Discussions Archives - Instructor Support /brightspace/instructors/cat/discussions/ Ӱԭ University Tue, 20 Feb 2024 15:39:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 Discussions /brightspace/instructors/discussions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=discussions&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=discussions Wed, 31 Mar 2021 20:08:19 +0000 /brightspace/instructors/?page_id=3098

What is the Discussion tool in D2L Brightspace?

The Discussions tool can be used to encourage students to share thoughts on course material with their peers. You can set up forums and topics for users to ask questions, discuss course content and assignments, and work together in assigned groups or sections.

Discussion Guides

How to access the Discussion tool
Click Tools in your course navbar, then select Discussions in the drop-down menu.

]]> Grading Discussions /brightspace/instructors/grading-discussions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grading-discussions&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grading-discussions Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:03:33 +0000 /brightspace/instructors/?page_id=2983 There are multiple ways to grade student participation in discussion topics. In order to grade a discussion, you will need to configure your discussion topic for assessment in your topic settings.

Setting Up Graded Discussions

If you want to grade a discussion, you need to link a grade item to the discussion topic. Once a grade item is linked, D2L Brightspace will automatically include the assessment of the discussion topic in the final grade. The score will be calculated based on an overall grade for the discussion topic unless you choose to enable assessment of individual discussion posts. If individual assessment is enabled, the discussion topic score will then be calculated based on the assessment of each individual post.

Link a Discussion Topic to a Grade Item
If you chose to create your Grade Items in the Gradebook, you can associate those Grade Items with each Discussion that you create. You also have the option to create a grade item for your discussion topic in your topic settings. To learn more about grade items, see the Setting up Grades page.

  1. Log in to using your MyӰԭOneԳپ.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. Select Discussions in the drop-down menu.
  5. Locate an existing discussion or create a new discussion.
    • To edit an existing discussion: Click the arrow next to the discussion topic you want to connect to a grade item, then select Edit Topic.
    • To create a new discussion: Click the New Button, then select New Topic.
      NOTE: You will need to add a Topic name before you can access grade item settings in the Assessments tab.

  6. Click the Assessmenttab.
  7. Do one of the following:
    • Select a grade item from the Choose a grade item drop-down menu
    • Click New grade item to create a new item (see instructions below)
  8. Enter a score value in the Score out of field.
  9. Add or attach a rubric if you will be using a rubric to grade the discussion.
  10. Click Save and Close when you are finished editing your settings.

To create a new grade item within a Discussion:

  1. Under the Assessmenttab, click New Grade Item.
  2. Enter the name of the Discussion into the Namefield.
  3. Include aShort Name (abbreviated item name) for the gradebook, if needed.
  4. If you have set up categories in your gradebook, select a grade category from the drop-down menu.
  5. Enter the maximum points (your grading range) students can receive for the discussion.
  6. Enter the weight (%) that you want the grade item to contribute to the category or final grade.
    NOTE: If a grade item is within a category you must specify the weight as a % of the category, not the final grade.
    E.g. 25% of a category worth 30%
  7. Click Save.

You will now see a grade item for your discussion topic in your gradebook.

Enable Assessment of Individual Discussion Posts
  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Locate your discussion topic, then click the arrow next to the topic name.
  6. In the drop-down menu, select Edit Topic.
  7. Click the Assessment tab.
  8. Select the Allow assessment of individual posts checkbox.
  9. Select one of the following Calculation Methods from the drop-down menu:
    • Average post score: This calculation method averages all of the post scores included per user.
    • Maximum post score: This calculation method identifies the highest score of all the post scores included per user.
    • Minimum post score: This calculation method identifies the lowest score of all the post scores included per user.
    • Mode post score – Highest on multiple: This calculation method looks at the frequency of scores on posts, then selects the highest occurrence of a score per user. Once it picks the frequency, the system looks to see if multiple scores occur at that frequency. If not, it assigns that score to the user. If there are multiple scores with the same frequency, it will choose the highest of those scores. For example, if a score of 7 occurs 2 times, a score of 8 occurs 3 times, and a score of 9 occurs 3 times, the system will choose the frequency 3 and the score of 9.
    • Mode post score – Lowest on multiple: This calculation method looks at the frequency of scores on posts, then selects the highest occurrence of a score per user. Once it picks the frequency, the system looks to see if multiple scores occur at that frequency. If not, it assigns that score to the user. If there are multiple scores with the same frequency, it will choose the lowest of those scores. For example, if a score of 7 occurs 2 times, a score of 8 occurs 3 times, and a score of 9 occurs 3 times, the system will choose the frequency 3 and the score of 8.
    • Sum of post scores: This calculation method sums up all the scores on posts within a topic.
  10. By default, the Include unassessed posts when calculating the topic score option is disabled. If you want unassessed posts to receive a score of zero in the calculation, select the Include unassessed posts in the calculated score as zero checkbox.
  11. Click Save and Close to return to your Discussion List page, or click Save to continue editing your discussion settings.

