Got It

Objectives:

I can explain all of the options available for Canvas Discussions.
I can create small group discussions in Canvas.
I can add rubrics to my Canvas Discussions.

What are Canvas Peer Reviews?

Now that you have investigated the basics, let's go in-depth on three topics:

1. Discussion Options

2. Adding Rubrics

3. Creating Small Group Discussions

Discussion Options

- Post to --decide who will participate in this discussion. Is it just for one class period? Is it for all class periods? Most of the time you will keep it at All Sections, meaning all of your class periods for that subject. If you need to change it to just one class period, delete All Sections and then select which class period this discussion is for.
- Attachment--you can add more material for students to the discussion by adding an attachment if you want.
- Options:
  - Allow threaded replies-- check this box if you want to allow students to really dig deep into a discussion, replying to each other’s comments as many times as necessary. If you select this, when a student replies to another student all the replies will nest together. Most of the time you will probably want to select this. If you have a simple question you just need students to respond to, you may not want to check this box.
  - Users must post before seeing replies--sometimes you may want students to think of an original response before seeing what their peers came up with. If so, click this box.
  - Graded--click this box if this discussion will be graded.
    - Click here to learn how to grade a discussion
  - Allow liking--choose this box if you want to allow students to “like” each other’s posts/replies
  - Add to student to-do--if this discussion is NOT graded but you want it to show up in the student’s to-do list, select this box.
- Group Discussion --if you have a lot of students enrolled in the course, you may want to break them up into smaller groups to participate in the discussion
  - To learn how to do this, click here
- Display Grade As --decide how you want the grade to be displayed: points, percentage, complete/incomplete, letter grade, or GPA scale
- Peer Reviews --if you want students to peer review each other, select this option
- Due Dates --determine the discussion due date and discussion availability dates.

Adding Rubrics to Discussions

1. Click into the discussion where you want to add a rubric

2. Click the three dots at the top of the discussion board

Screen Shot 2021-04-07 at 10.26.20 AM.png

3. Click 'Add Rubric'

Screen Shot 2021-04-07 at 10.26.27 AM.png

4. Create a rubric for this discussion or attach one that is already created to the discussion board

Screen Shot 2021-04-07 at 10.26.41 AM.png

Creating Small Group Discussions

1. Create your discussion using the before mentioned instructions

2. Then in the 'Discussion Options' choose the box titled 'This is a Group Discussion'

Screen Shot 2021-04-07 at 10.31.47 AM.png

3. To select an existing group set, click the Group Set drop down menu, to create a new group category, click the New Group Category button

Screen Shot 2021-04-07 at 10.31.53 AM.png

*Once you have published the discussion and students have started participating, click the group name to open the group discussion and view the replies to the topic.

*More information on creating Group Assignments is found in another module in this Canvas Course.

Adding a Rubric Video Instructions:

Remember that you can also use external tools to facilitate discussion in your classroom. More information about this in a separate module in this course.