This refers to Moodle 4.3 from August 2024 onwards  


A forum is a collaborative activity that tutors can setup to allow students to chat. Discussions can be general or may be relevant to a particular module e.g. for group work.

To contribute to a general Forum, see below.


Once you’re in the Forum page, in our example ‘Compare and Contrast activity’, you should see guidance on how to use the Forum and you may see previous entries from the tutor and/or other students.

Creating a new discussion topic

  1. To create your own discussion topic in the Forum, click on the ‘Add a new discussion topic’ button at the top of the page.


Button to add a new discussion within a forum

2. An editing page for a new topic will then appear. To expand the toolbar, you will need to click on the 'Show / hide advanced buttons' button. Once you’ve completed the required information scroll to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Post to forum’ button.


3. If you need to add a File to your Forum Post, select Advanced and drag the file you want to attach into the Attachments box. Alternatively you can find the file by clicking on the File icon on the Advanced page.


Option to view a database either in single or list view, the search option and add a new entry button.

Posting a reply in a discussion topic

  1. If you would like to read someone else’s discussion topic and post replies, in the main Forum page click on the title of the discussion topic NOT the name of the author. 

Tip:  The discussion topic always appears in the first column of the list of topics.


A new topic discussion within a forum


Once in the discussion topic you will see the ‘parent’ post which is the discussion topic and reply posts following it.

Tip: You can change the way forum posts are displayed by clicking on the drop down menu above the original forum post.

The drop down menu above the original forum post.

     2. You can reply to either the parent or other reply posts within the discussion by clicking on the ‘Reply’ link next to the post you wish to reply to.

Image showing parent post and replies to a discussion topic within a forum.


     3. A textbox will appear for you to type in your response and click 'Submit'. If you want to reply to a forum post privately, click on 'Reply privately' checkbox before clicking on 'Submit'. 

Image of the text box you can type your response in. There is a tick box open to reply privately.

See other Help pages about Forums



Queries, comments or questions?

Please contact your local elearning support team.


Phone: (0115 95) 16677
or raise a call at http://selfservice.nottingham.ac.uk

Phone: (0574) 8818 0000 (ext. 8915)
or email: learning-technologies@nottingham.edu.cn


Phone: (03) 8924 81 99
or email: itservicedesk@nottingham.edu.my

Incorrect?

If you have any comments on how you think this help can be improved then please email Learning-Technologies@nottingham.ac.uk