How to Answer the Discussion Questions- A Quick Overview of the Discussion Board

In each lesson there are a number of questions and activities that you will be able to answer using an on-line discussion program called WebBoard. This allows you to make comments and read ideas from other volunteers like yourself. We hope that this creates a "virtual" community of volunteers. You may want to practice using WebBoard before you actually begin responding the discussion questions. We hope you find that the program is very user-friendly.

Note: WebBoard may not work with some computers or some versions of internet browsers. Please see Online Course Requirements on the menu bar to the left of the beginning "Home" page if you aren’t sure if your system meets the requirement.

Accessing the Discussion Board

To answer a discussion question, just click on the discussion board icon next to the question. This will automatically link you to the discussion board in a new browser window. We recommend that you keep both browser windows running-- the volunteer course on one browser window and WebBoard on the other browser window. By minimizing the programs running on your computer you can easily go back and forth between the lesson and the discussion board.

ser ID and Password

The first time you access

WebBoard, you will be asked to register with a username and a password. (This is different than the registration within the course). Registering on WebBoard allows you the opportunity to post comments on the discussion board.

Working with WebBoard

Once you login, you will be taken to the main WebBoard screen which lists lessons one through five.  Click on a lesson to see a list of questions that you may respond to or to read others' comments.

Posting Messages

To answer discussion questions, or to reply to comments made by other volunteers, (1). simply click on a question in any lesson. (2). Click on "Reply" at the top or bottom of the screen.  (3). After you click "Reply," a box will appear and you can type your comments in the box. (4). Submit your comments by clicking on submit and previewing your comments.

All postings will first be directed to an administrator to preview the comments. We reserve the right to deny posting a comment by our discretion for any reason we deem appropriate. We will include as many comments as we can, if not all comments that are posted. Your comments will appear as soon as we can review and submit them.

Additional Help in WebBoard

To explore the many options you have in the discussion board, or if you would like additional help, simply click on the Help button on the black menu bar at the top of the discussion board screen. The help feature is very user-friendly and thorough. Many questions you have about the discussion board will be answered there.

If you have a question not addressed by WebBoard Help, or if you have problems accessing the discussion board, please contact us by email (see "Home" for the address).

Netiquette

There is an etiquette that is quite unique to the Internet. The Internet seems to make us feel more anonymous and less inhibited than face-to-face communications that brings up issues unique to the Internet. The following tips will help.

• It is easy to let our guard down and forget that comments represent real people with real emotions. Try not to say things that you wouldn’t ordinarily say in a face-to-face conversation with someone.
• The Internet strips us of important nonverbal cues and body language that helps us judge the emotion and meaning of conversation. A comment can sometimes be taken the wrong way, if the reader misinterprets one’s "tone of voice." Be sure to be as descriptive as you can. Write with the understanding that they cannot know what you had in mind when you wrote the comment. Be careful with humor and sarcasm.
• Be brief. Just as we don’t like it when people monopolize a conversation, people generally don’t like extra long posts.
• Be aware of copyright laws. Many images and text are not to be saved or copied without permission.