Canvas Tips: Suggestion Box in Canvas

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My Favorite Canvas Tips

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We all need feedback, and it's really helpful to get feedback from students about how a class is going. You can do that with periodic surveys, and you might also want to set a Suggestion Box that students can use any time. Students might be shy to tell you there is a problem with the class, but the anonymous Suggestion Box allows them to share their ideas with you without hesitation.

I've got a Suggestion Box in each of my Canvas course spaces, and I've added to the navigation menu too. You can see how that looks here: Myth-Folklore Suggestion Box.

The way I do this is by creating a Google Form that I then add to the Canvas menu by using the Redirect Tool Canvas app. I actually use the same Form for all my classes, so I just have to create one Form, and then I can use the Form in multiple course spaces from semester to semester.

Google Form

To create a Google Form, log on to Google with your Google account, and then type Form.new. For step by step information about creating your form, see: Google Forms Help.

I'd suggest configuring the email notification so you'll know when someone has left a suggestion. Click on Responses, and then click "Get email notifications."

All you need when you're done is to get the link address for your form. Click on Send, and choose the Link icon. You'll copy that address to use in Canvas.

Canvas Redirect Tool App

The Redirect Tool App is how you can add an external webpage (a website, a blog, a form, etc.) to your Canvas menu. Here's how it works:

1. Go to Canvas Settings.
2. Go to Apps.
3. In Filter by Name box, type: Redirect. Click on the icon.
4. Click Add App.
5. Then fill in the dialogue box:

Name: Suggestions (or whatever you want)
URL: copy the URL from the Google Form send: link
Force Open: UNCHECK this box
Course Navigation: CHECK this box
Account/User Navigation: leave these unchecked

6. Click Add App. You're done!