Discussion Board Features

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1. Forum owners can configure forums to support specific tasks:
   - select forum format (nested, flat, stream); Reverse chronology or bumping format coming soon!
   - present customized prompts when postings replies to implement task-specific protocols (e.g., debate, Q&A)
   - insert custom prompts to display criteria used for upvoting posts 
   - enable/disable any of the functions (see list) displayed in the forum buttons 
   - add/delete command 'protect' to allow/disallow users to edit other's postings
   - enable/disable users ability to upvote their own posting 
   - edit the forum header bar to display forum title/topic
   - change forum color, style, and layout (e.g. freeze top rows, change column width, font size/style)
    

2. No software or server installation needed. Just File/Copy the discussion forum Google spreadsheet to your own Google drive!
    

3. Download & archive all forums into an Excel file or pdf document.
    

4. Create multiple forums in worksheets within a single Google spreadsheet.
    

5. NewThread posts new messages to initiate new discussion topics. Spreadsheet owner can disable the NewThread button when users are to post replies to a fixed set of prompts/threads.
    

6. When users click the Reply button, a pop-up reply window displays the full text of the parent message. At the bottom of the reply window, customizable prompts can be presented to implement specific protocols unique to the task users are to complete (e.g., debates, peer assessment).
    

7. Delete  button deletes messages that have not received replies. If protect is enabled by the spreadsheet/forum owner, users can only delete their own messages. 
    

8. Zoom button displays msg & all direct replies to reduce redundant replies, & prompts to follow a reply, double back, or reply when msg has no replies.
    

9. Edit button increases font size in the selected posting to facilitate viewing and editing. 
    

10. Email alerts on new posts to forum, thread or replies to own postings w/ email messages presenting forum name, topic of thread, full text from parent & reply message, and hyperlink to the forum.
     

11. List of subscribers to a given thread are displayed in an embedded pop-up note above the name of the thread's author. 
     

12. Mark new messages posted to forum using the MarkUnread button. 
     

13. Expand button expands all messages to display all postings in full text. Select a post at a thread level & type ctrl-up/down to jump to next/prev thread.
     

14. Collapse button displays postings up to any selected thread level to help participants identify and avoid making redundant postings.
     

15. Post hyperlinks to internet sources next to posts, users select post, click link button, and enter the URL. 
     

16. Use the empty space to the right of the discussion forum as a whiteboard that users can use to collaboratively share & construct diagrams, tables, images that can be referred to in postings (or display instructional content & procedures).
     

17. Upvote enables users to upvote & cancel upvotes on a post. Owners can specify voting criteria and instructions when users click the upvote button. 
     

18. Insert comments into cells for backchannel communications and posting instructor feedback in order to keep postings focused & on topic.
     

19. Create and place callouts using Google drawing tool to annotate specific forum postings. 
     

20. Use empty space below a forum to, for example, display supplemental information such as citations &  numbered references [1, 2] along with hyperlinks.
     

21. Analyze function computes various metrics on student interaction within the forum & reports results in column AG. The thread level of each posting is stored and hidden in column AE - data that can be used to sequentially analyze message-response patterns. Cells at the bottom of each forum can be used with spreadsheet formulas to compute your own stats.
     

By Allan Jeong
All Rights Reserved
Copyright 2018