Reusing discussion posts from a previous course

[cmuir]

For context, I am a math instructor, who frequently teaches the same courses from one quarter to the next.  One of my uses for Canvas discussions is as a place for students to ask questions that I answer.

As would be expected, students often ask the same or similar questions each term—so it's nice to be able to reuse my answers, if I already wrote one I liked.  When I have a discussion post in a closed course, I can copy and paste text context, tables, and images.  But mathematical expressions do not copy.  And since those are often the heart of my responses, it means I basically can't reuse such previous discussion posts.  (When I describe a course as "closed", I mean it is in a state where I can view—but not edit—my discussion posts in that course.)

Is there any process or workaround I'm missing to be able to copy such previous discussion posts that would include mathematical expressions?

[Hildi_Pardo · Accepted solution]

Hi @cmuir 

One thought might be to create a hidden/unpublished module/page in your course where you can copy and paste these Frequent Answers, and then they can import into your new course each year along with the other content (so you don't have to go dig in last year's course).

But the issue of the mathematical expressions not copying -- hmmmm -- that sounds like something that needs to be fixed.  You could submit it as an Idea:  How do I create a new idea in the Instructure Community?

[cmuir]

Thanks for the suggestion, @Hildi_Pardo.  I've considered something along those lines—but it's so darn hard to predict what answers I may want to reuse!  😂 

I figured I'd ask the community if I was overlooking an obvious solution before saying it's something that needs to be fixed.  But, yeah, I'm thinking I may be submitting an idea. 

Appreciate the response!