You can access your course's discussion forum from the 'Discussion' tab in the top menu within your course on edX.org.
Then click the Add a Post button.
If there's no Add a Post button, the discussion forum may be closed. Some instructor-paced courses may temporarily close the forums during an exam period. We also recommend checking if the course has ended.
When you add a new post in a course discussion, you choose:
Note: We don't recommend posting personal, private information such as your phone number or address in the forum.
Deciding on the type of your post
Decide whether you want to ask a question or start a discussion.
- Question posts raise an issue so that course team members, TAs, or other learners can provide answers.
- Discussion posts start a conversation by sharing thoughts and reflections, and invite community participation.
Think about whether you want to raise an issue or question that needs an answer, or start an open-ended conversation.
If you're asking a question about the course and need an answer from the course team, be sure to create your post as a question, so that the course team sees that a response is required and responds appropriately.
Deciding on the topic for your post
Every post in a course discussion must be associated with one of the topics that the course team has created. You can leave the default topic area or select from the dropdown list of Topic Areas.
Adding Images to your Post
To add an image to your post, click the Insert/edit image icon in the text editor.
Then a popup modal will allow you to select the image.
- To insert an image hosted on the web by its URL, paste the URL in the Source field.
- To upload an image from your device, select Upload. Then you can drag an image there or browse your device for the desired image.
Be Inclusive
If you add an image to your post, in order to save it you'll be required to include a description or select Image is decorative. This allows your peers who use screen readers to read a description of the image.
Once you have selected the photo and completed required fields, click Save to add the photo to your post.
The maximum size for an uploaded file is 1 MB.
Anonymous Posting
In some courses, you can add posts, responses, and comments anonymously. If this is the case, a Post Anonymously option is available under the field where you enter your text. When you post anonymously, the discussion moderation team can see your username, but other learners cannot.
It's up to the course team to allow anonymous posting in their discussion forums or not.
Math Expressions
For tips on entering mathematical expressions in the forums, refer to Adding Math Expressions to Course Discussion Posts in the DemoX course wiki.
(You'll need to be registered with edX.org and enroll in the DemoX course.)