Faculty starting a discussion, anonymously

[EdwardLankford]

In a previous curriculum management system or discussion application, I could pose a question anonymously to the students, and trigger some discussion.  In Canvas I cannot, and the only 2 discussion posts are mine.  When students think I am a student asking a legitimate question, they are more likely to help a peer and answer it.  That happened a lot in the previous system.  By having to identify myself as the professor, no one answers.  No discussion occurs at all.  I would like to have that option in Canvas.

[greydon · Accepted solution]

Hello @EdwardLankford 

Currently, that option isn't available on Canvas. However, there have been many others asking for similar options:  Anonymous Discussion Forums - Instructure Community  This idea has a lot of votes and is hopefully being looked at by the developers. The only way you would be able to post anonymously is if you enrolled a "student"  into  the course that you had access to - another email you have. But that likely depends on your school settings and if  you're allowed  to add  students yourself. I know this isn't the answer you  were looking for, but hopefully it provides some clarity. Currently, the Ideas Forum is going under development and improvement so new ideas have been paused but they will resume again soon. You can read more about that here: 

Idea Conversations: The Path Forward - Instructure Community