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    Create and Manage Discussion Boards

    • Blackboard Ultra

    Last modified: September 9, 2025

    Discussion boards give learners online a way to have asynchronous conversations with their instructor and their peers.

    Creating discussions

    Ultra view discussions have been flattened and "forums" from Original view have been removed. You can use folders to organize multiple discussions under a unified topic, if you wish.  

    1. You can create a discussion by clicking the "+" sign menu anywhere you want a discussion then select "Discussion Board," or by going to the discussion tab in the top menu on your course site.
    2. Enter a title for your discussion and provide a brief description or prompt for students to respond to.
    3. Choose your settings for the discussion, such as whether it will be graded, whether students can post anonymously, and the due date.
    4. Save the discussion and either make it visible or set conditional release so it will become available once you are ready. Be sure to give students plenty of time to preview it ahead of the due date (at least 2 weeks).
    5. To promote engagement, you may want to post your own initial response to the prompt to kick-start the conversation.

    If you prefer to watch a video, Blackboard has a video on creating discussions here. 

    Note on Screenshots

    Blackboard Ultra is updated monthly, so the screenshots and videos provided may look a little different from what you see in your course. If a button or menu looks unfamiliar, try locating the most similar option. If something seems out of date, please email CELT so we can update our materials.
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