About the Discussions Tool

The Discussions tool can be used for online discussions between you and other students and/or your instructor. You may be asked to create messages in regards to readings, class activities, group projects, or useful resources you think might be of interest to other students.

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Access Discussions

If you have access to discussions, you can click the Discussion link on your course navigation bar:

The main discussion area displays a list of current, active discussions.

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Add new message

1. Select the discussion you want to join from the displayed Forums and topic list.
2. Click on the dicussion Topic (blue link)

3.  Click on Compose to add a new message. If nothing happens when you click on Compose, please be sure to check your browser's pop-up blocker settings. Instructions about how to do that are on our Browser Check page.

4.  A New Message window will appear   

• Give the message a Subject title
• Type the text in the message box with the html editor built in
• Click on Add a File, to include an attachment
• Click on Browse, to locate the file
• Select the file and click, Open
• Click Add for additional files
• Click Upload, when the file has been selected, it will appear on the screen
• Click Post, to post your message to the discussion topic

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Reply to a posting

To reply to an existing post, select the existing posting from the list of messages in the Topic

• Click Reply

The Reply portion of the discussion panel displays, allowing you to reply to the posting much like you would to an email.

• Click Post (lower right corner), to post your reply to the discussion topic.

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Search for a posting

1. Click to display the search fields.

The Search field displays:

2. Type the words you want to search for and click Search.  It will not search through attachments of messages.

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Post an attachment

To a new message:

1. Click to add a new message as described in the previous section. Scroll down the screen until you see the Add a File button.
2. Click and then click Browse to locate the file that you want to upload (either from PC or from a network location).
3. Click Upload in the lower right corner.
4. Finish filling in the Subject and Message boxes and click Post in the lower right corner.

To a current discussion posting:

1. Select the posted message to which you want to add an attachment. The View Message window displays.
2. Click to add a new message as described in the previous section. Scroll down the screen until you see the Add a File button.
3. Click and then click Browse to locate the file that you want to upload (either from PC or from a network location).
4. Click Upload in the lower right corner.
5. Finish filling in the Subject and Message boxes and click Post in the lower right corner.

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Download an attachment

1. Select the postings with the attachment you want to download.
2. Right Click (Command Click for a Mac) on the link to the attachment and choose Save Target As.
3. Save to your computer. 

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Flag message

Flagging messages is a good way to mark a message if you want to read it agin later or monitor replies.

To Flag or UnFlag a message:

Click the flag icon next to the message's subject to change from Not Flagged  to Flagged

Click the flag icon again to UnFlag the message

You can quickly find your flagged messages by selecting "Flagged Only" from the Search Options drop-down list:

1. Click on the topic from the Forums and Topics List
2. Select 'Show Search Options'   

3.  The search window will open

• Click on the empty box next to 'Flag', to enter a green check mark
• Select 'Flagged' from the drop-down list menu
• Click on 'Search'

Only Flagged messages will be displayed.  To show all messages again, follow the same steps to uncheck the box next to 'Flag', then click Search.

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Print posting

1. Select the postings you want to print by checking their check boxes.

2. Click the "view selected messages in a printable format" icon ( ) to view the selected messages.

3. A window pops up, click Print in the lower right corner of the screen.

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Set Your Settings

1. In the upper left corner of the Discussions page click on the Settings Link .

   

2. You have many choices to make and we recommend playing around with these settings.
3. Please make sure to take a look at the "Message List Styles:". Grid Style is the original style that we have been using for years. The new Reading Style allows you to see multiple messages on one screen. However, you will need to click a link (Mark As Read) to mark each message as being read so that you recieve credit for reading it. This clicking is automatic in the Grid Style.

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