New Summer Semester Tools Now Available in Canvas
April 28, 2026 / Digital Learning / Tags: Canvas, Digital Learning, Canvas Updates
As we prepare for the summer semester, several new tools and features have been enabled in Canvas to support teaching, streamline workflows, and enhance the student experience.
Ignite AI Tools
This selection of Ignite AI features are designed to save time and improve communication:
- Ignite AI Summaries for Discussions
Automatically generates concise summaries of discussion threads, helping instructors quickly identify key themes and student contributions.
Canvas Guides: - Ignite AI Translations for Discussions and Announcements
Instantly translates content into multiple languages, making course communication more accessible for multilingual learners.
Canvas Guides:
Canvas Guides: - Ignite AI Item Authoring Assistance (New Quizzes)
Provides AI-assisted support when creating quiz questions, helping you generate, refine, and diversify assessment items more efficiently.
Canvas Guides:
To enable any of these features, go to your course Settings link, and then navigate to the Feature Options tab.
Differentiation Tags
You now have the ability to use differentiation tags to personalize learning experiences. These tags allow you to assign specific content, activities, or assessments to groups of students based on their needs, progress, or learning paths, making it easier to tailor instruction without creating entirely separate courses.
Canvas LMS Blog:
Canvas Guides:
Discussion Checkpoint
Discussion Checkpoints in Canvas are a feature that allows instructors to structure
graded discussions into multiple required steps. Instead of giving one overall discussion
grade, you can assign separate points to key parts of participation, most commonly
an initial post and follow-up replies. With checkpoints, instructors can set due dates
and point values for each part, ensuring students stay engaged throughout the discussion
rather than submitting everything at once. It's especially useful for improving the
quality and timing of online discussions.
Canvas Guides:
Feature Video:
Student Customizable Dashboard
Students can now personalize their Canvas dashboard. This feature allows them to organize
and prioritize course cards in a way that best fits their workflow, helping them stay
organized and focused throughout the term (Available only to students).
Canvas LMS Blog:
If you'd like help getting started with any of these features, contact Digital Learning or explore the links provided within the article.
We're excited to see how you use these tools in your courses!