Grading Discussions

There are multiple ways to grade a discussion forum in Brightspace. When grading a discussion, you will be taken to an assessment pop-up window where you can review a student’s posts, enter a topic score, and provide feedback.

Ways to grade discussion forums in Brightspace:

Assess a Discussion Topic

  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Click the arrow next to the discussion thread you want to grade, then click Assess Topic.
  6. Click Topic Score below the name of the student you want to assess.
  7. A new page will open showing all posts and responses the selected student has made for this discussion. If you are using a rubric for this discussion, the the interactive rubric will appear in the panel above the Overall Grade and Overall Feedback fields.
    • Enter an Overall Grade in the top-right corner of the window.
    • Enter feedback in the HTML Editor under Overall Feedback.
  8. When you are finished assessing the topic, click Publish. You can click Save Draft to save your feedback if you want to publish at a later date.

Assess an Individual Discussion Post
NOTE:In order to grade an individual discussion post, you need to select Allow assessment of individual postsin your discussion topic settings.

  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Click the Discussion topic that you want to grade.
  6. Locate the thread you want to grade, then click the arrow next to the thread name.
  7. In the drop-down menu, select Assess Student.
  8. A new page will open showing all posts and responses the selected student has made for this discussion. If you are using a rubric for this discussion, the the interactive rubric will appear in the panel above the Overall Grade and Overall Feedback fields.
    • Enter an Overall Grade in the top-right corner of the window.
    • Enter feedback in the HTML Editor under Overall Feedback.
  9. When you are finished assessing the topic, click Publish. You can click Save Draft to save your feedback if you want to publish at a later date.

Grading Discussion Forums in the Gradebook
Grades and feedback can be provided on student participation in a discussion topic.

  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Progress.
  4. Select Grades from the drop-down menu.
  5. The Grades page will open. Click the Manage grades tab.
  6. Click the arrow beside the title of the topic of you want to grade and select Enter Grades from the drop down menu.
  7. You will see a table displaying the grading information for your students. Students that have made new posts in the discussion will be indicated with an orange discussion icon
  8. Locate the name of the student whose posts you want to grade, then click the discussion icon under the Submission column.
    NOTE:It is a best practice to avoid entering grades directly into the gradebook. It is recommended to grade in the Evaluation panel by clicking the discussion icon under the Submission column.
    TIP: You may filter students by group or name using the search feature.
  9. A new page will open showing all posts and responses the selected student has made for this discussion.
    • If you are grading with a rubric:
      1. If you are using a rubric for this discussion, the the interactive rubric will appear in the panel above the Overall Grade and Overall Feedback fields.
      2. Click the appropriate level for each criteria. The assigned points will automatically appear in the Criterion Score column.
      3. As you grade in the rubric, the Overall Grade will automatically update. This is the score that will be transferred to the gradebook.
        TIP:You may grade between levels of a rubric for partial marks by using the “Criterion score” column of a rubric. For example, you feel that the student earned a 1.5 which is between 1 and 2 on the rubric score. Edit the criterion score and always choose the lower of the two numbers within a rubric!
    • If you are grading without a rubric:
      1. Enter an Overall Grade in the top-right corner of the window.
      2. Enter feedback in the HTML Editor under Overall Feedback.
  10. When you are finished assessing the topic, click Publish. You can click Save Draft to save your feedback if you want to publish at a later date.

