Course discussion area for instructors only?

[RSMacLeod]

I am collaborating with about 10 instructors and TAs on a course and would love to have a space to post notes from our meetings, discuss  ideas about the course, provide news updates, etc.  But I want this space to be visible ONLY to the instructors and TAs.  I do not want the course participants to have any access to this part of the Canvas page.

Is there a way in Canvas to create a space like this? For example, a way to control access to some pages and files?

Thanks,
Rob

[kona]

As long as you don't publish the page or files you are working on together you could put it in an unpublished module and students would never know it existed. ​:-)

[RSMacLeod]

Cool idea--do you mean an unpublished page, for example?  Can I also control publication of folders or files?

[kona]

The only folders are for files, not pages, but yes, you can keep students from viewing files and folders with files.

I'm not on a computer, but when I am I'll add some links to some resources. :-)​

[kona · Accepted solution]

Now that I'm on a computer here are some guides that should help you build a work space that's kept hidden from students.

Modules - if you'd like to have a Module in your course for instructional materials and information (not for students), here are the guides that explain how to hide a module and pages from students.

• How do I use Draft State in Modules?
• How do I use Draft State in Pages?

Files - if you'd like to utilize the "Files" area in your course here are the guides that will help explain the basics of how to create a folder, add files, and make it so students can't access the folder and/or files.

• Where are my course Files as an instructor?
• How do I create a folder in Files as an instructor?
• How do I add a file to my course?
• How do I restrict files and folders in Canvas?
• How do I set usage rights for a course file?
• How do I set usage rights for a file folder?

Google Drive - my last idea is using Google Drive to manage your course information. You could set-up a folder for your course - with files, collaborative space, etc - and put the link to the folder in Canvas - maybe on a hidden page - for everyone (but students) to reference. This is more outside of Canvas, but at my Institution we use this method a lot and it's been pretty successful.

And last, to double-check everything I recommend using the Test Student to view your course just to verify that everything that should be hidden really is - How do I access Student View?

Hope this helps and please let me know if you need any additional clarification!

[RSMacLeod]

Thanks Kona, this is fabulous!

Best,

Rob

[kmeeusen]

Robert:

I am presenting on Draft State at InstructureCon 2015, and this is one of the uses for Draft State that I will be showing. I think the ability to have a hidden (from students) repository in a Canvas course is a powerful feature of Draft State. You can create an entire module that is invisible to students and use the module for all sorts of purposes including the one you asked about.

Kelley

[mpoole]

Hi Kelley,

We have been using an unpublished discussion for exactly this use, too.  We have a group of teachers from 4 difference campuses working together on a course and the unpublished discussion has become the main communication between faculty as they build and run the course.