Grading Discussions

The Discussions tab has three sub tabs: Discussion (see the discussion prompt and posts), Student Activity (see how each student has engaged with the discussion), and Grades & Participation (assign grades to each student).

For information on how to set up discussions, check out this page:

https://academic-technology-services.scrollhelp.site/ats/how-do-i-create-discussion-forums

Grading Discussions

You can access a discussion to grade from the Content area, Discussion tab, or in the Gradebook.

1. Click on the discussion that needs to be graded then Grades & Participation.

2. Click on the student whom you wish to grade.

3. Enter the student’s score and any feedback you wish to give them (using the + symbol). You can click the three dots (…) to Edit Feedback or Show/Hide Discussion Analysis.

4. Use the arrows to toggle between students.

Participation vs Non-participation:

• If the student has not contributed, it will say No Participation.

• If the participant has contributed, the instructor will see:

  • A note at the top stating how many responses and replies within the discussion period

  • The discussion prompt and the students posts in purple

  • Analytics about the student’s activity on the right hand side

Grading small group discussions

1. Click on the discussion that needs to be graded then Grades & Participation

2. In the drop down menu below Group, click the group you wish to grade.

3. Click on a student to check their contributions.

4. Enter the student’s score and any feedback you wish to give them (using the + symbol). You can click the three dots (…) to Edit Feedback or Show/Hide Discussion Analysis.

5. Use the arrows to toggle between students or use the downdown menu to select a new group.

Communicating with students

If you would like to message students who have not participated, you can send them a message via:

• Student Activity: Click on a student’s name in the section Students who haven’t participated to send a message.

• Grades & Participation: Filter for No Entry in Student Status and click Send Message on the top right.

Related Pages

How do I create Discussion Forums in Blackboard Ultra?

Related Blackboard Pages

• You can find more information about discussion performance and analytics here (View Discussion Performance and Analytics)