Grading Discussions with Quick Eval

Quick Eval is a grading tool that allows you to view a list of ungraded submissions that need to be evaluated. Quick Eval syncs with all graded tools in Brightspace (Assignment, Discussions, Quizzes, etc.) . All activities that need to be evaluated will appear in Quick Eval until they are graded and feedback is published.

To grade using Quick Eval:

  1. Log in to using your MyӰԭOneԳپ.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Progress.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Quick Eval.
  5. You will now see the Quick Eval Dashboard. From your dashboard, you can view Assignment , Discussion , and Quiz submissions.
  6. You can view the Quick Eval list by Submissions or Activities. Use the buttons next to View by: to toggle between views.
    TIP:You can filter your submissions by Activity name or date by clicking Filter on the top-right side of the page. You can also use the search field to search for a specific student or activity.
    • Submissions – View a list of ungraded student submissions. The list can be sorted by clicking on the First Name, Last Name, Activity Name, and Submission Date links at the top of the list.
    • Activities – View a list of activities with ungraded submissions. The list displays the number of New Posts, and the percentage of Completed, Evaluated, and Published submissions.
  7. Navigate to the submission(s) you want to grade in the Quick Eval list.
    • If you are viewing the Submissions list, click on the name of the student you want to assess.
    • If you are viewing the Activities list, you can view ungraded posts in the following ways, click the New Posts # to grade new discussion posts. To view all posts (graded and ungraded), click Evaluate All or click Submission List to view a list of all Submissions.
  8. A new page will open showing the posts the selected student has made for this discussion. If you are using a rubric, the interactive rubric will appear in the panel above the Overall Grade and Overall Feedback fields.
    • Enter an Overall Grade in the top-right corner of the window.
    • Enter feedback in the HTML Editor under Overall Feedback.
      TIP:Use the arrows on the top-right side of the screen to navigate between submissions.
  9. When you are finished assessing the post, click Publish. You can click Save Draft to save your feedback if you want to publish at a later date. When a submission has been graded, it will no longer appear in the the Quick Eval list.

Viewing Discussion Statistics

The Discussion tool includes a statistics feature that provides an overview of discussion activity in your course. Discussion statistics are useful for measuring student engagement and tracking participation.

Viewing Statistics by User

  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Click the Statistics tab.
  6. You will be taken to the Users tab where you can access the following statistics:
    • Org Unit Statistics: Displays the total number of threads and replies in all forums.
    • User Statistics: Displays a table with discussion post data for each student.
  7. To view statistics for an individual student, click on a student’s name. A pop-up window will open with the “User Discussion Statistics” for the selected student.

Viewing Statistics by Group

  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Click the Statistics tab.
  6. You will be taken to the Users tab where you can access the following statistics:
    • Org Unit Statistics: Displays the total number of threads and replies in all forums.
    • User Statistics: Displays a table with discussion post data for each student.
  7. To view statistics for a group, click the View by drop-down menu and select Groups.
  8. Click Apply.
  9. A Groups dropdown menu will appear. Select a group and click Applyto view only that group.

Viewing Statistics by Forum or Topic

  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Click the Statistics tab.
  6. Click the Forum and Topics tab.
  7. You will now see the following statistics:
    • Org Unit Statistics: Displays the total number of threads and replies in all forums.
    • Forum and Topic Statistics: Displays a table with a list of all forums and topics in your course.
  8. To view statistics for a specific forum or topic, click on a forum or topic name. A pop-up window will open with the “Discussion Forum Statistics” or “Discussion Topic Statistics” for the selected forum or topic.

Video Tutorials

Related Support Topics

]]> Participating in Discussions /brightspace/instructors/participating-in-discussions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=participating-in-discussions&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=participating-in-discussions Tue, 22 Dec 2020 13:08:26 +0000 /brightspace/instructors/?page_id=1152 You can participate in a Discussion by creating a Thread within a discussion topic, or by replying to a thread created by another course participant. You can also subscribe to a discussion thread to receive notifications when a new post is added.

NOTE:
For instructions on how to create a forum or discussion topic, see Creating Discussion Forums.

