Create Discussions (New Builder Update)

Create Discussion Forums

Create a single Forum that contains one or more Topics, or create multiple forums.

Step 1

Select Discussions in the navbar.

Step 2

Select the New button and choose New Forum from the action menu.

Step 3

Enter the Forum name in the Title field.

Step 4

Enter instructions or other text in the Description box if desired. 

Step 5

(Optional) Select Create a new topic in this forum with the same title if you will use this forum for a single topic — this will prompt D2L to automatically create a new topic within the forum. 

Step 6

Select any Options you desire.

• Allow students to post anonymous messages.
• Require students to start a thread before they can read or reply to others on that topic (commonly used).
• Choose whether an instructor must approve all messages before they are posted.
• Display the forum description in all topics within that Forum (not commonly used).

Step 7

If you want to control when students can see a forum and/or submit to any topics within a forum, select the Restrictions tab.

Step 8

Select one of the Save options at the bottom of the page.

Create Discussion Topics

Create a Topic where students can post original threads and reply to threads posted by others. 

Step 1

Select the New button and choose New Topic from the action menu.

Step 2

Enter a Topic Title.

Step 3a

Select Change Forum and either:

• create a new forum
• or select an existing forum.

Step 3b

Select Apply Changes. The forum you selected will be listed under the Topic Title.

Step 4

Enter instructions or other text in the Description box if desired.

Step 5

Select the Post & Completion section to expand it.

Step 5a

Select an option to determine how students' participation in this topic will behave:

• Default participation: Students can post threads and replies freely (i.e., no anonymous option, do not have to post a thread before seeing others)
• Allow learners to hide their name from other learners: provides an option to post anonymously
• Learners must start a thread before they can view or reply to other threads: Requires students to post their thread before they see the rest of the threads.
• Posts must be approved before they display in the topic: This is an additional option; Check this box if you do not want posts to appear for students before you approve them.

Step 6

Select Save.

Create a Group Topic

Step 1

Select the Availability Dates & Conditions section to expand it.

Step 2

Select Manage Restrictions.

Step 3a

Leave Restrict topic and separate the threads selected in the Group and Section Restrictions window.

Step 3b

Select a Group Category or Section from the dropdown menu.

Step 3c

Select Add.

Step 4

Verify that the information under Group and Section Restrictions within the Availability Dates & Conditions section is correct. It should display something like: "Visible to all groups in Weekly Discussion Groups; Threads separated by group"

Apply Discussion Start and End Dates

Control when students can view and post to a discussion topic.

Step 1

Select the Availability Dates & Conditions section to expand it.

Step 2a

Enter a date in the Start and/or End Date fields, or select the calendar icon to select a date on the calendar.

Step 2b

Select the time field and either enter a start/end time or select a time from the list.

Step 2c

Select the Before start: and After end: links to set how these dates govern what students can view before the Start Date and after the End Date.

• Visible with access restricted
  • Before start: Forum/topic title, availability dates, and restrictions are visible to students, but they cannot open the topic to post before the Start Date.
  • After end: Students cannot view any threads or replies (including their own) after the End Date.
• Visible with submission restricted
  • Before start: Forum/topic title, availability dates, restrictions, description and evaluation requirements (e.g., rubrics) are visible to learners before the Start Date.
  • After end: Students can view posts after the End Date but cannot post.
• Hidden
  • Before start: Forum/topic is completely hidden from students until the Start Date.
  • After end: Forum/topic is completely hidden from students after the End Date.
  • Calendar events and Notifications will not occur.

Step 2d

Select the Add availability dates to Calendar checkbox in the Before Start and After End settings if you want these dates to appear in the Calendar for students.

Step 2e

Select Done.

Step 3

Select Save.

Link Topics to Your Grade Book

Step 1

While creating/editing the topic, select select Ungraded under the Grade Out Of header (it will change to In Grade Book).

Step 2

Enter a number in the points field.

Step 3

Select In Grade Book and choose Edit or Link to Existing.

Step 4

Choose one of the following options:

• Select Create and link to a new grade item if you do not already have a grade item in your grade book set up. See Step 6a for next steps.
• Select Link to an existing grade item if you have already created a grade item in your grade book for this topic. See Step 6b for next steps

Step 4a

If you chose Create a link to a new grade item in Step 4, select Choose Grade Category to place the grade item in an existing category in your grade book.

Step 4b

If you chose Link to an existing grade item in Step 4, select the appropriate grade item from the dropdown menu.

Step 5

Select OK.

Step 6

Select Save.

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