Messages

Message Types & Restrictions

Messages are used for communicating within ThinkQuest Projects. There are three types of messages:

1. Personal messages: Individual members can send messages to other individual members.
2. Project and Student List messages: Teachers can send a message to an entire Student List. Similarly, Coaches, teacher members, and Organization Moderators can send a message to all members of a project.
3. System messages: The ThinkQuest Projects system sends messages to inform members of certain events, such as a reminder to review student content, notification that someone has requested to join your project, notification of system downtime, announcement of new features, and so on.

Messages can be public (can be viewed by any member of ThinkQuest Projects) or private (can be viewed only by the sender and recipient). Please note the following restrictions:

• Personal messages:
  • Students can only send public messages to other students.
  • Students can send private messages to teachers in their school, and teachers can send private messages to students in their school.
  • Students can only send public messages to teachers in a different school, and teachers can only send public messages to students in a different school.
  • Teachers can send private messages to other teachers.
  • Moderators can only send public messages to teachers and students from partner schools.
• Project and Student List messages are always private.
• System messages are always private.
• District Administrators cannot send messages and can only receive system messages.

Special icons may appear next to certain messages:

• A megaphone icon appears next to new messages.
• A closed eye icon appears next to private messages.
• For system messages:
• A red exclamation point appears next to critical messages, which require that you take action to avoid interruption in service (for example, notification to change your password).
• An orange exclamation point appears next to important messages, such as notifications of temporary system downtime and messages that require you to take action, but will not result in interruption to service (for example, notification to approve or decline a request to join your project).
• A green message icon appears next to notifications for which no action is required.
• A robot icon appears next to promotions, such as announcements of new features and competitions.

Send Messages

To send a personal message to a member:

1. Visit any personal page belonging to the member.
2. Click Write a Message in the menu on the left.
3. Enter a subject, message, and link (optional). Note that all personal messages expire in 60 days by default.
4. Check the "Private" box to make the message private (if available).
5. Click the Send button.

To send a message to an entire Student List or all members of a project:

1. Click the messages tab (marked with a megaphone icon).
2. Click the Write button at the top of the page.

3. Select a project or Student List from the drop-down menu for the "To" field.
4. Enter a subject, message, and link (optional).
5. Choose when the message should expire.
6. Click the Send button.

Teachers who send a message to a Student List will also receive a copy of the message, so that they can keep track of messages that have been sent to students. Similarly, Coaches, teacher members, and Moderators who send a message to members of a project will also receive a copy of the message.

Access & Reply to Messages

There are two ways to access your messages:

1. Access the My Messages page by clicking the messages tab (marked with a megaphone icon).
2. Go to any of your personal pages and look for the My Messages area on the left.
   • Only the six most recent messages are displayed. Click the "View All" link at the bottom of the list to access the My Messages page, where you can view all of your messages.
   • If a message is too long to be fully displayed on your personal pages, click the arrow button next to the message to access the My Messages page, where you can view the full message.

To reply to a message:

1. Access the My Messages page by clicking the messages tab (marked with a megaphone icon).
2. Click the Reply button next to the message.

3. Edit the subject (if desired) and enter a message. Note that all personal messages expire in 60 days by default.
4. Check the "Private" box to make the message private (if available).
5. Click the Send button.

Delete Messages

You can delete a message at any time, with the exception of some system messages, which require action to be taken before being automatically deleted (for example, notifications to review student content or notifications to accept or decline requests to join a project).

If you do not delete a message, it will be automatically deleted on its expiration date.

To delete a message when viewing the My Messages page:

1. Click the messages tab (marked with a megaphone icon).
2. Click the Delete button under the message.
   Warning! Deleted messages cannot be recovered under any circumstances.

To delete a message when viewing your personal pages:

1. Navigate to any personal page.
2. Under My Messages on the left side of the page, click the X button next to the message. (If the message is too long to be fully displayed on this page, click the arrow button and then click the Delete button next to the message.)
   Warning! Deleted messages cannot be recovered under any circumstances.

Flag Inappropriate Messages

Students who receive inappropriate messages should immediately tell their teacher.

Teachers can flag messages created by a student in any school if they believe it is inappropriate or violates ThinkQuest's safety rules. Flagging a message removes it from view of students. Teachers will still be able to see the message (if it is public), along with a notation indicating that it has been flagged, the name of the teacher who flagged it, and the reason.

To flag a message:

1. Click the Flag button (or Flag link, if on a personal page) next to the message.

2. In the pop-up window, enter the reason you are flagging the message and click the Flag button.
3. A message will be sent to the Schools Administrators and teachers of the student who sent the message, notifying them that it has been flagged and the reason.