How do I view and sort discussion replies as an instructor?

You can view all replies in a discussion by scrolling or searching content.

You can use the discussion toolbar to find replies, filter for unread replies, and change the sorting order. Additionally, you have the option to view threaded replies either in a split-screen format or inline.

If you allow students to edit their discussion posts, you can view the edit history of their post.

You can also search for discussion replies by author or entry keywords and filter discussion replies by all or unread.

00:07: How do I view and sort discussion replies as an instructor?

00:11: In Course Navigation, click the Discussions link.

00:15: Click the name of the discussion.

00:18: Discussions include a discussion topic and discussion replies.

00:23: In the topic field, you can view the total number of replies and unread

00:27: replies in the discussion.

00:29: You can also receive notifications for discussion activity by subscribing

00:34: to the discussion. To subscribe to a discussion, click the Subscribe

00:38: icon. You are automatically subscribed to any discussions

00:42: you create or reply to.

00:44: To unsubscribe, click the Unsubscribe icon.

00:48: If the discussion summaries feature is enabled for your institution and

00:53: open summary button, displays allowing you to view an AI generated

00:57: summary of the discussion.

00:59: To view threaded replies in a split screen

01:02: sidebar, click the View Split Screen button.

01:06: To view threaded replies all at once, click the Expand Threads button.

01:11: You can collapse the threaded replies by clicking

01:13: the Collapse Threads button. When you expand or collapse all discussion

01:18: threads, they will automatically be expanded or collapsed

01:20: the next time you view the discussion.

01:23: To assign the discussion to specific sections or students, click the Assign

01:27: To button.

01:29: To view threaded replies in line.

01:31: Click the view inline button.

01:34: To view the count of unread replies for each group discussion, click the Group List

01:38: button. Click the group link to view the group replies.

01:43: To filter replies, click the Filter drop-down menu.

01:45: You can filter by all replies or unread replies.

01:50: To search for applies or specific authors, and enter your terms in the search

01:54: field.

01:56: By default, discussion replies are sorted by date from newest to oldest.

02:00: To reverse the sort order, click the Sort button. The selected

02:04: sort order automatically becomes the new default for the discussion.

02:09: If the anonymous discussion option is enabled for the discussion, a

02:13: message displays noting that student names and profile pictures are hidden,

02:17: however your name and profile picture are visible to all course members.

02:23: You can configure the view settings of replies in a discussion, including thread,

02:27: collapse expansion, and sorting options.

02:31: In discussion replies, you can view the name of the user who posted the

02:35: reply, the date and time their reply was posted, and the date and time

02:39: the last threaded reply was posted.

02:42: Unread replies are indicated by the Unread icon

02:46: If you allow students to like replies in a discussion, a Like icon

02:50: appears next to each reply in the discussion.

02:54: To view the options, menu for a reply, click the options icon.

02:57: You can Mark replies as read unread, Mark, threaded

03:01: replies as red /, unread, return to the topic copy.

03:05: The permalink, to the specific reply edit the reply, quote, the reply,

03:09: delete the reply open the reply in speed grader or report the reply

03:14: if you enabled the disallow threaded reply setting, the mark

03:18: thread is read, Mark thread is unread and quote, reply options do

03:22: not display.

03:24: You can view the name of the user who deleted a reply and the date and time

03:28: the reply was deleted.

03:30: If you allow students to edit their discussion posts, you can view the edit history

03:35: of their post. To view the history, click the View History

03:39: link.

03:41: In the Edit History window, you can view any version with the date and time

03:45: stamp of the student's post.

03:48: To expand all of the versions, click the Expand all button.

03:52: To return to the discussion, click the Close button.

03:56: When viewing inline discussion thread replies, you can collapse and expand the

04:01: discussion threads by clicking. The expand threads and collapse threads buttons.

04:05: When a discussion thread reply is collapsed.

04:08: You can view the reply, indicators showing the number of unread and total replies

04:12: to expand the discussion thread replies.

04:15: In line, click the number of replies link.

04:18: View the read and unread replies

04:22: To view the options menu for the discussion reply, click the Options icon.

04:27: When viewing split screen discussion thread replies, you can collapse and

04:31: expand the discussion thread replies sidebar. When a discussion

04:35: thread reply is collapsed, you can view the reply indicators showing the

04:39: number of unread and total replies. To expand

04:44: the discussion thread replies sidebar, click the numbe of replies link.

04:48: View the read and unread replies

04:51: To view threaded replies options, click the Options icon.

04:56: To collapse the discussion thread replies sidebar, click the Close icon.

05:01: To reply to the discussion topic,

05:04: click the Reply button.

05:06: To reply to a discussion reply, click the Reply link.

05:10: To view the Options menu for a threaded reply, click the Options icon. In

05:15: threaded discussions, if you are viewing a reply within a reply, return to the original

05:20: reply by clicking the Go To Parent option. To copy a permalink

05:24: to a specific reply, click the Copy Link option. To report

05:28: a reply, click the Report option.

