[Discussions] Multi-Grade Options, Auto-Grading, and Engagement Tools

[jaiyoung]

Problem statement:

Faculty members are encountering limitations in Canvas Discussions, such as the inability to set multiple grading criteria for different tasks within a single discussion assignment, lack of automated grading options for participation, and basic tools for fostering student engagement. These issues lead to an increased grading workload for instructors and a less dynamic experience for students, especially in courses that rely heavily on collaboration and interaction.

Proposed solution:

To enhance the functionality and usability of Canvas Discussions, we recommend the following improvements: 1. Multiple Grading Criteria for a Single Discussion Assignment:
Allow instructors to set distinct grading components within a single discussion. For instance: * One grade for the initial post (due at an earlier date). * A separate grade for responses to peers (due at a later date).
This feature would streamline grading and better reflect students' timely contributions and overall participation. 2. Automated Participation Grading:
Implement an auto-grading feature that evaluates participation based on predefined criteria, such as: * Number of posts and replies. * Word count thresholds for posts and comments. * Timeliness of submissions.
This would reduce manual grading efforts and ensure consistent evaluation across large courses. 3. Enhanced Engagement Tools:
Introduce additional features to promote meaningful interaction, including: * Reaction options (e.g., emojis, "like" buttons) to create a more dynamic environment. * Multimedia post capabilities (images, videos, audio) directly embedded in discussion threads. * Improved thread organization, allowing students to sort and filter posts for easier navigation. 4. Analytics Dashboard for Instructors:
Provide a robust analytics tool within Discussions to track student participation and engagement. Metrics could include: * Frequency and timing of posts. * Interaction trends within the class. * Insights into students who may need intervention due to low participation. User Role(s):
Instructor, Designer, Student

User role(s):

instructor,student,designer

[jaiyoung]

User feedback for further consideration. 

[KristinL]

Hello @jaiyoung -

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your ideas with the Instructure Community. We truly value the effort you’ve put into outlining these suggestions. I understand it might take extra time to resubmit them, but creating a new idea for each feature update or addition will help the Product Team better align your requests with their projects. This also ensures they can provide clear updates as items are added to Release Notes.

What are the guidelines for submitting a new idea? 

Since this thread contains multiple requests, we are moving it to the Will Not Consider status to streamline our process. This decision is part of our efforts to keep the feedback process efficient and effective, and we sincerely appreciate your understanding.

We look forward to seeing your ideas soon and continuing to collaborate with you!