Discussion Board - Grade Discussion Board Participation (Optional)

The Discussion Board is a communication tool used to conduct class discussions. Because the discussions are asynchronous (not live), participants can respond at any time. Instructors can create forums that establish multiple topics of discussion. Discussions that take place in these forums are grouped in "threads" that contain the main message and all replies to that main message. All threads are logged and organized. Ideas to enhance a course with online discussion.

Step One: Create a Forum

Step Two: Start a Thread

Step Three: Read and Reply to a Discussion Board Post

Step Four: Grade Discussion Board Participation (Optional)

New: Watch a closed-captioned movie that shows you how to grade a Discussion Board forum or thread in BeachBoard [opens a new window]

In a classroom setting, students are often expected to participate in class discussions and that participation is part of the equation when assessing performance. Within a classroom, participation performance can be ambiguous. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate the student who is active but does not advance the discussion from the student that speaks less frequently but with greater impact.

Student interactions with the discussion board are a permanent record of participation. The instructor has the option to grade students at the forum level or at the thread level. In this way the instructor can accurately compare student participation to the expectations set forth.

Grade by Forum

Note: This feature is only available if you enable the Grade Threads setting in the Forum Settings [Control Panel > Discussion Board > [COURSEID] > Modify]

1. Login to BeachBoard at https://beachboard.csulb.edu/
2. Under My Courses, click the name of the course that contains your Discussion Board forum.
3. Click the course's Control Panel link.
4. Under Course Tools, click the Discussion Board link.
5. On the Discussion Boards page, click the name of your course [e.g., 2084_LBCMP_ECON_100_SEC01]
   
6. To the right of the forum you wish to grade, click the grade icon.
7. Click the Grade button to the right of the user you wish to assign a grade.
8. This opens a page showing you all of that student's posts to that forum. At the top of the page, key in the student's grade.
9. Click the Submit button.
10. Click the OK button to return to the Grade Thread users page. Repeat steps 7, 8, and 9 for your remaining students

The grades that you enter appear in your course's gradebook [Control Panel > Gradebook].

Grade by Thread

Note: This feature is only available if you enable the Grade Forum setting in the Forum Settings [Control Panel > Discussion Board > [COURSEID] > Modify]

1. Login to BeachBoard at https://beachboard.csulb.edu/
2. Under My Courses, click the name of the course that contains your Discussion Board forum.
3. Click the course's Control Panel link.
4. Under Course Tools, click the Discussion Board link.
5. On the Discussion Boards page, click the name of your course [e.g., 2084_LBCMP_ECON_100_SEC01]
   
6. Click the name of the forum whose messages you would like to grade.
   
7. In the top right corner of the page, click the List View button.
8. In the far right-hand column, click the Enable button to choose the thread that you wish to grade.
9. Enter the maximum number of points possible in the Points possible box.
10. Click the Submit button.
11. This returns you to the Course Discussions page. Click the Grade icon.
12. Click the Grade button to the right of the student you wish to assign a grade.
13. This opens a page showing you all of that student's posts to that thread. At the top of the page, key in the student's grade.
14. Click the Submit button.
15. Click the OK button to return to the Grade Thread users page. Repeat steps 12, 13, and 14 for your remaining students

The grades that you enter appear in your course's gradebook [Control Panel > Gradebook].

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Additional Discussion Board Tools and Features