Hello, and welcome to our step-by-step guide for setting content elements for your module on Teachfloor.
š§ What Is the Discussion Element?
(see the screenshot below)
The Discussion Element in Teachfloor is designed to create a space where learners can engage with course material and with each other through threaded discussions. Itās not just a comment boxāit's a fully configurable classroom discussion board, deeply integrated with your course's flow and progress tracking.
Use it to:
Host structured topic-based debates
Encourage reflective journaling with peer interaction
Assign discussion-based tasks (e.g., respond to a prompt)
Enable student-led forums or community support threads
Each learner's contribution is tracked and can be required for course completion.
š ļø How to Add a Discussion Element
Open the Course Curriculum
Go to your course from the Teachfloor dashboard.
Click āEditā or go directly to the Curriculum tab.
Click ā+ Add Elementā
On the left-side panel, click the ā+ Add Elementā button.
Select āDiscussionā from Assessment Tools
Scroll through the available element types.
Under Assessment Tools, select Discussion.
ā Youāve now added a new Discussion block to your course structure.
(See screenshot below)
āļø Before You Begin: Configure Shared Settings
Like all elements in Teachfloor, the Discussion Element includes common settings such as:
General Settings (Name, Description, Cover Image, Resources)
Requirements (set prerequisites learners must complete first)
Visibility (who can access this activity)
Metadata (internal tags or classification)
ā Instead of repeating those instructions here, weāve written a universal guide that applies to every element:
Once those basic settings are in place, itās time to focus on the discussion-specific features that define this elementās unique behavior.
š§© Core Discussion Settings
(See screenshot below)
Letās break down the element-specific configuration options youāll find under the Discussion section of this element.
š§ Learner Completion Settings
(See screenshot below)
This is where you define how learners engage with the discussion, and what they need to do for the activity to be marked as ācomplete.ā
š You can require learners to:
Create new topics (start a conversation)
Post comments or replies (engage in existing conversations)
Do both, or do either
These settings are highly customizable and based on numeric values.
š§® Options:
Rule Type | What It Means |
Post at least X topics | The learner must create that number of new threads (discussion topics). |
Post at least X comments or replies | The learner must respond to that number of existing posts. |
Post X topics AND Y comments | They must create a thread and engage in conversation. |
Post X topics OR Y comments | They can choose either method to complete the activity. |
š The system automatically tracks these actions. When the rule is fulfilled, the element is marked as completed in their progress tracker.
š§ Example Setup:
To complete this discussion, learners must:
Start 1 topic
Write 2 replies
Once both actions are completed, the module is marked as done.
šØāš« Instructor-Only Topic Creation (Optional Toggle)
(See screenshot below)
This toggle allows you to lock the discussionās structure, so that only the instructor can start discussion threads.
Toggle: āOnly instructor can create new topicsā
Toggle State | Behavior |
Enabled (ON) | Only instructors can create topics. Learners can only post replies. |
Disabled (OFF) | Learners can create both topics and replies freely. |
This is useful if you want:
Structured discussions (e.g., "Week 1 prompt", "Case Study Reflections")
To prevent off-topic or redundant threads
To use the discussion like an assignment response thread
š When this is enabled, topic-based completion requirements are disabled automatically (since learners can't create topics).
š§ Examples: When to Use Which Mode
Use Case | Who Creates Topics | Recommended Completion |
Weekly instructor-guided prompts | Instructor only | 2 replies per learner |
Open discussion forums | Learners | 1 topic OR 2 replies |
Peer feedback assignments | Instructor only | 3 replies with feedback |
Journal-style reflective space | Learners | 1 topic AND 1 reply |
These modes allow you to create dynamic environments for discussion that match the instructional style of your course.
Note: You can select the number of comments or replies from 1 to as many as you want
šļø What the Learner Sees
Hereās what your learners experience:
A clean interface showing the discussion title, instructions (Description), and any attached resources
A āStart New Topicā button if allowed
A thread view showing all topics and comments
The ability to reply, mention others, and track replies
A completion tracker that shows if theyāve fulfilled their participation requirements
(See screenshot below)
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š¬ Need Help?
Our support team is always ready to help you set up your ideal discussion experience.
Click the chat icon at the bottom-right of your Teachfloor dashboard. Weāll walk you through any questions you haveāreal humans, not bots!
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