Create a Thread
  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Click the discussion topic where you want to create a thread.
  6. Click Start a New Thread.
  7. Enter a subject.
  8. Enter your content in the HTML Text Editor.
  9. Set any of the following posting options:
    • To keep the thread at the top of the list, select the Pin Thread checkbox.
    • To post anonymously, select Post as Anonymous.
    • To receive updates on the thread using your selected notification method, select Subscribe to this thread.
    • To attach a file, in the Attachmentsarea, clickBrowseto locate the file that you want to attach.
    • To attach an audio recording, in the Attachmentsarea, clickRecord Audio>Record. To make adjustments to your microphone selection and volume, clickFlash Settings. To listen to your recording, clickPlay. To erase your recording, clickClear. If you have prerecorded audio and are using a supported browser, you can drag audio files onto the attachments upload target.
    • To attach a video recording, in the Attachmentsarea, clickRecord Video>Allow>Record. When you finish recording, clickStop. To erase your recording, clickClear. To add the recording, clickAdd. If you have pre-recorded video and are using a supported browser, you can drag video files onto the attachments upload target.
    • To post your thread to more than one topic, click Post to other topics. ClickAdd Topics.Select the topics that you want your thread to appear in. To post in every topic simultaneously, select theSelect Allcheck box and then clickAdd Topics.
  10. Click Post.

You have now create a thread that other course participants can reply to.

Reply to a Thread
  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Locate the thread you want to reply to.
  6. Do either of the following:
    • To reply to the main thread post, click Reply to Thread.
    • To reply to a particular post inside the thread, click Reply.
  7. Enter your reply in the HTML Text Editor. To include the original post’s text in your reply, click the Add original post text
  8. Set any of the following options:
    • To post anonymously, select Post as Anonymous.
    • To receive updates on the thread using your selected notification method, select Subscribe to this thread.
    • To attach a file, in the Attachmentsarea, clickBrowseto locate the file you want to attach.
    • To attach an audio recording, in the Attachmentsarea, clickRecord Audio>Record. If you have pre-recorded audio and are using a supported browser, you can drag audio files onto the attachments upload area.
    • To attach a video recording, in the Attachmentsarea, clickRecord Video>Allow>Record. If you have pre-recorded video and are using a supported browser, you can drag video files onto the attachments upload area.
  9. Click Post.

You have now replied to a thread within a topic.

Subscribe to a Thread
  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Forum or Discussion Topic that you want to subscribe to.
  6. In the drop-down menu, select Subscribe.
  7. In the Customize Notifications pop-up window, select one of the following notification methods:
    • Send me an instant notification:Receive an email notification for each post or reply in a thread.
    • Include in my summary of activity: Receive a daily summary of forum or topic posts.
    • Show notifications in minibar only: Receive new post notifications in the menu at the top of your course page.
  8. Click Subscribe.

You will see a forum or topic subscribed successfully message. View and manage your subscriptions under the Subscriptions tab.

Use @Mentions in a Discussion Thread
  1. Log in to with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
      • Click on the course tile undertheMy Courseswidget.
      • Click theCourse Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, click Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Locate the discussion thread where you want to tag a user.
  6. Enter your reply in the HTML Text Editor.
  7. To tag a user, type @ followed by their name (@name). When you start typing their name, a list will automatically appear below the text.
  8. Select the user’s name from the list.
  9. The @mention will now display their first and last name.
  10. Click Post.

You will see a the @mention appear as a link in the discussion topic and a notification flag will appear in the mentioned user’s mini-navbar. If the user has also enabled email notifications, the user will also receive an email notification.
]]> Creating Discussion Forums /brightspace/instructors/creating-discussions-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=creating-discussions-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=creating-discussions-2 Fri, 18 Dec 2020 21:22:41 +0000 /brightspace/instructors/?page_id=92 Discussions are a great way to increase collaboration and engagement in an online course. Sharing ideas about course content can help your learners understand the perspectives of their peers and reflect on what they have learned.You can set up forums and topics for users to ask questions, discuss course content and assignments, and work together in assigned groups and sections.

