Add a "like" button, star ratings, or "mark as helpful" options to discussion posts

[CommunityTeam]

  This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

  Idea will be open for vote May 5th - August 5th, 2015 Learn more about voting...

As a user, I'd like to be able to give feedback on discussion posts other than posting a threaded reply. For instance, I'd like to "like" a post or rate it (using stars or a similar rating scale) or mark it as helpful. Any or all of these options would allow me to interact with other users' discussion posts quickly and efficiently and add another dimension of interactivity to discussion-type assignments and activities.

transferred from the old Community

Originally posted by: Matt McGhie

Special thanks for contributions from: Lynne S. McNeill, Mark Ellis, Sylvia Newman

Comment by Instructure

You can enable liking on a discussion by editing your discussion and using the checkbox to 'allow liking'.  There are additional tools below the checkbox, but they do not need to be enabled for liking to occur!

The thumbs up button will then appear next to the reply option:

[aromashko]

I've received a few requests similar to this from my accounts.  Can't wait till it opens for voting!!

[john_morris]

At the option of the instructor, this should be configurable to allow everyone to "Like" or just the instructor. I am using a Discussion as a means of teaching vocabulary. I want to quickly alert students reviewing the Discussion that one or two entries are done according to instructions. Rather than just a "Like" count as is done in this Community forum, however, I want to put a star by an entry so it stands out... possibly even "promote" it by raising it to the top of the threaded discussion as we do in this Community forum when someone provides the "correct" answer to a question.

[John_Lowe]

 @john_morris ​'s suggestion of the "correct" answer would really make the discussion boards shine!  That way, instructor likes take precedence over peer liking.  I'll vote for this on Cinco de Mayo!

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi everyone...looks like your wish is being granted.  :smileygrin:

Canvas Beta Release Notes (2015-05-04)

[kona]

I'm pretty excited to "like" this! :-)​

[Chris_Hofer]

Me too!  (And I just "liked" your reply.) 

[scottdennis]

Right, so we will have a 'like' function that will be a setting at the course level, for all users in a course.  So a vote for this idea becomes a vote for more options such as Star Ratings or Mark as Helpful.

[kona]

Absolutely! A star rating and helpful options would also be pretty awesome.

It would also be nice if some of these things could get automatically incorporated into the course grade or show up like the peer review information does in speedgrader.

[Chris_Hofer]

Star ratings and Helpful marks would be great additions to Canvas discussions, too!  :smileygrin:

[scottdennis]

Just out of curiosity; if people had both likes and star ratings, how would you use them differently.  In yesterday's CanvasLIVE​ session, I though Deactivated user​ did a great job of explaining how he uses the 'like' and 'mark helpful' features in the community differently.  Curious to hear what others think?