diff --git a/course/social.php b/course/social.php
index 4b2de15fe78..43f9c1839a7 100644
--- a/course/social.php
+++ b/course/social.php
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@
 
 
 /// Print all the recent activity
-      print_simple_box(get_string("recentactivity"), $align="CENTER", $width="100%", $color="$THEME->cellheading");
-      echo "<TABLE CELLPADDING=4 CELLSPACING=0><TR><TD>";
+      print_simple_box(get_string("recentactivity"), "CENTER", "100%", $THEME->cellheading);
+      print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", $THEME->body, 3, 0);
       print_recent_activity($course);
-      echo "</TD></TR></TABLE>";
+      print_simple_box_end();
       echo "<BR>";
 
 
diff --git a/course/topics.php b/course/topics.php
index 0a848994128..b78da557c87 100644
--- a/course/topics.php
+++ b/course/topics.php
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
 
         if ($news) {
             print_simple_box(get_string("latestnews"), $align="CENTER", $width="100%", $color="$THEME->cellheading");
-            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", "#FFFFFF", 3, 0);
+            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", $THEME->cellcontent, 3, 0);
             echo "<FONT SIZE=1>";
             forum_print_latest_discussions($news->id, $course->newsitems, "minimal", "DESC", false);
             echo "</FONT>";
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@
         /// Print all the recent activity
         if ($course->showrecent) {
             print_simple_box(get_string("recentactivity"), $align="CENTER", $width="100%", $color="$THEME->cellheading");
-            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", "#FFFFFF", 3, 0);
+            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", $THEME->cellcontent, 3, 0);
             print_recent_activity($course);
             print_simple_box_end();
         }
diff --git a/course/weeks.php b/course/weeks.php
index 75de1af2827..67155e0fba5 100644
--- a/course/weeks.php
+++ b/course/weeks.php
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@
 
         if ($news) {
             print_simple_box(get_string("latestnews"), $align="CENTER", $width="100%", $color="$THEME->cellheading");
-            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", "#FFFFFF", 3, 0);
+            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", $THEME->cellcontent, 3, 0);
             echo "<FONT SIZE=1>";
             forum_print_latest_discussions($news->id, $course->newsitems, "minimal", "DESC", false);
             echo "</FONT>";
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
         // Print all the recent activity
         if ($course->showrecent) {
             print_simple_box(get_string("recentactivity"), $align="CENTER", $width="100%", $color="$THEME->cellheading");
-            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", "#FFFFFF", 3, 0);
+            print_simple_box_start("CENTER", "100%", $THEME->cellcontent, 3, 0);
             print_recent_activity($course);
             print_simple_box_end();
         }