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WebCT Faculty Tip Sheets

Manage Discussion Topics

To add a topic:

Note: When you add a new topic, it is automatically set as a public topic.

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. Under Options, click Create topic. The Create Topic screen appears.
  3. In the Topic name text box, enter the name for the new topic.
  4. Click Create. The Discussions screen appears and the new topic is displayed in the Discussions table.

To rename a topic:

Note: You cannot rename a topic that is associated with a presentation group.

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, select the topic you want to rename.
  3. Under Options, in the Rename topic text box, enter a new name for the topic.
  4. Click Go. The Discussions screen refreshes and the topic is renamed.

To create a private topic:

To create a private topic, first add the topic, then assign it private status, and then assign members to the private topic. Note: Only assigned members can view and post messages to a private topic.

Add the topic:
  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. Under Options, click Create topic. The Create Topic screen appears.
  3. In the Topic name text box, enter the name for the new topic.
  4. Click Create. The Discussions screen appears and the new topic is displayed in the Discussions table.

Assign the private status:

  1. In the table, under Private, select the check box that corresponds to the topic you just created.
  2. Click Update. The Discussions screen refreshes and the status of the topic is updated.

Assign members to the private topic:

  1. In the table, select the private topic to which you want to assign members.
  2. Under Options, click Manage members. The Private Topic screen appears.
  3. Click Select members. The Member Selection screen appears.
  4. Select the members you want to add to the private topic:
    • To select members individually, select each member.
    • To select all members, select Status.
    • To select all members copied to the clipboard, click Paste records.
  5. Click Update. The Private Topic screen appears displaying the topic's members in a table.
  6. Click Done. The Discussions screen appears.

To change a public topic to a private topic:

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, under Private, select the check box that corresponds to each topic that you want to make private.
  3. Click Update. The Discussions screen refreshes and the status of the topic(s) is updated.

To add members to a private topic:

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, select the private topic to which you want to add members.
  3. Under Options, click Manage members. The Private Topic screen appears.
  4. Click Select members. The Member Selection screen appears.
  5. Select the members you want to add to the private topic:
    • To select members individually, select each member.
    • To select all members, select Status.
    • To se le ct all members copied to the clipboard, click Paste records.
  6. Click Update. The Private Topic screen appears displaying the topic's members in a table.
  7. Click Done. The Discussions screen appears.

To view members of a private topic:

Note: Depending on administrator settings, students may not be able to view the members of their private topics.

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, select the private topic that you want to view.
  3. Under Options, click Manage members. The Private Topic screen appears with a list of all members in the topic.
  4. Click Done. The Discussions screen appears.

To allow anonymous postings to a topic:

When a topic is assigned an anonymous status, individuals have the choice of whether or not to post messages to that topic anonymously.

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, under Anonymous, select the check box that corresponds to each topic that you want to make anonymous.
  3. Click Update. The Discussion screen refreshes and the status is updated.

To lock a topic:

When a topic is locked, no further messages can be posted to it.

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, under Locked, select the check box that corresponds to each topic that you want to lock.
  3. Click Update. The Discussion screen refreshes and the status is updated.

To move a topic up in the table:

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, select the topic that you want to move up.
  3. Under Organize, from the Move item up by drop-down list, select the number of places to move the topic up.
  4. Click Go. The Discussions screen refreshes and the topic is in its new location.

To move a topic down in the table:

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, select the topic that you want to move down.
  3. Under Organize, from the Move item down by drop-down list, select the number of places to move the topic down.
  4. Click Go. The Discussion screen refreshes and the topic is in its new location.

To delete a topic:

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. Click Designer Options. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. In the table, select each topic you want to delete.
  3. Under Options, click Delete topic. A warning message appears.
  4. Click OK. Each selected topic, and all of its associated messages, is deleted.

To change Topic Settings:

Topic Settings allows you to control how messages are displayed on your screen. Selections made in Topic Settings will apply only to your own view of Discussions.

To set the number of threads per page:

  1. Go to the Discussion Board. The Discussions screen appears.
  2. Click Topic Settings. The Topic Settings screen appears.
  3. Under Threads per page, select the number of threads you want to view at any one time.
    • To specify a set number of threads per page, select Display (text box) threads per page, and enter a number in the text box.
    • To display all the threads in a topic, select Display all threads at once.
  4. Click Update. Topic Settings is updated.
  5. To return to the Discussions table, click Back.

To set the length of the subject:

  1. From the Discussions screen, click Topic Settings. The Topic Settings screen appears.
  2. Under Length of subject, select how much of the subject you want to display:
    • To specify a limit to the number of characters displayed, select Display first (text box) characters of subject, and enter a number in the text box.
    • To display the full subject, regardless of its length, select Display entire subject.
  3. Click Update. Topic Settings is updated.
  4. To return to the Discussions table, click Back.

To set the default for Anonymous topics:

You can set the default for composing messages in topics with an anonymous status.

  1. From the Discussions screen, click Topic Settings. The Topic Settings screen appears.
  2. Under Anonymous topics, do one of the following:
    • To compose messages anonymously by default, select the check box.
    • To not apply a default, clear the check box.
  3. Click Update. Topic Settings is updated.
  4. To return to the Discussions table, click Back.
 
CRC Help Support for WebCT Designers is available through the Computing Resource Center. To contact a Help Desk representative, please call 702.895.0777 or email crchelp@ccmail.nevada.edu. Support is available Monday through Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM PST. WebCT training and instructional design support are available through the Teaching and Learning Center.

Last Updated: December 6, 2004
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