Discussion Board

The Discussion Board is a communication area within a Blackboard course shell where you will find discussion Forums. Here’s a breakdown of the jargon:

  • Discussion Board: A communication area consisting of forums
  • Discussion Forum: A communication venue usually of one topic (a topic of discussion)
  • Discussion Thread: An individual line, or “thread” of discussion between two or more participants (a virtual conversation)
  • Discussion Post: An individual comment in a discussion

The use of forums is an excellent way to engage students in course content, to afford them the opportunity for interaction and collaboration, and to serve as a channel for efficiently answering common questions from the class..

Some tips:

  • Use open-ended questions
  • Read all posts from your students, and encourage them to do the same (it isn’t necessary to reply to all of them)
  • Ask follow up questions as necessary
  • Keep the conversation moving and engaging
  • Offer feedback, especially praise for exemplary posts
  • Set standards and adhere to them
  • Grade participation and contribution


There are techniques you can employ to manage the forums, including setting time parameters for activity, closing and restricting forums, collection and searching methods for grading purposes, and more.