Ability to opt in to new discussions

[rake_9]

I just checked settings in my beta instance (Ohio State).  When I enable New Discussions for the instance, it seems to default the feature to "on" in all courses.  In an individual course, an instructor can opt out. 

As an admin, especially for a new tool still under development, I would expect to be able to allow instructors to opt in.  Later on, when all the development is done, I would expect to be able to force it in all courses.

I this behaving as intended at the moment?

[jsowalsk]

Yes, this is happening for us as well.

[dbrace]

When I go into "beta" as an admin, I see that the "Discussions Redesign" exists and that it is not turned on (it is "red") and that the "padlock" is not "locked".

This means that the feature can be turned on by an individual faculty member in a specific course.

When I go into "beta" as a "regular user" with access to a course shell as a faculty member, the feature is not enabled but I do have the ability to enable it.

@rake_9 and @jsowalsk, are you seeing something different?

[jsowalsk]

When I turn it on at the root it is automatically enabled in all courses. When it is off at the root and unlocked then a faculty member can turn it on. 

[dbrace]

@jsowalsk, from my understanding of "Feature Options" and testing "Discussions Redesign", the enabling or disabling of the redesign (and locking it to either setting) seems to be working properly and as designed.

Maybe someone at Canvas can weigh in here or you might need to report it to Canvas Support directly instead of in the Canvas Community.

EDITED TO FIX TYPO

[rake_9]

In my beta instance, the default in the admin settings is On (that is, red x or green circle, but the tooltip notes that it is On. 

[rake_9]

Gaa.  I have, yet again, misunderstood how that Feature Options enabled/disabled/locked design works. The previous iteration that had a toggle with off / allow / on was easier to parse.

[dbrace]

I understand that as well because I had to look closer.  The one advantage to the current implementation is that there are more options for administrators:

1. disabled and locked (feature cannot be used)
2. disabled and not locked (feature can be used and can be opted into)
3. enabled and not locked (feature can be used but can be opted out of)
4. enabled and locked (feature must be used)

The different options allows an institution gradually adopt it:

1. start with new feature as disabled and locked, possibly enabling it manually in test and beta
2. after some exposure to LMS staff, set the feature so that it is disabled and not locked so that some end users can voluntarily use it
3. after some use by end users, set the feature to be enabled and not locked so that everyone has access to it but can voluntarily opt out (provide notice to end users and explain how to opt out)
4. when ready, enable and lock the feature so that all end users use it

Based on the needs and culture of individual institutions, certain features may never make it to steps 3 or 4.

The different possibles phases that I outlined are helpful when new features/functionality is being released.

[Katrina-Hess]

@rake_9 are you still experiencing issues in accessing the feature option?