What are Differentiation Tags?

Differentiation tags allow instructors to assign specific course content to customized sets of students. These tags are not visible to students. 

How are Differentiation Tags created?

1. Click the People link in the main course navigation.

2. Click the Manage Tags button. If no tags exist, click Get Started.

3. To create a single tag, enter a Tag Name and a Tag Set, then click Save.

4. To import tags in bulk, click the Upload CSV link. A tag template file with import instructions is available within the Import Tags tray.

Note: Changes may take up to an hour to appear due to web caching. See updates more quickly by manually clearing the web browser cache.

How are tags assigned and removed?

Once tags are created, assign them to students individually or in bulk via the People page:

1. Filter by role or existing tags using the Role drop-down menu.

2. Select the desired student(s) by clicking the checkbox next to their name. (Use Shift+Click for bulk selection).

3. Click the Tag As button.

4. Select an existing tag or create a new one. Once assigned, a tag icon displays next to the student. Clicking this icon reveals all tags assigned to that student in a pop-up window.

To remove tags, select the students and choose the Untag option.

How do Differentiation Tags work in assignments?

When creating or editing Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, or Pages, use the Assign To setting to target specific tags. When a tag is selected, it displays as Tag(s) in the "For" column instead of Groups.

Note: Tags are not supported for Group Assignments and will not appear as an option when creating them.

What are the guidelines and limitations for Differentiation Tags?

• Course Import/Export limits. Differentiation tags are not retained during course exports or imports. You will need to recreate or re-import tags for new course sites.

• Tag Quantity Limits. Each course is limited to 40 tags total and 10 variants per tag set. While there is no limit to the total number of tags a student can have, only one tag per tag set can be assigned.

• Order of Precedence. When a student belongs to multiple tags or sections with conflicting due dates for the same assignment, the assignment with the latest due date will apply. However, if there is an individual override set for the student, that due date will take precedence over all others.

To learn more, see the following Canvas guides:

• How do I create and manage Differentiation Tags as an instructor? 

• How do I use Differentiated Tags in the Inbox as an instructor?

How to get additional help?

For technical support, contact Instructure Support by 24/7 phone [+1-833-890-4166] or email support@instructure.com. For pedagogical support, schedule a consultation with a DLINQ team member.