Changing Users' Roles in a Discussion Forum

Blackboard allows users to customize users' roles within a discussion forum in order to allow that user to perform various tasks.  By default, students are assigned the role "participant" and instructors are assigned the role of "manager."

The roles are as follows:

  • Manager: Manager is the default role for instructors.  This role allows users to create and edit threads, as well as the option to create, edit, grade, or delete individual posts.
  • Builder: This option allows the user to create new threads within the forum.
  • Moderator: This role allows the user to monitor the moderation queue if Force Moderation of Posts is enabled.
  • Grader: This role allows the user to read and grade discussion posts within the forum.
  • Participant: This role allows the user to read and create new posts within the discussion forum.  This is the default role for students.
  • Reader: This role allows the user to read posts only, but does not allow the user to create posts.
  • Blocked: Blocking a user prevents the user from accessing the discussion forum in its entirety.

This guide will demonstrate how to change a user's role within a discussion forum.

 

Accessing the Discussion Board

Image of the Blackboard Course Menu with Discussion Board outlined with a red circle.

Log into your Blackboard course and click on the Discussion Board link in the course menu.

Managing Discussion Board Users

Image of the Discussion Board Forum List with an arrow pointing  to the chevron next to the forum name with instructions to click on the chevron.  A menu is open on the screen with the word Edit outlined in a red circle with instructions to select Edit.

You will now see a list of discussion forums in the course.  Hover over the forum you wish to modify users' roles for and click the chevron next to the forum name, and select Manage from the menu.

Changing a Single User's Role

Image of the Manage Forum Users screen with an arrow pointing to the chevron next to the user's last name with instructions to click on the chevron.  A menu is shown on screen with the available choices for the users' role with instructions to select the desired role from the menu.

You will now see a screen labeled Manage Forum Users that lists all the users and their roles. To change a user's role, click the chevron next to the user's last name and choose the desired role from the menu.

Changing the Roles for Multiple Users

Image of the Manage Forum Users screen with the following annotations: 1.Check the checkboxes to the left of the users you wish to modify.2.Hover over the Edit Role button at either the top or the bottom of the screen3.Select the desired role from the list of options.

To edit the roles for multiple users,

  1. Check the checkboxes to the left of the users you wish to modify.
  2. Hover over the Edit Role button at either the top or the bottom of the screen
  3. Select the desired role from the list of options.

Confirmation

Image of the green confirmation bar that reads 1.Check the checkboxes to the left of the users you wish to modify.2.Hover over the Edit Role button at either the top or the bottom of the screen3.Select the desired role from the list of options.

When finished, you will see a purple confirmation message that reads Success: Forum Roles have been updated.