Differentiation Tags are a Canvas feature that enables instructors to organize students into custom groups within their courses. These student groupings are only visible to instructors and Graduate TAs and can be used to support personalized learning and course management.
UTAs will not have access to manage or view differentiation tags regardless of their elevated access permissions.
Key Features and Use-Cases
Teachers can create custom sets of students for targeted instruction.
Differentiation Tags do not replace accommodation settings in Canvas quizzes
Tags can be used with the "Assign To" feature to provide different assignments or due dates for specific groups of students.
Control which modules are visible to which students based on their assigned tags.
Easily filter the gradebook to analyze the performance of a specific group of students.
A simple way to tag and manage students who require specific accommodations (e.g., extended time on quizzes).
When to Use a Tag Over a Section or a Group
Differentiation Tags provide instructors with flexible student organization options that overcome limitations of other Canvas tools. Unlike Sections, which are often restricted due to Student Information System (SIS) integration requirements, or Groups, which are visible to students and designed for collaboration, Tags offer a private organizational system that doesn't interfere with official enrollment data or create collaborative workspaces students can access.
Important Considerations
- Visibility: Tags are for internal teacher use only and are not visible to students
- Editing Tags: Teachers have the ability to edit or delete tags as needed.
- Impact on Grading: If a student is removed from a tag, their previous submission for an assignment associated with that tag will no longer be included in grade calculations unless they are also part of another "Assign To" selection for that assignment.
- Technical Requirements: Differentiation Tags work best in a chrome browser. Safari has a known issue with displaying certain text related to this tool and is not recommended for this feature.
Resources
For more information on how to create and manage differentiation tags, please see our help article:
Additional Differentiation resources can be found below:
Need Additional Help?
- For help with Canvas, please contact [email protected]
- To discuss strategies for implementing Canvas and DLD approved integrated learning tools into your course, please contact [email protected]