Canvas Update: Discussions Enhancements 

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Last week, we talked about the updates Canvas is making to assignments. This week, we’re turning our focus to the discussions redesign in preparation for the changes to go live this weekend. These updates go a little deeper and have some added functionality. Let’s jump in and see what’s changed!  

1. You can mention users in your posts!  

Canvas has added the ability for you to mention specific people in your posts. Simply type the @ symbol, and Canvas will give you a drop-down of all the people able to be tagged.  

2. Canvas collapses threads automatically 

Canvas will collapse discussions threads so you only see the first post in any thread when you go to the discussion. You can expand threads by either clicking the “expand threads” button (to expand all threads in the discussion) at the top of the discussion page or by clicking the “# replies” link under a particular thread to expand just that thread.

3. Discussion threads can be viewed either inline or in a sidebar (split screen) 

This setting is controlled at the top of the discussions page. Canvas starts you out in inline mode (seeing all the threads with replies nested under them on the page so you can just scroll down, expand replies, and see them). 

But you can also change it to “split screen” using the button at the top of the page.  

The split screen mode expands threads in a panel on the right side of your screen.  

To change back, at any point scroll back up to the top of your screen and click the ”View inline” button. 

4. Discussions are limited to three levels deep 

In the current version of discussions, nested replies can go on infinitely with new replies just being indented under the previous reply.

In the new discussions, replies are only visually distinguished until three levels deep. After that point, further replies are at the same “level” – but the person being replied to is tagged.  

You can choose at that point to either include the post you’re responding to as a quote in your message or to just send your reply without it.  

5. Instructors can view the edit history of discussion posts 

If anyone posts in a discussion and later goes back and edits it, Canvas will display the date and time for the edit as well as a link for instructors to view the edit history.  

Clicking the “View History” link will show a pop-up with every previous version of the post available. You can click on any of the options to expand them, or you can click “Expand all” to expand all of them.  

This has been a bit of a whirlwind introduction to the discussions updates – but there are some very helpful features being added here. Questions? Drop them below or email us at ctl@cedarville.edu.  

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