Discussion Forums

A discussion forum is a communication tool that allows users, typically students and instructors, to engage in conversations within the context of a course. Discussions in Canvas can take various forms, including text-based discussions, multimedia exchanges, and collaborative dialogues.

Discussions can be created as graded assignments. Alternatively, they can function as forums for exploring current events or specific topics. Additionally, discussions can be initiated within student groups.

Create a Discussion in your course

Navigate to the course you wish to add a discussion to and go to the "Discussions" section:

Click on "+Discussion":

Title the discussion (1) and add the necessary details and directions (2). Use the rich text editor to add text, links, attach files, add images, etc:

Select the audience that will see the discussion forum within your course. By default, "All Sections" will be selected. If you have cross-listed multiple sections of your course, you can denote a discussion to a specific section of your course (seen below):

You have the option to attach a file for your students to view (1). The default for "Anonymous Discussion", but you can change to partial and full depending on the needs of your class (2). More granular options are available to customize your post. If you plan on grading the assignment, you will need to check the "Graded" box (3).

If you select "Graded", the regular assignment creation options will appear for you to fill out the details:

If you would like your discussion to take place in smaller groups, select the checkbox:

Lastly, decide on when you would like the discussion to be available for. Discussion forums are open-ended by default: 

To publish to your course right away, click "Save & Publish". Click "Save" if you would like to save the settings, but not have the discussion available to students yet:

Your saved discussion forum will appear as follows: