CE-6 Discussion Tool Faculty Features

New Location – Always in “Course Tools” Column

Organization Scheme Categories Topics Threads (Actual posted Messages) Create and Manage discussions in both “Build” and “Teach” tabs

Managing Your Discussions: Categories and Topics Category Topics

Discussion Categories Group similar or related discussion topics together. Example: “Week 1” or “Unit 1” that contains all the topics for the week/unit. Topics Multiple topics per category Once one category is created, any topics that are not assigned to a category appear under Uncategorized Topics. Establish a category, even if only one topic exists

To Create a Category Category

Creating Discussion Categories 1. Enter Title (required) 2. Enter Description (optional) 3. Save

Creating Discussion Categories

Creating Discussion Topics in Categories 1.Click on the “Action Arrow” for the Category to which you want to add topics. 2.Click on the “Create New Topic in this Category”.

Creating Discussion Topics in Categories 1.Enter a title for the topic (mandatory) 2.Enter your instructions for the discussion topic. (NEW!!! – Before you had to put instructions in content module pages or as the first post to a topic.)

Creating Discussion Topics in Categories - Options Visibility - Show or hide (You can make a ‘hidden’ topic visible when it is time for students to post to it).

Creating Discussion Topics in Categories - Options Gradable – Establish topic as gradable. Week 1 Intro 5.

Creating Discussion Topics in Categories – More Options 2.Editable – students can correct errors after posting message (New feature) 3.Locked – existing postings can be read but no new posts allowed 4.Anonymous

Creating Discussion Topics in Categories – More Options Category … 1.Specify category for topic 2.Create a new category for this topic Note: Same entries as when using the “Create Category” button.

Creating Topics Click on “Save” when finished with options.

Creating Topics

Discussion Topics Action Items for Discussion Topics

Discussion Action Items Click on “Create Message” to post a message to the topic. Go To Topic (You can also just click on topic name)

Discussion Action Items Edit Properties – opens ‘Create Topic’ screen so you can make changes to settings.

Discussion Action Items Hide Item – Build/Teach View

Discussion Action Items Hide Item – Student View The “Week 1” Topic does not show at all.

Discussion Action Items View Links to this Item In addition to being in the “Discussion” tool, this topic is also linked to/from the “Introduction” Learning Module.

Discussion Topic Link in Learning Module

Reduces the chances that students will post to the wrong discussion topic!

Discussion Action Items – Release Criteria Date Criteria Member Criteria Group Criteria Grade Book Criteria

Discussion Action Items – Release Criteria: Date Criteria Topic will automatically ‘disappear’ after noon on 9/11.

Discussion Action Items – Release Criteria: Member Criteria

Discussion Action Items – Release Criteria: Group Criteria If learning groups have been created in the course and you want to release an item to certain groups only Note – You can also set up ‘automatic’ group topics for collaborative projects as part of the create group process (The “Group Manager” tools will be presented in a different workshop.)

Discussion Action Items – Release Criteria: Grade Book Criteria Release an item to Students and Auditors based on information in the Grade Book E.g., Exam grade greater than “0” would make a discussion topic available to students AFTER they have completed a specific exam.

Organizing Discussion Topics and Categories Move Topics Within a category Between categories Copy Topics to multiple categories Re-sequence Categories

Move a Topic

Move a Topic Within a Category 1.“Select” the topic to be moved by clicking in the box to its left 2.Click on the icon to the left of the selection box of the item you want to move the selected topic above or below.

Move Topic Click on appropriate ‘move’ option.

Move Topic within a Category “Course Questions” is now above the “Cyber Café” topic.

Move Topic Between Categories 1.Select Topic

Move Topic Between Categories Click on the icon to the left of the location to which you want the topic moved.

Moving Topics between Categories Click on the option that indicates where you want the topic placed (above or below the topic whose icon you clicked)

Moving Topics between Categories “Course Questions” has moved from the “Course Questions and Community Conversation” Category to the Unit 1 Category.

Copying Topics Topics can also be copied to multiple categories by using the same technique. E.g., “Course Questions” could be copied to each Category so that a question category is available for each instructional unit.

Re-ordering Discussion Categories

Reordering Discussion Categories 1.Select the category you want to move 2.Click the ‘move’ icon next to the category you want to move the selected category ABOVE

Re-ordering Discussion Categories