Blackboard Ultra (Students) - Discussion Boards: Post to the Discussion Board

This article outlines the process for students to create a new thread within a discussion board in Blackboard Ultra.

Create a New Discussion Post

To create a new discussion post in a Blackboard Ultra course, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the course in Blackboard Ultra.
  2. On the Discussions page, click the New Discussion button on the far right.
    A horizontal tool bar with the words content, calendar, announcements, discussions, gradebook, messages, and groups. On the far right is a black rectangular button titled "New Discussion."
  3. Type your discussion post in the box below the instructions.
    A text box with "What do you want to talk about?" in it to type your discussion post. There is a text editor toolbar above the box. In the bottom right corner the Save button is highlighted.

  4. (Optional) Attach files from your computer to your post by clicking the attachment icon (paperclip) below the message box.
    The text editor toolbar has many icons for tools on it. The third from the right is a paperclip icon and is highlighted to select to add an attachment.

  5. Click Save to post the thread to the discussion board.
    A box with a text editor tool bar on top displays a message that says "What do you want to talk about." Type your post here and click the Save button in the lower right corner.

Replying to a Post

To reply to an existing post:

  1. Navigate to the course in Blackboard Ultra.
  2. On the Course Content or Discussions page, locate the discussion post in the appropriate folder or learning module and click on the title to open it. 
    On the horizontal toolbar, the word Discussions is highlighted. Below are several discussion posts with the speech bubble icon and post title of one highlighted.

  3. Click on the title of the discussion you want to reply to.
  4. Type your response to the discussion question in the box.
    Under the discussion topic is a gray box with the discussion post instructions as posted by the instructor of the course. Below this text is a rectangular box (highlighted) that says "Type a Post" where you can type your response.

  5. (Optional) Attach files from your computer to your post by clicking the attachment icon (paperclip) below the message box.
    A text box with "Type a Post" in it to type your discussion post. There is a text editor toolbar above the box and the paperclip icon is highlighted. Next to these buttons is underlined text that says Save Draft.

  6. Click Save Draft to save the post as a draft or Post to post your submission to the discussion board immediately.
    A text box with "Type a Post" in it to type your discussion post. There is a text editor toolbar above the box and two buttons below on the far right labeled Cancel and Post. Next to these buttons is underlined text that says Save Draft.

  7. Click the Bell icon to follow the discussion post and to receive notifications about replies.
    To the right of the title "Discussion Topic" are two icons: two arrows making a circle and a bell labeled Follow.

Discussion Forum and Post Visibility

Keep in mind the following:

  • Instructors may moderate discussion boards, meaning your post may not be visible until approved by the instructor.
  • Some discussion boards may require you to post before you can see other students' posts. If this is the case, you will see a message indicating this requirement.
  • Students can only create a new discussion post if the course instructor has enabled that feature in the settings. If there is no option to create a new discussion post, the instructor has not enabled that option.

Need Additional Support?

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the ITS Help Desk:

This guide aims to provide useful information, but as technology changes, interfaces or steps might vary. Please use the Comment button to let us know if anything differs from your experience. Your feedback helps us keep this information accurate. Thank you!


Keywords:
Blackboard Ultra, Discussion Board, Post, Create Thread, Discussion, Student, Bb, Ultra, Blackboard, replying, reply, replies, reply to post, Blackboard, Bb, ultra 
Doc ID:
155547
Owned by:
Jeff P. in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Created:
2025-10-13
Updated:
2025-12-05
Sites:
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville