I love the discussion abilities that Canvas gives us teachers!  I used it in Blackboard in other classes, and the students enjoyed it too.

I am a high school ELA teacher.  I want to use discussions to pose thought-provoking questions that students would respond to, and I would require them to respond to at least two other students' posts to get points.  I will also check the box that requires students to submit a post themselves before being able to read and comment on other students' posts.

I also thought about using discussions as a way to check for understanding.  This is where things might get tricky.

I don't want a student who has not done his work or does not understand the work to be able to submit a blank/gibberish post, look at what other students (who completed and understood the work) wrote, and then go back to their post and copy/rephrase what the other students have said.

Is it possible to disable editing/deleting posts and replies once they are submitted?  I would be better able to determine through the discussion feature which students are not doing their own work, and/or students who are not absorbing the material.

Thanks!!!