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Sakai Help Document

11 Discussions

Description
Examples of use
Viewing the list of discussion categories and topics
Creating a new discussion category
Creating a new discussion topic
Posting a discussion item that you saved as a draft
Replying to a discussion item
Adding an attachment to a discussion item

The Sakai Discussion feature allows structured conversations that are organized in categories.

Site participants can post replies to a topic (a "flat" discussion) or to other replies (a "threaded" discussion). The site owner can also choose whether or not to allow site participants to post their own discussion topics.


New in Sakai is the ability to view Discussion in a row or column layout. This is a personal preference and changes only your view of Discussion.

Flat vs. Threaded
When posting a topic in the Discussion area, instructors have the ability to specify whether they wish to allow students to respond only to that topic or to any topic posted. If you allow postings only to the topics you specify, then you create a flat discussion. If, on the other hand, you allow replies to any posting, then you create a threaded discussion. Threaded discussions are by nature more interactive because users are able to reply to a reply. Flat discussions, in contrast, tend to be more structured and for this reason are more easily controlled.

   

Some classes use categories like "Homework Questions" and "Exam Review" to structure their Discussion feature. Others create categories for course concepts.

Many collaboration sites allow any site participant to start a discussion topic, which facilitates a more collegial discussion environment.

When you click Discussions in the menubar, you will see a list. Under each category, you'll see any topics and responses that have been added. To view just the cateogories, click Collapse All. To view the categories and all the topics and responses, click Expand All.

Layout Options
The Discussion tool uses two frames to display discussion topics and replies. The layout can be changed to a vertical or horizontal layout. In the vertical layout (choose the 2 Column Layout in the View pulldown menu in the Discussion tool), the left frame shows the hierarchy of Categories, Topics, and Replies. Clicking on a topic or reply shows the content of the message in the right frame. To respond to a topic or reply, click the Reply button at the bottom of the content window. The content window is the right frame in a 2 Column Layout, and the bottom frame in a 2 Row Layout.

You can organize discussions into categories.

1...Click Discussion in the menubar.

2...Click New Category.

3...Type a category in the box provided.

4...Click Post.

1...Click Discussion in the menubar.

2...Click New Topic.

3...Select a category in the pop-up menu, or create a new category by typing it in the box provided.

4...Type a topic in the box provided.

5...Choose whether you would like to allow replies to any message (such as a response to your topic) or just to the topic.

6...Type your text for the discussion topic in the message box.

7...To add an attachment to your Discussion topic, see "Adding an Attachment to your Discussion item," below.

8...You can either save a draft of your entry or post the topic to the discussion.

If you save it as a draft, it will show up in the list with other discussion items, but will be marked as a draft and will be visible only to you, the author.

1... Click Discussion in the menubar.

You will see a list of discussion categories and topics.

2... Click the topic or response you would like to post.

3...Click Post. (You may need to scroll down to see the Post button.)

1... Click Discussion in the menubar.

You will see a list of discussion topics.

2...Click the title of the topic or response to which you would like to reply to. You will see a little green arrow next to it.

If you don't see a particular topic, click the little black triangle next to its category so that it points down. This will reveal all the topics in that category. Click the twisty next to a topic to see its responses.

3...Click Reply. (You may need to scroll down to see the Reply button.)

4...Type in a subject (the subject is required).

5...Type in the text of your response.

6...If you would like to add an attachment, see "Adding an attachment to your discussion item," below.

7... You can save your response as a draft or send your response to the discussion.

To send your response after you save it as a draft, see the section above,  Posting a discussion item that you saved as a draft.

You can add an attachment to a topic or response while you are creating it. You can also add an attachment by revising a topic or response that you saved as a draft.

1...Click the Add Attachments button on the window for creating topics or responses.

2...Choose whether you would like to add an attachment that is a local file on your computer, a website URL, or a resource on the site.
 

A...Attach a local file from your computer. A local file is a file that resides in your computer's hard disk.
To add a local file, click the Local File... button and then either:

- type in a filename in the box provided, or

- click Browse, find the file in the list that appears, select it, and click Open.

- click the Attach button to attach the resource(s) to your announcement.

- click the Save button.

B...Attach a website URL.
To attach a URL, click the Website URL... button and then:

- type the url in the box provided. For example, www.umich.edu

- click the Attach button to attach the URL resource to your announcement.

- click the Save button.

C...Attach an item from the resources section of your website.
- click the From Resources button...

- check the box(es) next to the resource(s) you want to attach.

- click the Continue button.

- in the next window, click the Save button.

Note: After you have created your attachment, remember to Post, Preview, or Save a Draft of your announcement.


The small trash can symbol next to a discussion item will delete that item if clicked.  Only instructors and users with special permissions can delete discussion items.

The small paper stack icon will expand the view so that an top-level item and all the responses below it are visible.