Create an Online Discussion

Online discussions in Canvas are a great way to get students talking and learning together about a subject. Students can explore a topic, discuss different ideas, and find common ground.

In a face-to-face course, discussions provide a great opportunity for all students to contribute (including those who don’t typically speak up in class). In an online course, they are an important avenue for student-to-student interaction.

Ideas for Discussions:

• Reflection
• Debate
• Discussion on a posted video
• Question forum
• Community building
• Small group discussions

Canvas Guides

• How do I create a discussion as an instructor?
• How do I create a group discussion in a course?
• How do I embed iFrame videos using the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?

Discussion Tips

• An introduction discussion is a great way to get students accustomed to the discussion format
• Instructor participation is very important
• Discussions need to be graded so students take them seriously
• Get students to engage more by requiring them to post one original post and then respond at least twice to others

Research and Resources

What Research Tells Us About Online Discussions

10 Tips for Effective Discussions

Questioning Styles for More Effective Discussion Boards

Designing Effective Discussion Questions