→For tips on how to use Discussion Forums in D2L Brightspace, visit the D2L video tutorial:

Discussion Parts

The Brightspace Discussion tool contains four parts: 

Forums

The discussion forum is a category: it organizes all related discussion topics. All discussion topics must be in a forum. Instructors must have a forum before they can create a topic. The number of forums created is up to you; some people use one forum to hold all discussion topics, others prefer to have multiple forums to hold discussion topics.

Topics

A Topic holdsall of the discussion posts and threads on a givensubjectand it mustbe part of a forum.This is where the discussions are read and responded to.

Threads

A thread is a learner’s post in a discussion topic. Students can create a discussion thread or reply to a thread started by a classmate. A thread is part of a topic and a topic belongs to a forum.

Reply

If a user responds to another user’s post, it is a reply. A reply is a part of the original poster’s thread.

Example of how discussion topics are displayed within a forum:

Screenshot of discussion topics in a forum.

WARNING!: Discussions CANNOT happen in an empty forum without one or more topics. The forum is the higher level category, but the Topic is where the discussion threads occur.

Forums

The discussion forum is a category: it organizes all related discussion topics. All discussion topics must be in a forum. Instructors must have a forum before they can create a topic. The number of forums created is up to you; some people use one forum to hold all discussion topics, others prefer to have multiple forums to hold discussion topics.

To Create a Forum

  1. Log into with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
    • Select the course tile under the My Courseswidget.
    • Select the Course Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, select Tools.
    Screenshot of Brightspace navbar with red callout around Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, selectDiscussions.
  5. Under theDiscussions List tab, select the Newbutton.
    Screenshot of Discussions page with Discussions List tab selected.
  6. In the drop-down menu, selectNew Forum.
  7. Enter atitlefor your new forum.
  8. Enter adescriptionfor your new forum (optional).
  9. In theOptions section, customize your forum using one or more of the following check boxes:

NOTE:If you apply settings at the forum level, all topics in that forum will share these settings. If you prefer to have different settings for each topic, apply the desired settings within the topic itself.

        • Allow anonymous posts– Enables users to post anonymously; Names will not be displayed.
          NOTE:Anonymous posts cannot be evaluated.
        • A moderator must approve individual posts before they display in the forum– To ensure that posts are approved by a moderator before they display in the forum.
        • Users must start a thread before they can read and reply to other threads in each topic– To ensure user participation.
        • Display forum descriptions in topics– To provide instructors the option to display a discussion forum description within a discussion topic description.

          NOTE:For additional information on managing discussion forums, see theManaging Discussion Forumspage.

      • Visible with access restricted before start / after end: Students can see that the Forum exists but cannot see any of the Topics in it. Only the Forum title, Start/End Dates, and restrictions will be visible to the students.
      • Visible with submission restricted before start / after end: I.e.,read only. Students can enter the Forum’s Topics to view the description and attached rubrics and to read threads and replies. But they cannot post new threads or replies in the Topics.
      • Hidden before start / after end: Students will not be able to see that the Forum (or any Topic in it) exists, and it will not appear in the Calendar.Under theRestrictionstab, you have the option to setStartandEnd Dates to limit when students can access the Forum and customize the extent of their access outside of those times:

NOTE:Forums are set toVisible with access restricted by default. You can change this default for your course by selecting the Settingsbutton at the top of theDiscussionspage and adjusting theAvailability Condition Defaults.

  1. Select Save and Close.

You have now created a Discussion forum and need toadd at least one topicin order for students to be able to post.

To Copy a Forum

Copying a forum in your course can help save time when you have multiple discussion forums in your course with the same settings.

NOTE: This is for copying a forum within a course. To copy a forum into a new course, please follow the instructions on the Import/Export/Copy Course Components support page.

  1. Log into with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
    • Select the course tile under the My Courseswidget.
    • Select the Course Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, select Tools.
    Screenshot of Brightspace navbar with red callout around Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, selectDiscussions.
  5. Under the Discussions List tab, select the More Actionsbutton.
    Screenshot of Discussions page with Discussions List tab selected.
  6. In the drop-down menu, select Copy.
  7. Select Copy a Forum.
  8. Under Forum to Copy, select forum to copy.
  9. Under New Forum Title, enter a title for the new forum.
  10. By default, topics and pinned threads within the forum will be copied. If you would not like either of these options, you can de-select it.
  11. Select Copy.

