Reinstating Ability to Filter Discussion Topics by Author

[mhirai]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

This search function used to be available at the Discussion course navigation level along with search by title and body of the message. Since the design updates in June of 2018, it is missing. We would like the functionality reinstated. It significantly reduces the usefulness of the Discussion search.

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-16300-canvas-release-notes-2019-03-09 .

[cph2]

I agree. The ability to search across all topics by user is an important part of some faculty workflows. Thanks!

[jdick1]

Yes, please! Some of our instructors feel strongly about not grading discussions, but still tracking and acknowledging student participation, so this would be very helpful.

[sburnett1]

Hello Everyone!

I am wondering if the search bar is missing functionality or just isn't there for you guys? https://sburnett.instructure.com/courses/85/discussion_topics  has the search bar at the top and it works! is it potentially missing the functionality of searching by author? 

Oh :facepalm: just read the title.   Sorry!

[mhirai]

Hi Steven,

Yes.  Functionally to search by body and author does not seem to be available any more at the Discussion course navigation level. Some of our faculty members had been using the "search by author" function a lot due to the same reason Jen above stated and they are troubled that they no longer be able to use the function.

Currently, it appears that the search field only scans discussion titles, and if so, not so useful as browsers' Find feature does that.

[Renee_Carney]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas 

For more information, please read through the Canvas Release Notes (2019-03-09) .

[Renee_Carney]

mhirai Thank You  for submitting this idea, as well as,  @cph2  Thank You  &  @jdick1  Thank You  for your contributions. Your investment in this idea helped refine a feature which is now part of Canvas!

[mhirai]

Hello Renee,

This very ability to search by author at the Index page has been missing again since last Fall (2019).  Could you look into it? We have been contacted by our faculty members asking to re-reinstate the function. It is very important now that many are teaching remotely and using the Discussions more. Thank you.

[Stef_retired]

mhirai‌

I just navigated to a Discussions page and was able to search topics by author with no issue. Have you already asked Canvas Support to look into this?

[mhirai]

Hi Stefanie,

Yes, it works once you are in a particular Discussion topic page, but we

mean at the Discussion course navigation level. The search only returns

names of the authors if they started the Discussion topics, but ignores

people who *replied" to the forum, which we used to get names regardless.

It was reinstated after the Idea was posted, but eventually the function

disappeared again. Some of our faculty members had been using the "search

by author" function to see who had been participating and how often.

Mika

On Tue, Jun 23, 2020 at 2:03 PM stefaniesanders <instructure@jiveon.com>

[Stef_retired]

mhirai‌

The search functionality on the main discussion page (the one that lists all the topics) is designed to search for topics by title or author; the search functionality within a specific discussion topic surfaces replies posted by an author within that topic. If you would like to see the ability to search replies posted by an author on the main discussion page, please share a new idea for community consideration after reading through How do I create a new feature idea in the Canvas Community?‌

In the interim, considering how your faculty wish to use the feature, they might like to check out the helpful Canvancement for counting discussion posts across an entire course: How to Count Student Discussion Posts