[Inbox] Add rich-content editor to Conversations

[seth]

As a user, I would like to be able to use the rich-content editor to compose messages in the Conversations inbox. This would enable me to create Conversations that are on par, formatting- and content-wise, with Announcements. (Students seem to read Conversations messages more diligently than Announcements.)

transferred from the old Community

Originally posted by: Mia Nolan

Special thanks for contributions by: Stefanie Sanders

[cgifford1]

I posted a question in the Question Forum asking why this feature hasn't been implemented. Here's a link to that question and a couple answers from @scottdennis (Community Team).

I appreciate the answers and knowing the reasoning behind their reluctance to incorporate this feature, and I'm wondering if it will be reconsidered if enough users ask for it.

[dbrace]

Thank you, @cgifford1, for sharing that. It is helpful but the response and explanation also seems like a non-answer answer to me. Hopefully this idea continues to get more attention (it is currently at 119, although that seems to not matter [at least as much as some may have thought] when submitted ideas are or are not considered for development and implementation) and that it becomes a reality.

[michelli]

@dbrace,  we have to make sure it gets more attention - spread the word to all users you know! Get them to comment and vote (whether voting makes a difference or not).

I agree with your characterization of a "non-answer", since text emphases make no difference on a cell. Even if they banned lists (bad idea) and columns for the cell, emphases like bold, italics, underline, color, all help.

[nburruss]

I have no idea how to word this because I'm not a techy person, but apparently (through talking to those in the know about computer programing), adding the RCE to the Canvas Inbox is involved and takes up overall "room" in the system to have it; just a simple text area doesn't do that.  The people I discussed this with weren't hopeful that Canvas would change this anytime soon, despite how wonderful it would be.

In other words, I wouldn't be holding your breath waiting for this to happen.  

Good luck with it!  It's a great idea!

[guilera]

Adding RCE TO INBOX

It would be of great benefit. Can help focus the intent of the inbox conversation.

Without the RCE-coming from another LMS this is a missing function

please consider as a future update!

thank you

[VHDL2STA]

When writing an email to a student it would be very convenient to have the availability of the Rich Content Editor (RCE).  Instead if I want to include anything besides text I need to attach a document. There should be a seamless email environment in which I can include images, math expressions, different fonts, bold, etc..

Blackboard has an RCE-like environment in its email. Canvas MUST also have RCE in its email.

Canvas has many wonderful means to interact with the students. But the very first interaction step is always email. So Canvas  MUST have an RCE capability in its email. I am very surprised and disappointed that Canvas email does not have RCE. What were the original Canvas designers thinking when they did not build RCE into the Canvas email?

[ellisonl15]

Agreed!

[michelli]

Interesting consideration @nburruss. Thank you for that insight. I bet your friend has a point about the way they're thinking. Now I want to rebut it - in the friendliest way possible!

I'm only a little tecchy myself, more of a reverse engineer, but I did handbuild websites before all these proprietary systems came out, and am an old hand at Wordpress (hating their new Gutenberg block editor system) and I wonder if the Canvas people are being closed-minded about this.

First, they could merely allow us to input HTML. HTML is just like MS Word, but you just spell out the codes instead - transferrable skill, heck, first generation word processor users used to do that anyway!

Second, it seems to me that if they already have RCE in the system, merely applying it to all input areas, instead of just some, wouldn't take up more room.  And even if it did, "room" (storage space, execution space) is cheap and infinite. Taking up more space in the system should not be a problem. Canvas already takes up vast quantities of space, and this would be a drop in the ocean.

Third, even if RCE takes a prohibitive amount of space, why not provide the limited ability to add bold, italics, underline, color, and lists (including lists without markers). Five features only - surely that would not be beyond the bounds of possibility, and it would make a vast difference to our ability to teach effectively.

I think all of us need to keep talking. And those of us with contacts among the tecchies that decide, need to keep talking to them too. This situation is absurd!

[Ron_Bowman]

I agree.  I have disliked the conversations (email) feature in Canvas from the first time I used it.

[nburruss]

@michelli 

Well said!  I agree with you!