> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.lena.africa/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Start a discussion

> Post a question, photo or link for a course, reply to students' comments, and delete what doesn’t belong.

A discussion is a conversation on a course: you post something, and students comment and reply. Students can start
discussions too. The course's **Owner**, **Teachers** and **Assistants** can post, reply and remove what doesn't
belong. For a one-way notice, post an [announcement](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/announcements.md) instead.

## Start one

**1. Start a new discussion**

In the sidebar, choose **Discussions**, then **New**.

**2. Choose the course and give it a title**

Pick the **Course**, and enter a **Title**. A question works well, such as "Where have you seen attention fail in
everyday life?"

**3. Choose what you’re sharing**

* **Text**: write what you want to say.
* **Photo**: add up to 4 photos, with a **Caption** if you like.
* **Link**: paste the **Link**, and add a **Caption** saying why you're sharing it.

![The New discussion form with a course, a question as the title, and Text chosen](https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/1V8qk96nF4TQHWmx/images/teacher/discussion-form.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=1V8qk96nF4TQHWmx\&q=85\&s=91d3a628fc9f03fdefb3bc5a7d8f4e96)

A text discussion for Introduction to Psychology.

**4. Post it**

Choose **Post discussion**. It opens, ready for comments.

![A posted discussion page with its title, text, and an Add a comment box](https://mintcdn.com/lenaafrica/1V8qk96nF4TQHWmx/images/teacher/discussion-posted.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=1V8qk96nF4TQHWmx\&q=85\&s=400c900d80046ddf666eb188d605e9a2)

The posted discussion, with comments below it.

## Comment and reply

* To comment, type in **Add a comment…** and choose **Post comment**.
* To answer a comment, choose **Reply** under it. To read the replies to a comment, choose **View 2 replies** (the
  number changes).
* To change your own comment, use its **⋮** menu and choose **Edit**.

## Look after the conversation

Open the discussion and choose **⋮**:

* **Mute notifications** stops reply notifications for this discussion. **Unmute** turns them back on.
* **Edit** changes the discussion. Only its author sees this.
* **Delete** removes the discussion and all its comments.

You can delete any comment or reply from its **⋮** menu, including students'. Deleting a comment also removes the
replies under it. None of this can be undone.

## Past discussions

When a course ends, its discussions move to the **Past** tab on **Discussions**. They're read-only: nobody can comment
or edit, but everyone can still read them.

## Troubleshooting

> [accordion] My course isn’t in the Course list
>
> The list shows only published courses. [Publish the course](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/publish-a-course.md) first.

> [accordion] Post discussion stays greyed out
>
> Choose a course and enter a title. Then add what you're sharing: some text, at least one photo, or a valid web
> address for a link.

> [accordion] “This discussion is read-only: its course has ended.”
>
> The course is over. Start the conversation in this term's course instead.

## Next

> [card] [Post an announcement](https://support.lena.africa/teachers/announcements.md)
>
> Send a notice to everyone on a course.

> [card] [Notifications](https://support.lena.africa/get-started/notifications.md)
>
> Choose what Lena tells you about.


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