[Discussions] Instructor control over discussion view settings

[ReneeSamara]

This idea has been developed and is On Canvas Beta •  How do I access the Canvas beta environment?

For more information, please read through the Canvas Release Notes (2025-03-15) 

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Problem statement:

In the current version, discussions default to sorting from newest to oldest with replies collapsed. Consequently, in discussions where I want to view, and want my students to view, the posts sorted from oldest to newest, and replies expanded, we have to change these two settings every time we access the discussion.

Proposed solution:

I would like the option to change these default settings on a per discussion basis. For example, I would like to set up a discussion where the default settings are to sort from oldest to newest and to have replies expanded. Although not ideal, a second-best solution would be to allow instructors to change the default viewing options on a per course basis.

User role(s):

instructor

[mdiggs]

Problem statement:

The new Discussion Format in Canvas doesn't allow the Discussions to function as they have for over a decade. I'm sure for some faculty, there are good reasons to default to newest on top and to replies collapsed, but in many cases, it requires more work from the teacher to achieve the same objectives, and from a student perspective, it buries teacher's engagement in discussion. Problem 1. If a teacher wants to have a "sticky" comment at the top of a discussion (say a list of assigned roles for each member of a group) they used to be able to do that with a an early reply to the prompt, placing it always at the top. Now, to achieve the same thing, one would have to place that info in the discussion prompt and therefore create it as a separate discussion assigned to each group individually. Or, I guess tell the students to always sort from oldest to newest when they get to a discussion. Problem 2. If a teacher wants to reply to some students' posts to encourage additional thinking or redirect replies in a more optimal direction, or highlight that a particular student's post provides a good example of something, that teacher's reply is not visible at unless students expand all the replies or click to see if a teacher has made a nudge of this sort.

Proposed solution:

A good solution would be to include several settings that a teacher can apply course-wide to discussions or to individual discussions. It might look something like this: Discussion Defaults: --Set defaults course-wide --Set defaults for each Discussion. Set Defaults: --Sort order oldest to newest --Sort order newest to oldest --Sort by replies --Collapse all replies --Expand all replies As it currently stands, faculty cannot really do what we are sometimes expected to do with respect to facilitating discussions or making group discussions effective. We can fulfill the expectation of Regular and Substantial Interaction by actively facilitation and engaging in discussion threads, but students may never even notice that we are part of the conversation and encouraging further depth, breadth, application of course terminology. They will only see our input in the discussion itself if they happen to expand a reply where we engaged in that way.

User role(s):

instructor