[Discussions] Multiple Due Dates (checkpoints) for Discussions

[chriswhite]

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 (2025-01-18) 

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With the way that many schools set up forum discussions and require "check-ins" to the forum throughout the week, it would be great if we could include multiple due dates in the discussion activities. For instance, I have classes that require everyone respond to the prompt by Thursday night and respond to at least 2 peers by the following Sunday. Being able to remind students that they have responses due, especially if we could scatter responses over multiple days, would likely increase participation.

[mstimers]

 @jivedocs_unfede ‌

1,379 votes total, 1,370 UP, and just 9 DOWN = 99.4% positive. This have been open for voting and discussion for 1,359 days -- 3 years, 8 months, and 18 days. Why is this not a feature yet?

[marisam_schmalf]

There were so many good ideas relating to this specific post.  I also agree that this would be a great option to provide students with a more detailed concrete way of knowing what specific topic is due when.  Having multiple due dates for dicussion posts are necessary, because often the topic can work together, an addition or something you want to come back to at a later point of reflection.  I think this would be a great add to what is already a very good platform.

[mbowen2]

This would make such a difference for students. 

[dauten]

YES, PLEASE!!  This feature has been needed for so long. Many instructors have an original post due earlier in the week, and responses to peers' posts due by the end of the week. The way it is set up now, I can manually add the earlier due date on the Canvas calendar; however, on the app/ to do list on the student end, only the Sunday due date shows up. Students need to see the earlier due date on their to do list/ on the app as well. 

[Kevin_W]

What about if students put their Dashboard in the new(ish) list view? Will the earlier due date show up? 

[acambone]

100% agree!

[jgrass3]

This is very much needed, as at the moment the discussion boards appear crossed off in the calendar after posting an initial post. When you are busy with finals it is very hard to remember what all you have done the past week and just go by the calendar/dashboard to do list which says you already completed it.

[kmeeusen]

This has been needed and asked for since Canvas first went live in 2011!

 It is a dang good thing that I didn't hold my breath, although there might be some that wish I had.

[tina_luffman]

Hi everyone,

I am in favor of the multiple due dates concept. What I REALLY want in the Discussion area is to see evidence when students return to add the replies to classmates. I do not like having to return and keep checking the Discussions to see when students reply.

Thanks!

Tina

[mstimers]

A comment from two students this spring (anonymous, these came from evaluations). The directive on the evaluation is:

"Please list those course assignments or activities that were the least effective. Please explain why."

Student response 1: "The discussion post due dates. If the due date for an initial post is on Tuesday, then the due date should be Tuesday, not Saturday. The same goes for the first response and so on."

Student response 2: "If the due date on the assignment shows me Saturday then that's the due date not Tuesday. I lost all kinds of points because of stupid dates to have post [sic] up during the week very annoying and stupid"

I'm pretty much on the verge of trashing discussion boards altogether in favor of short essay assignments, as I waste a lot of time each week policing intra-week deadlines, explaining why there is a Tuesday, then Thursday deadline, and dealing with ticked off students that don't read instructions or understand the explanation. Can this be considered,please? We're at 99.3% UP as of this posting (1645 UP / 1657 TOTAL).