In this tutorial we are going to explore how to set up the Discussion Board for student collaboration. This tutorial is part of the Getting Started with Minerva training for staff and postgraduate researchers who teach, at the University of Leeds.

1. Introduction to setting up
the Discussion Board
Getting Started with Minerva
Kirsten Thompson | OD&PL, University of Leeds

2. In this tutorial we are
going to explore setting
up a discussion area with
an icebreaker activity,
using the Discussion
Board tool and related
support resources.

3. Ensure Edit Mode is
ON.

4. You can add a Discussion Board to
the side menu by either adding a
new Content Area or Tool Link. The
Tool Link will take you straight to the
Discussion Board, adding a Content
Area enables you to provide
additional resources to support
discussion.
I’m adding a Content Area called
Forums to the COLLABORATION
AREA of the side menu.

5. From the Content
Area Action Bar,
select Discussion
Board from the
Tools section.

6. Choose Link to
Discussion Board Page
and select Next.

7. On this page you can
change the Link Name (I’m
going to call mine; Enter
the Forums), add a
description/instructions,
track views and date
restrict. Select Submit to
proceed.

8. This is how it displays for
students. It’s always helpful
to make clear who can
access and view
collaborative tools. Using the
Item tool, I’m going to add an
intro to the Forums page.

9. The About the Forums intro,
provides an opportunity to add
additional instruction. I’m now
going to use the External Link
tool to add the relevant guides.

10. From the Action
Bar, select External
Link from the Add
Content section.

11. I’ve added a
description to
make clear
what the link
opens and
how. Select
Submit to
proceed.

12. Select the
Action Link
next to the
External Link
and select Set
Review Status
from the
menu.

13. Select the
Enable radio
button and
then select
Submit.

14. Review Status can be
added to content and
tools either to:
1. Demonstrate
engagement
2. Act as reminders
of progress
through content.

15. Next, let’s enter the
Discussion Board tool
(labelled as Enter the
Forums in my
example) and set up
a Forum and
discussion activity.

16. Notice the Discussion
Board help (available
if you switched help
on for the whole
module area – refer to
the Instructor Interface
tutorial).
Select Create Forum.

17. I’m going to create a Forum
to support an online
icebreaker activity. It’s
always important to provide
opportunities for students to
familiarise themselves with
each other online and the
technology they are
required to use, to support
their studies.

18. Complete the Name field and add guidance to
the Description textbox, then scroll to the next
section and we’ll explore the available options.

19. Forum Availability options are similar to
those for content i.e. available by default
and you can time restrict access if needed.

20. For Forum
Settings, I’m
retaining the
default
Standard View,
No Grading and
Allow members
to subscribe to
forum.

21. Forum Settings continued…default
settings again, which are appropriate for
the icebreaker activity. Select Submit.

22. Instructor view of the Forum.
Students cannot create or delete
Forums in the Module Discussion
Board. Select the Forum title to
enter.

23. Student view of the Forum. Select
the Forum title to enter.Select Create
Thread.

24. Provide a Subject
for the Thread and
add your icebreaker
message to the
textbox. You can
select Save Draft, if
you don’t want to
publish yet,
otherwise select
Submit.

25. The new Thread is
now listed in the
Forum. Select the
title of the Thread to
enter.

26. The Forum area and icebreaker
are now set up and ready to use.
More Forums can be created
later, to support specific activities
e.g. one for each topic covered
in the module.

27. You can also link to
individual Forums from
other Content Areas
and Folders, to connect
discussion with learning
content.

29. End