05:31: This guide covered how to view and sort discussion replies as an instructor.

Open Discussions

Open Discussions

In Course Navigation, click the Discussions link.

Open Discussion

Click the name of the discussion.

View Discussion

View Discussion

Discussions include a discussion topic [1] and discussion replies [2]. In the topic field, you can view the total number of replies and unread replies in the discussion [3].

You can also receive notifications for discussion activity by subscribing to the discussion. To subscribe to a discussion, click the Subscribe icon [4]. You are automatically subscribed to any discussions you create or reply to. To unsubscribe, click the Unsubscribe icon.

If the Discussion Summaries feature is enabled for your institution, an Open Summary button displays allowing you to view an AI-generated summary of the discussion [5].

Note: Notifications from subscribed discussions are based on your notification settings.

View Toolbar

View Toolbar

To view threaded replies in a split screen sidebar, click the View Split Screen button [1].

When viewing inline discussion thread replies, you can view threaded replies all at once by clicking the Expand Threads button [2]. You can also  collapse the threaded replies by clicking the Collapse Threads button [3]. When you expand or collapse all discussion threads, they will automatically be expanded or collapsed the next time you view the discussion.

To assign the discussion to specific sections or students, click the Assign To button [4].

To view threaded replies inline, click the View Inline button [5].

To view the count of unread replies for each group discussion, click the Group discussion button [6]. To view the group replies, click the group link [7].

To filter replies, click the Filter drop-down menu [8]. You can filter by all replies or unread replies. 

To search for replies or specific authors, enter your terms in the Search field [9].

By default, discussion replies are sorted by date from newest to oldest. To reverse the sort order, click the Sort button [10]. The selected sort order automatically becomes the new default for the discussion.

View Anonymous Discussion Message

If the anonymous discussion option is enabled for the discussion, a message displays noting that student names and profile pictures are hidden, however your name and profile picture are visible to all course members.

Note: If there are no discussion submissions, you can edit the anonymity details.

View Default Settings

View Default Settings

You can configure the view settings of replies in a discussion, including thread collapse/expansion and sorting options.

Note: If these settings are locked, you will not be able to change the view or sort discussion replies.

View Replies

View Replies

In discussion replies, you can view the name of the user who posted the reply [1], the date and time their reply was posted [2], and the date and time the last threaded reply was posted [3].

Unread replies are indicated by the Unread icon [4].

If you allow students to like replies in a discussion, a Like icon appears next to each reply in the discussion [5].

Note: If the anonymous discussion option is enabled for the discussion, student names and profile pictures do not display. However, as an instructor, your name and profile picture are visible to all course members.

View Reply Options

View Reply Options

To view the Options menu for a reply, click the Options icon [1].

You can mark replies as read/unread [3], mark threaded replies as read/unread [4], return to the topic [5], copy the permalink to the specific reply [6], edit the reply [7], quote the reply [8], delete the reply [9], open the reply in SpeedGrader [10], or report the reply [11].

Note: If you enabled the Disallow threaded replies setting, the Mark Thread as Read, Mark Thread as Unread, and Quote Reply options do not display.

View Deleted Reply

View Deleted Reply

You can view the name of the user who deleted a reply and the date and time the reply was deleted.

View Reply History

View Reply History

If you allow students to edit their discussion posts, you can view the edit history of their post.

To view the history, click the View History link [1].

In the Edit History window, you can view any version with the date and time stamp of the student's post [2]. To expand all of the versions, click the Expand all button [3].

To return to the discussion, click the Close button [4].

View Inline Discussion Thread Replies

If you enabled the inline view and the discussion thread reply is collapsed, you can view the reply indicators showing the number of unread and total replies.

To expand the discussion thread replies inline, click the # of replies link.

Note: When the Course AI Translation feature option is enabled at the course level, users can access AI-supported translations for Discussions. To learn more about the feature preview, ask questions, or comment on functionality, navigate to the Discussion/Inbox AI Translation user group.

View the read and unread replies [1].

To view the options menu for the discussion reply, click the Options icon [2].

View Split Screen Discussion Thread Replies

If you are viewing a discussion in split screen and the thread reply is collapsed, you can view the reply indicators showing the number of unread and total replies. To expand the discussion thread replies sidebar, click the # of replies link [1].

View the read and unread replies [2].

To view the options menu for the discussion reply, click the Options icon [3].

To collapse the discussion thread replies sidebar, click the Close icon [4].

Reply to Discussion

To reply to the discussion topic, click the Reply button [1]. To reply to a discussion reply, click the Reply link [2].

View Threaded Reply Options

View Threaded Reply Settings

To view the Options menu for a threaded reply, click the Options icon [1].

In threaded discussions, if you are viewing a reply within a reply, you can return to the original reply by clicking the Go To Parent option [2].

To copy a permalink to a specific reply, click the Copy Link option [3].

To report a reply, click the Report option [4].