Conference Message Board

The conference is a message board where you will be able to post and read messages. It will function as a "virtual classroom"-a forum for discussion among students and the instructor. To gain access, click on the "Conference" button from the course main menu or lesson menu. This will open up a new window. Click on the conference title link to enter the conference area. You will be required to register the first time you enter. To register, click on "Register Now" and fill out the form. We suggest that you use the same username and password that you have chosen to access the course.

Once you are in the conference, you will get a list of all the existing threads. A thread is a group of related messages discussing the same topic. The title of the thread should clearly indicate the subject that is to be discussed. To participate in a discussion, click on the title that interests you. This will then take you to a list of all the messages that comprise a thread. You can scroll down to read the messages in sequential order or you may jump around by clicking on the title of a particular message.

Above each message posting is a group of buttons creating a menu. "Top" will return you to the list of message titles at the top of the page, while "Next" and "Previous" will allow you to move backward and forward between the messages in this thread. The "Print" button will open a new browser window with this particular message. This will allow you to print particular messages instead of having to print the entire thread. The "Reply" button will allow you to post a response to the message you are viewing. When you click on the "Reply" button, it will open up a form. Type in your name, e-mail address, subject and message in the appropriate fields. Once you have completed the form, you may choose to "Preview" what you have written or "Post" it directly to the conference.