Overview

Once you have a clear understanding of what you want students to learn from the discussion assignment, creating the graded forum is a simple matter of completing a template in Blackboard.   The Create Forum template will prompt you to enter information it needs to create the type of interactive, graded forum you need. One of the most critical parts of the forum will be the description.   This is where you will enter both the discussion assignment and the directions on how to complete the assignment.   Since you will enter the description in the Visual Editor, you can add hyperlinks, files, embedded videos, graphics, and more to enhance student engagement with content.

 

Points to Remember

Before you start to create a forum, make sure you have a good idea of its purpose, type of interactivity, and means of assessment (see the section, "Teaching Online with Discussions").   These can be changed, but it is easier to finalize these considerations when you create the forum.

 

• Use the description field to give your students clear and complete directions on how to participate in discussions.
• Take advantage of the Visual Editor's capabilities to encourage student engagement with course content
• Make sure the forum is available to students
• Use subscriptions and Force Moderation sparingly
• Making a forum gradable creates a column for the grade in the Grade Center

 

 Continue to the next page for tutorial and instructions.

 

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