• E-Learning
• Blackboard's Discussion Board
• Blackboard's Quizzes
• Blackboard's Virtual Classroom
• Blackboard's Safe Assign
• Using Blogs
• Using Wikis
• Using Podcasts
• Using Facebook
• Using Clickers
• Using Flip Cameras
• UCD NDLR

Using Blackboard’s Discussion Board

What is a discussion board?

A discussion board is where individuals can contribute to ongoing virtual discussions.

What does it do?

Discussion boards enable multiple learners to engage in discussion with peers and facilitators. Each contribution is recorded and forms part of the developing ‘thread’. These discussion threads may be managed to cope with alternate and spurious themes, miscellaneous and misplaced questions etc. Each thread may then be archived for future reference.  It provides a means to expand the learner’s knowledge base, share information, assess and evaluate that information, thus promoting critical analysis.

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Where do I get access and or /support?

IT Services' virtual learning environment Blackboard provides a discussion board.

Visit http://www.ucd.ie/itservices/teachinglearningit/  for further information regarding available tools and supported services

Visit http://www.blackboard.com/quicktutorials/quicktutorials.htm for video tutorials and support information on a range of Blackboard products (please note not all products are supported by the current UCD installation)

How do I use it in my teaching?

As a prerequisite to face-to-face seminars, learners are expected to complete readings and provide an annotated bibliography via the discussion board.

To promote peer-to-peer collaboration each learner is expected to post thoughts re: select readings and then respond to one other contribution.

As an aggregated ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ collection. Each year similar queries occur within the module, these and their responses are collated and archived for the following cohort – thus providing a bank of knowledge formed from the student base and the tutor.