| Frequently Asked Questions |
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What are forums?
- A forum is a place where messages can be posted, questions asked and ideas freely exchanged between a selected group of individuals. The Diocese of London is providing moderated, closed forums that will be available to selected individuals for each forum.
- An on-line forum looks very similar to that of an email window. When a particular forum is entered, a listing of topics for that forum will appear. Each topic will contain the original message and any replies. This is called a thread or threaded discussion.
- When participating in a forum you can either reply to a message within the same thread or start a new topic. The difference is that forum messages are not messages sent to an individual. They can be viewed by everyone in the group who belong to the forum where the message is posted.
- Forums are sometimes known as discussions, discussion groups, message boards or bulletin boards.
- The forums are password-protected and will include only those individuals that are invited. Before you can access this resource, you will need to have a user name and password to log on.
Are forums private & secure?
- Yes, when you fill out the New User Request Form you will select the forums you wish to join. Those individuals that qualify for the selected forums will get access.
Can anyone join any forum?
- The General forum is open to everyone who applies.
- The Test Drive forum is available to anyone who signs in with the username of 'demo' and password 'demo' (without the single quotes). This forum is available for people to practice with.
- All other forums are restricted to those individuals that the forum is aimed at. Only Priests may join the Priests forum. Only secretaries may join the Secretaries forum, and so on.
What are the benefits of using a forum?
- Forums are a very powerful communications tool that provide the ability to ask questions, share ideas and resources at your own pace and schedule.
- Participants in online discussions can take time to reflect on the discussion and contribute thoughtful and meaningful responses. This is in contrast to face-to-face situations, where responses are required from participants very quickly, often with not enough time for participants to provide a thoughtful contribution.
- Forum discussions often go into much greater detail and depth than face-to-face discussions.
- People experience a sense of equality in online discussions. Individuals who are reticent about participating in face-to-face discussions may feel more comfortable interacting in less threatening on-line forums. You have a chance to refine your ideas before expressing them to the group.
What can I do in a forum?
- discuss general issues
- share ideas and opinions over a period of time
- share files with a group
- discuss a current issue or problem that is being faced by the group
- establish professional development networks
- collaborate on a project or to present work by a small group
- Complete and submit the form New User Request. You will usually receive an email confirming access with three business days.
- At any time you may access the Test Drive forum when you enter the username of 'demo' and password 'demo' (without the single quotes). This forum is available for people to practice with.
Is there a test forum that I can practice on?
- Yes there is. Go to the 'Test Drive' forum, sign in with username of 'demo' and password 'demo' (without the single quotes). Ask questions, answer questions, download and upload files. Give it a try!
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