[Course Settings] Control Conversations at a Course Level

[julopez]

We would like the ability to enable and disable Conversations/Messages and its features, like "Reply All", at a Course Level.

While these features can be edited at a role level, each course may have different messaging preferences and should be modifiable based off the course, not just the role. 

[meichin]

Thank you!  We've been asking for this too. The tool is great for many use cases, but not for very large classes where it is often used to spam and cheat.

[mcclurea03]

I don't want my students, who are younger, messaging each other privately. I'd love to have this feature.

[jrodrig]

The group email in my large section has been used to share links to social media chat groups that are at time used for non-instructional purposes. In a recent incident a student shared offensive Islamophobic material that upset several students. Faculty need to have control over tools that could be used to facilitate this kind of behavior. We need to be aware of and have control over how these resources are used by our students. I am somewhat concerned that not doing so could open myself and/or the university to litigation. I have enough to do. 

[it3]

We would like to be able to turn off messaging between students for some courses - so having the options at a course level is good. Upper level and online courses would want to keep the feature on, but some lower level courses we would like to turn it off (but still allow the students to message their instructor and visa-versa)

[bosborne]

I've had issues with students selling course materials that they've compiled through the course communications, touting the idea that other students won't actually have to take the course. The problem, of course, aside from the fact that the notes are wildly incomplete, is that it sets up the idea that there are students who are getting away with simply memorizing these notes and getting A's, even though they aren't. And on a more global scale, while this is against university policy, there's not a good way of regulating this without severely hampering students' ability to take courses on campus. In large courses--particularly online courses--there is also the very real possibility of bullying, trolling, and the sharing of messages that are offensive/hostile/abusive, and that the professor knows nothing about and cannot stop.

Even if professors don't know about specific exchanges, they can often sense problems. Many times classes are wonderful and all goes brilliantly, but sometimes that doesn't happen and the dynamics deteriorate for some reason. In those moments, it's important to have the ability to intervene, moderate, or halt the course communications that happen via university LMS.

[barnold]

Really need this feature.  Besides the ability to cheat - I have had students who aren't comfortable with others being able to contact them - one female student in particular felt she was being class-stalked and was really uncomfortable.

[laura_rios]

I'd also like this feature on the Free for Teacher accounts. Since I have no admin, there is no way to control this. I need this when working with younger students. I want them to have the ability to message me but not each other.

[scameron3]

I would love to be able to control who can receive messages.

External examiners, or observers should not appear in the drop down "To" list, and should not be able to receive messages from students.

[rislis]

Would be very helpful to monitor students.

[mwassenaar]

This would be extremely helpful on the elementary level.