Example of Blackboard Discussion forum

This example shows the instructor question as it appears within a sample Blackboard course. Some of the key features shown here:

• The instructor question appears separately from the responses to it (although the number of messages responding to the question is listed -- in this case, there are 7 messages).
• In order to view the threaded list of student responses (see next screen shot #2), it is necessary to click on the link to the discussion, "Getting started in the discussion board."

This example shows the threaded outline of the messages/posts within this same sample Blackboard course. Some of the key features shown here:

• All responses are listed with a check box next to each, and indicating the name of the person who posted the message and time of posting.
• Messages can each be viewed individually (see next screen shot #3) or can be collected so that all selected messages are displayed in one screen.
• Messages can be displayed as the default, author, date, or subject.

This example shows an individual post within the sample Blackboard course. Some of the key features shown here:

• In Blackboard, the threads of the discussion are displayed in outline form in the lower part of the window.
• When one of the posts from the threaded outline is selected, the full text appears in the upper part of the window. Unlike in Web Crossing, however, the initial question posed by the instructor cannot be seen, and neither can the other posts that appear before and after the one that is displayed.
• To view other posts, it is necessary to click on the link to previous or next message.
• As indicated above, The only way to view all (or a selection) of posts is to select these and then have them all displayed in one screen (see next screen shot #4).

This example shows how posts that have been collected are displayed in the sample Blackboard course. Some of the key features shown here:

• The full text of each of the messages that have been collected is displayed so that all can be read together (rather than having to click on the link to previous or next message). However, as soon as messages are collected, the threaded outline format is lost, so it is not clear which messages are responding to which. This means that it is very difficult to follow the flow of the discussion (in contrast to WebCrossing or Moodle, where the threaded format is maintained).
• Responses to messages can be posted from within this view by clicking on the "Reply" button. However, once a user has replied to a message, the display reverts to the initial threaded outline (#2 above). In order to view the text of multiple posts again, these must be re-collected.