INBOX Replacement Strings

(9)

We would like to have the ability to use Replacement Strings (or tokens) in the INBOX tool. Replacement strings allow to further personalize the content and communications directly for the user.

 

Example:

 

  1. Inbox: Ability to use strings like {FirstName}, {LastName}, etc that would replace with the individuals info on a per email basis - this would help personalize the messages.

I understand that this would have to happen after https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1044-add-rich-content-editor-to-conversations but this is still relevant and should be listed as a potential feature to be added in the future.

17 Comments
Boekenoogen
Community Contributor

This is a great idea. We used to be able to do this in D2L and I do miss it.

kmeeusen
Community Champion

Although we called them "tokens", we also had them in our previous LMS, and liked them. In fact, it was one of the few things I missed when we moved to Canvas.

fagers
Community Participant

Yes, please!!!

venitk
Community Champion

We used to do this in D2L. In addition to the Inbox, I would like this ability in Announcements (which D2L also allowed).

We did some A/B testing on how replacement strings affected student engagement with a D2L news post asking students to complete an optional activity (I believe it was filling out a course evaluation, but I'm not sure). To some classes, we posted a news post without replacement strings. In others we posted the same news post, but it began with a replacement string that use the first name registered in D2L.

I can't remember the exact numbers, but student engagement with the news post that had a replacement string was WAY more than student engagement in the news post without strings. We were convinced that replacement strings are a significant way to increase student engagement with news posts in D2L. I would imagine it would be similarly effective in Announcements and Inbox messages in Canvas.

fagers
Community Participant

We also used them with Qualtrics for course evaluations. The replacement strings could be passed in the URL to create a "generic" announcement in the courses.

It also personalized the messages/announcements--helping the student to feel more engaged in the course.

This feature would be very useful and could create many effeciencies for instructors and admins. 

jkornheisl
Community Participant

I am definitely in favor of this. I'd like to see the functionality available in more places on the site, and not limited to the inbox or announcements. How cool would it be for students to see their name appear on a page welcoming them to the course??

tania_mcdonald
Community Novice

Yes have used this feature in D2L Brightspace and is very usefull in creating that feeling of inclusion within a space or for emails , announcements and other notification. Please consider this. 

stotman
Community Explorer

I would love to have the ability to use tokens in announcements. 

ethomp78
Community Explorer

This is a great idea. It would also be good to have access to these replacement strings in emails sent from New Analytics. 

kpatton
Community Member

I use this feature in D2L Brightspace (at another school) and it's amazing how much more the students feel personally connected to the instructor. This would be a fabulous feature for pandemic teaching (and inter-pandemic teaching and post-pandemic teaching) to reduce some of the disconnected feelings that remote students have.

daniela_aguado
Community Participant

I am also in favor of this feature. I'd like to add the ability to send read receipts to the sender or have some kind of way to see who has or has not read the message.

RachelWebb
Community Member

Our school is just switching to Canvas. I use replacement strings all the time in our current LMS. I cannot believe Canvas has not implemented this. This makes a huge difference to personalizing content for students in large classes. Now messages will just say dear student, blah!

eesmith
Community Explorer

Yes, Please!  That's why I came on the board today...to see if this was possible.

RoslynRoberts
Community Member

Yes, please... I really need/want this functionality.

LizetteFoley
Community Explorer

Definitely a needed feature!

IanStevenson
Community Member
Comments from Instructure

As part of the new Ideas & Themes process, all ideas in Idea Conversations were reviewed by the Product Team. Any Idea that was associated with an identified theme was moved to the new Idea & Themes space. Any Idea that was not part of the move is being marked as Archived. This will preserve the history of the conversations while also letting Community members know that Instructure will not explore the request at this time.

ProductPanda
Instructure
Instructure
Status changed to: Archived
Comments from Instructure

As part of the new Ideas & Themes process, all ideas in Idea Conversations were reviewed by the Product Team. Any Idea that was associated with an identified theme was moved to the new Idea & Themes space. Any Idea that was not part of the move is being marked as Archived. This will preserve the history of the conversations while also letting Community members know that Instructure will not explore the request at this time.