[Discussions] Discussion as an assignment

[VPundir]

Problem statement:

Covid imposed emergency remote teaching upon all of us. However, in the years that have followed, it appears that online is not going away - either as purely online, as hybrid, or as HyFlex, online education is here to stay. From a knowledge acquisition viewpoint, this is not a problem. However, much of the value of the classroom is in the discursive exercises, many of which we use as part of the overall course grade, under various guises such as "participation grade", "contribution mark", "discussion mark", etc. While VLEs/LMSs such as Canvas offer discussion boards, transferring the practice of marked discursive elements to them remains a major challenge. Only MyKaplan / Kaplan My Learning Platform (I think they are themselves unsure of the branding) provides some semblance of marking for discussions, and they don't do it very well either.

Proposed solution:

Further to https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/Profiles-quot-Activity-quot-Tab/idi-p/612606, providing a single space to check discussion participation activity, additional functionality is needed. When a Teacher is creating a discussion, offer a checkbox "This discussion is marked". Checking the box open up further "standard assignment" questions, including 1) number of points, 2) dropdown for assignment group, 3) dropdown for display grade as 4) require peer reviews 5) Attach rubric? Equally, when a Teacher is creating an assignment, "Submission type" should include "Discussion".

User role(s):

instructor

[ModeratorPanda]

Hi @VPundir,

There should already be a "Graded" checkbox available when creating a discussion (seeHow do I create a discussion as an instructor?), and it functions almost exactly as you describe in your idea.  Can you clarify what you'd like to see changed with that option?

As we wait for a reply with further information, we’re placing your request in the Seeking Clarity status for two weeks. Please respond by June 22, 2025 so we can provide your idea the attention it deserves. If you are unable to reply by then, we’ll Archive the thread to allow the Product Team to focus on newer requests.

[VPundir]

1. Thanks for clarification - partly my mistake. I work with two different instances of Canvas, and one of them is not showing the "Graded" option. I assume that has to do with Administrative setup, rather than Canvas itself.
2. That being said, I have tested in the instance of Canvas in which the "Graded" option does show up. However, I do not see how I can attach a rubric to the discussion.
3. Nor can I see how I can tell Canvas to "not count this assignment towards the final grade" or " not show this in gradebook".
4. Finally, if I am on Assignments, and create a new assignment, submission type (online) does not show "Discussion" as an option. Come to think of it, it does not show "Quiz" as an option either. It should do both.

[ModeratorPanda]

Hello @VPundir,

To address #2, please see the How do I add a rubric to a graded discussion? guide.

Around #3, I do not think it's currently possible to have a graded discussion not count towards the final grade.  If you would like that functionality to be considered, it it probably be best to create a new feature idea with just that request so there is no confusion.

Finally, with #4, Graded Classic Quizzes and Graded Discussions do appear in the Assignment menu but they are not really submission types.  While I can see where you are going with the idea, I don't believe it if feasible without fundamentally changing how all of these areas of Canvas work, which would likely have a lot of negative downstream consequences.

Please respond with any additional information by July 8, 2025 so we can provide your idea the attention it deserves. If you are unable to reply by then, we’ll Archive the thread to allow the Product Team to focus on newer requests.

[VPundir]

I have create two new idea threads: Allow graded discussion to "not count this assignm... - Instructure Community - 648548 and Add a rubric to a graded discussion from the discu... - Instructure Community - 648547

[KristinL]

Hi! Thank you for sharing the new requests. To help our Product Team focus on those, we're moving this thread to our Will Not Consider status.

[VPundir]

Thanks @KristinL . 

By the way, can I ask you to have a look at https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/Allow-graded-discussion-to-quot-not-count-this-assig... ? I don't think @ModeratorPanda understood what I was after.