yourresponse.

To view your response, clickon the title. (Don't click on yourname. Clicking on your namewill bring up an email window.)

If you are happy with yourresponse, you can leave it asit is. If you want to makechanges, click on Modify andgo through the same processyou went through to create anew message.

To respond to someone else'spost, click on the title of theirpost and then click on Reply.Follow the same process youwent through to respond to myprompt.

That’s it. Happy posting!