How to Add a Discussion Forum

How to Add a Discussion Forum Information

The ANGEL Discussion Forum has many rich features that exploit online communication’s ability to enrich teaching and learning. You can define a forum by type of post, e.g. point-counter point, to stimulate effective discussion. You can moderate, grade and print posts and perform advanced searches and sorts of the discussions. Multiple team permissions allow you to specify read only, multiple team access, read and post access, and moderation for a specific team as well as allowing for multiple, pedagogically-based models such as Fishbowl, Hot Seat and Debate. NOTE - This tutorial will show you the normal or basic settings. For information on all the advanced settings, please review the Forum Advanced Settings Tutorial.

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1. Log into your ANGEL course and click on the Content tab.

Content Tab

2. Click on the Add Content Link. NOTE - The Add Content Link is also found within Folders.

Add Content Link

3. Click the Add a Discussion Forum or icon

Add a Forum Link

4. The New Forum editor will appear on the screen. Type a title for the link in the Title textbox. NOTE - Unless you specify your system preferences, you are will adding a forum in the normal or beginning view. Please review the tutorial on the common content item settings.

Type in Title

5. The Directions field provides an area for general directions to the students. The Directions field is optional. The directions field is very useful for discussion forums. It can provide information about the forum or links to files that you want to the students to view before posting to the forum. NOTE - The HTML editor link is available to make your directions stand out. Please review tutorial Using the Built-in HMTL Editor to learn more about the editor.

Directions Field

6. Determine if a Post Types will be used. If using a Post Types, click the Post Types button. The post type provide the student with a drop down list of the various types of posts and it will place the name of the post type in brackets next to the subject of the post. If using a Post Types, click the Post Types button. NOTE - A Post Type would be used to lead a moderated discussion forum where different roles are assigned to different users. A special icon can be uploaded to indicate the various roles of the users in the discussion forum.

Post Types

7. Indicate the Post Type in the Post Type field. Click OK when done. NOTE - To use a special icon for each Post Type place the Icon URL in the Icon URL field or click the Upload button to upload an image. The icon would make the post stand out more for the students.

Type in Post Types

8. When a student/faculty creates a post, they will see a drop down menu item, called Post Type. The values in the Post Type drop down menu are loaded from the ones you typed in when setting up the forum. The image below shows what post after choosing a Post Type.

Post Type Post

9. The Gradebook Assignment section provides an area where Category, Points Possible, Calculation Type, Display Format, and Hidden can be set without moving to the course gradebook. If you do click the check box on Gradebook Assignment, the quiz will not be added to the course gradebook. If you want the quiz to be in the gradebook make sure to click the checkbox. NOTE - To learn more about the Grade Book, please review the Grade Book tutorials.

Grade Book Settings

10. Choose your Access Settings. NOTE - Please review the tutorial on the common content item settings to learn more. There is one unique Access Setting for forums called Team Permissions. This allows you to set Read, New Post and Reply permissions for a team, click the Team Permissions button. Click OK when done. For example, if you did want students to post top level posts, you should uncheck the New Post on the Default team. Students will be forced to click on the reply to posts. Click the Save button when done.

Access Settings