You have now copied a forum.

Topics

A Topic holdsall of the discussion posts and threads on a givensubjectand it must be part of a forum.This is where the discussions are read and responded to.

To Create a Topic

  1. Log into  with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On the Brightspace homepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
    • Select the course tile under the My Courses widget.
    • Select the Course Selector Grid and select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, select Tools.
    Screenshot of Brightspace navbar with red callout around Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, select Discussions.
  5. Under the Discussions List tab, select the  button.
  6. In the drop-down menu, select New Topic. This will take you to the New Topic page.
  7. On the New Topic page, enter the following New Topic details:
    1. Enter your topic’s title in the Topic Title field.
    2. Select the Change Forum button to either create a new forum for your topic or to add your topic to an existing forum.
      1. To create a forum, select the Create a forum checkbox and enter your forum’s title in the Forum Title field.
      2. To add your topic to an existing forum, select the Choose an existing forum checkbox and select your desired forum from the pulldown menu.
    3. In the Grade Out Of field, enter the desired point value for grading your topic.
    4. Select the In Grade Book pulldown menu and select how you would like this topic’s grade to appear in the Grade Book.
    5. Enter a description of your topic into the Description text box.
  8. Finish setting up your topic by setting your preferences in the three setting tiles located in the sidebar on the righthand side of the page.
    • Use the Availability Dates & Conditions tileto set the topic’s Start Date and End Date, release conditions, or restrictions for who will see your topic.
    • Use the Post & Completion tile to set restrictions around student participation, such as hiding learner’s names and setting an approval requirement for each post.
    • Use the Evaluation & Feedback tile to set the learning objectives for the topic, attach the topic to a Rubric, or to allow learners to rate/evaluate posts.
  9. Select Save and Close. You have now created a topic under a discussion forum.

To Copy a Topic

Copying a topic in your course can help save time when you have multiple discussion topics in your course with the same settings.

NOTE: This is for copying a forum within a course. To copy a forum into a new course, please follow the instructions on the Import/Export/Copy Course Components support page.

  1. Log into with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
    1. Select the course tile under the My Courseswidget.
    2. Select the Course Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, select Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, selectDiscussions.
    Screenshot of Brightspace navbar with red callout around Tools.
  5. Under the Discussions List tab, select the More Actionsbutton.
    Screenshot of Discussions page with Discussions List tab selected.
  6. In the drop-down menu, select Copy.
  7. Select Copy a Topic.
  8. Under Forum to Copy, select the forum where the topic lives.
  9. Under Topic to Copy, select a topic to copy.
  10. Under New Topic Title, enter a title for the new topic.
  11. Under Copy Destination, select the forum where you want the new topic to be added.
  12. By default, pinned threads within the topic will be copied. If you would not like to copy pinned threads, de-select this option.
  13. Select Copy.

You have now successfully copied a discussion topic.

NOTE: Grade items for discussion topics do not get copied over. You will need to create a new grade item for the discussion topic.

NOTE: Look over the settings for the new topic (e.g., the Start and End Date) to see if there are any settings that need to be changed.

Threads

A thread is a learner’s post in a discussion topic. Students can create a discussion thread or reply to a thread started by a classmate. A thread is part of a topic and a topic belongs to a forum.

To Create a Thread

  1. Log into with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
    • Select the course tile under the My Courseswidget.
    • Select the Course Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, select Tools.
    Screenshot of Brightspace navbar with red callout around Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, selectDiscussions.
  5. Select the topic where you want to create a thread.
  6. Select Start a New Thread.
  7. Enter a subject.
  8. Enter your post.
  9. Set any of the following posting options:
    • To keep the thread at the top of the list, select thePin Threadcheckbox.
    • To post anonymously, selectPost as Anonymous.
    • To receive updates on the thread using your selected notification method, selectSubscribe to this thread.
    • To attach a file, in theAttachmentsarea, select Browseto locate the file that you want to attach.
    • To attach an audio recording, in theAttachments area, select Record Audio>Record. To make adjustments to your microphone selection and volume, select Flash Settings. To listen to your recording, selectPlay. To erase your recording, select Clear. If you have prerecorded audio and are using a supported browser, you can drag audio files onto the attachments upload target.
    • To attach a video recording, in the Attachments area, select Record Video>Allow>Record. When you finish recording, select Stop. To erase your recording, selectClear. To add the recording, select Add. If you have pre-recorded video and are using a supported browser, you can drag video files onto the attachments upload target.
    • To post your thread to more than one topic, select Post to other topics. SelectAdd Topics.Select the topics that you want your thread to appear in. To post in every topic simultaneously, select theSelect Allcheck box and then selectAdd Topics.
  10. Select Post. If the topic is moderated, your post will not appear until a moderator approves it.

