What is a Discussion Forum? The discussion forum is a tool that allows you and other Connexions users to have on-line discussions about Connexions modules. Each module has its own discussion forum in which you can post your own messages, view messages posted by other readers, and reply to previously posted messages. All of these messages are visible to any person who views the module. The Connexions discussion forums are provided by Utah State University's Open Learning Support (OLS). OLS is a free and open resource that provides space on the Internet where individuals can connect to discuss topics, share information, debate, and learn. If you would rather contact a module's author or Connexions directly, you may do so. To contact a module author, send an e-mail to the author with E-mail the author under the "Send feedback" heading at the bottom of the module. To contact the Connexions staff, send an e-mail to Connexions with E-mail Connexions under the "Send feedback" heading at the bottom of the module.

Who Can Use a Discussion Forum? Any student, instructor, or author who accesses a module on Connexions can view the messages for that module in its discussion forum. If you want to add your own message or reply to some one else’s message, you must first register on the OLS system and then log into the system.

Viewing Messages To view messages in a discussion forum, display the module and scroll down to the “Discussion forum” heading at bottom of the module. Modules that have messages posted have links to these messages under the heading. There is a link to each of the most recent messages and Join the discussion that displays all of the posted messages.

Discussion forum links to posted messages The messages displayed are the top-level threaded discussion postings. Each one of them may have several replies nested directly under it.

Registering for an OLS Account You must have a valid e-mail address to register with OLS. To register with OLS, use the following steps: Click the link under the "Discussion forum" heading at the bottom of the module. The OLS forum for that module displays. Click Register in upper right corner of OLS page.

OLS Login and Register Respond to the prompts from the OLS system. After the last prompt OLS sends you an e-mail containing a URL to an OLS web page. Open the e-mail and go to the URL. Your OLS account is activated.

Logging Into OLS Before you can post a message or reply to an existing message, you must be logged into OLS. If you attempt to post a message without being logged in, OLS prompts you to log in. To log into the OLS system, use the following steps: Click a link under the "Discussion forum" heading at the bottom of the module. The OLS web page displays. Click Login in upper right corner of OLS web page. See the OLS Login and Register figure shown earlier. The OLS Login screen displays. Type your username and password in the appropriate fields. Click Login. You are logged into OLS.

Logging Off OLS To log off of the OLS system, click the Log Out link that appears in the upper right of the OLS web page.

OLS My Profile and Log Out

Starting a New Discussion Modules that do not have any messages posted on their forum display Start a new discussion under the “Discussion forum” heading at the bottom of the module. To post a message to a module that does not have any posted messages, use the following steps: Click Start a new discussion. The OLS "Discussing" screen displays. Click Post New Message and enter your message.

Add New Message screen Click Add Post. The confirmation screen displays. Click Confirm Post to post your message, or click Edit Post to change your message. You cannot make any changes to the message after you click Confirm Post.

Adding a Message Modules that do have messages posted on their forum display Join the discussion under the "Discussion forum" heading at the bottom of the module. To add a message to an existing forum, use the following steps: Click Join the discussion. The OLS "Discussing" screen displays. Click Post New Message and enter your message. See the Add New Message screen figure shown earlier. Click Add Post. The confirmation screen displays. Click Confirm Post to post your message, or click Edit Post to change your message. You cannot make any changes to the message after you click Confirm Post.

Replying to an Existing Message To reply to an existing message, use the following steps: Display the message to which you want to reply. Click Go to the Discussion at the bottom of the text box for the message. The message displays alone on the screen. Click Reply to this post at the bottom of the message text box and enter your reply.

Reply To Message screen Click Add Post. The confirmation screen displays. Click Confirm Post to post your message, or click Edit Post to change your message. You cannot make any changes to the message after you click Confirm Post.

Other OLS Discussion Forum Features

Search Forums OLS provides a search feature that allows you to search a discussion forum for any character string you specify. You can limit the search to the forum you are currently viewing or you can expand the search to include all forums. An advanced search lets you specify several search parameters. The search feature is located in the upper left of the OLS web page.

Displaying the Connexions Module You can display the Connexions module for the current discussion forum by clicking the title of the module that appears above the top message or by clicking Connexions Resource that appears in the upper left of the OLS Web page.

Latest News A summary of the latest OLS related events appears in the upper right of the OLS web page. For more information about the news event, click more….

OLS Statistics Information about the number of registered users, the number of posts in the current discussion forum, and the names of the most active forums are listed under the “OLS Statistics” heading on the right of the OLS web page.

OLS Poll Please take the poll to let OLS know how you found out about OLS. The poll appears on the right of the OLS web page.

Updating Your Profile You can edit your profile information you entered into the OLS system when you first registered. Whenever you are logged into the OLS system, My Profile appears in the upper right of the OLS web page. See the OLS My Profile and Log Out figure shown earlier.To change your profile information, use the following steps: Click My Profile. The "Edit My Profile" screen displays, showing your current information profile. Click Edit My Profile link. An input screen displays. Make any necessary changes to your name, password, or optional information. Click Update. Your profile information displays, including the changes you made.