Canvas Discussions allow students to “respond in thread” by default, meaning students can respond to the prompt or to someone else’s response to the prompt. This is an option that can be disabled in the Discussion setting by checking the box next to “Disallow threaded replies”. If students are not able to respond to each […]
Tag: discussions
Asynchronous, online learning can sometimes be a solitary endeavor. Separated from their classmates and instructor, students miss out on the collaborative experience of a classroom setting. Increasingly, online instructors have turned to discussion forums to create a space for students to engage with their peers. The recent update Canvas made to their discussions tool creates […]
One way to increase the value of discussions in your course is to require that students participate in the discussion more than once. For example, you can have students respond to a prompt in their first post and then reply to a classmate several days later. Starting May 19th 2026, Canvas Discussions will include the […]
By default, all replies a student posts in a Discussion in Canvas can be edited or deleted by that student. You can disable this feature, if you like, on a class-wide basis. This can be done to ensure greater academic integrity in your course, as a student cannot post an incomplete reply and then revise […]
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Using Rubrics in Canvas
Tools: Rubrics, Assignments, and Discussions Have you been putting off creating rubrics for your assignments, either because you don’t like them or don’t know how to create them? Would you be surprised to learn that rubrics not only help your students succeed, but they can also make your own grading process easier? Rubrics provide a […]
As instructors, you want to provide your students with the best chance at succeeding in your courses. Chances are you have had a student ask for a deadline extension. Maybe the student needed accommodations in your course, or maybe life (or in some cases technology) just got in the way of the student’s time management. […]
Holding discussions in an online course can have a very different feeling than having discussions in a face-to-face classroom. However, online discussions can still help students master content, explore new ideas, and build a sense of community even when they may not be meeting with other people in a physical environment. Video discussions are a […]
Students will interact with YuJa discussions very similarly to how faculty does. The steps below outline how students will use YuJa to contribute to a Canvas discussion. The video illustrates how the discussion looks and works from the student perspective. Directions Install YuJa Software Capture For best results, students should download YuJa Software Capture prior […]
Microsoft Teams allows you to host live video sessions that you could use to facilitate discussions in your course. You could use this tool to have real-time conversations about course content, current events, or other important topics just like you would in your face-to-face course. Directions What the Buttons on the Screen Mean
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Attach a Rubric to a Discussion
You can add a rubric to a discussion to help students understand your expectations and how you intend to score their submissions. Using a rubric for discussion posts can save you time, keep you consistent, and help you provide useful feedback to your students. Once your rubric is attached to discussion, refer to the Grade […]