To Reply to a Thread

  1. Log into with yourMyӰԭOneԳپ.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
    • Select the course tile under the My Courseswidget.
    • Select the Course Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, select Tools.
    Screenshot of Brightspace navbar with red callout around Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, selectDiscussions.
  5. Locate the thread you want to reply to.
  6. Do either of the following:
    • To reply to the main thread post, select Reply to Thread.
    • To reply to a particular post inside the thread, select Reply.
  7. Enter your reply in the HTML Editor. To include the original post’s text in your reply, select the Add original post text
  8. Set any of the following options:
    • To post anonymously, selectPost as Anonymous.
    • To receive updates on the thread using your selected notification method, selectSubscribe to this thread.
    • To attach a file, in theAttachments area, select Browseto locate the file you want to attach.
    • To attach an audio recording, in theAttachments area, select Record Audio>Record. To make adjustments to your microphone selection and volume, select Flash Settings. To listen to your recording, selectPlay. To erase your recording, select Clear. If you have pre-recorded audio and are using a supported browser, you can drag audio files onto the attachments upload target.
    • To attach a video recording, in the Attachments area, select Record Video>Allow>Record. When you finish recording, select Stop. SelectClearto erase your recording orAddto add the recording. If you have pre-recorded video and are using a supported browser, you can drag video files onto the attachments upload target.
  9. Select Post.

You have now replied to a thread within a topic.

Group Discussions

Enabling a Group Topic Type

Enabling a group topic type allows you to create a single discussion topic that separates students, based on group enrollment, into smaller sub-sections of discussions (i.e. a student will only be able to post for a select number of peers to see and they will only be able to see posts from these peers). This is the best option for graded discussions.

NOTES:

  • Before enabling the group settings on a discussion topic, you need tocreate groups in your course.
  • The group topic setting can only be enabled uponcreationof the topic. Once the discussion settings have been saved, you cannot edit the topic type. This means if you wanted to change the settings of an existing topic to separate students into groups, you would need to create a new discussion from scratch and delete/hide the old version.
  1. Log into with your MyӰԭOne credentials.
  2. On theBrightspacehomepage, locate your course in one of the following ways:
    • Select the course tile under the My Courseswidget.
    • Select the Course Selector Gridand select the course from the drop-down menu. If you are enrolled in more than 20 courses, you can search for the course name using the search bar.
  3. In the navbar, select Tools.
    Screenshot of Brightspace navbar with red callout around Tools.
  4. In the drop-down menu, selectDiscussions.
  5. Select the down arrow (chevron) next to the Discussion’s title.
  6. Select Edit Topic from the drop-down menu.
  7. Select the Availability Dates & Conditions tab on the right-hand side.
  8. Under Group and Section Restrictions, select Manage Restrictions.
  9. Select Restrict topic and separate the threads.
  10. In the drop-down menu, select a group category.
  11. Select Add.
  12. Select Save and Close.

Setting Group Restrictions

You will find the group restriction option under the “Restrictions” tab of a discussion.

NOTE:It is not recommended to use this setting because it does not allow you to group students within a discussion, it only allows you to restrict access to a group, meaning you would need to create a new discussion for each group. This setting is especially important to avoid for graded discussions because you do not want multiple grade items for one discussion activity in your gradebook!

The group restrictions option is not required when using theGroup Topic Typeoption. It is best to only enable the Topic Type option and to leave the group restrictions option untouched.

If you have a unique use case for enabling the Group and Section Restrictions options, it is recommended toto ensure the settings you have enabled are going to work properly for your desired outcome.

Video Tutorials

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