https://github.com/ubc/canvas-discussion
Outputs Canvas discussions as a CSV for specified course.
https://github.com/ubc/canvas-discussion
canvas csv discussion ubc
Last synced: 7 months ago
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Outputs Canvas discussions as a CSV for specified course.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/ubc/canvas-discussion
- Owner: ubc
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2019-03-13T21:06:46.000Z (over 6 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2024-09-18T00:46:29.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-09-18T04:51:08.332Z (9 months ago)
- Topics: canvas, csv, discussion, ubc
- Language: JavaScript
- Homepage:
- Size: 9.24 MB
- Stars: 12
- Watchers: 5
- Forks: 21
- Open Issues: 10
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
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> 💡 If you are teaching at the University of British Columbia, you may also be interested in the tool `Threadz` which provides visualizations and data from your Canvas discussion forums through a user interface in Canvas. You can learn more about the tool and how to request access in your course from the [LTHub Instructor Guide](https://lthub.ubc.ca/guides/threadz-instructor-guide/). `Threadz` was developed by Eastern Washington University.
# Canvas Discussion
### Data
> `{course_id}-discussion.csv`
This project pulls data via the Canvas API the discussions for the specified Canvas course(s) and exports the results as CSV. The columns exported are:
* 'topic_id',
* 'topic_title',
* 'topic_message',
* 'topic_author_id',
* 'topic_author_name',
* 'topic_created_at',
* 'topic_posted_at',
* 'post_author_id',
* 'post_author_name',
* 'post_id',
* 'post_parent_id',
* 'post_message',
* 'post_likes',
* 'post_timestamp'
Where a `topic` corresponds to a `discussion_topic` and `post` refers to all replies to the `discussion_topic`. If a `discussion_topic` has no posts then you will see the `topic_` columns filled with no corresponding `post_` data. A `post` may have a `post_parent_id ` if it is part of a threaded response.
### Summary Data
> `{course_id}-discussion-summary.csv`
We have calculated summary metrics for each topic. The csv with the summary information includes the following columns:
* 'topic_id',
* 'topic_title',
* 'topic_author_id',
* 'topic_author_name',
* 'topic_created_at',
* 'topic_posted_at',
* 'number_of_posts': the total number of posts and replies in the topic
* 'median_posts_word_count': the median word count for all posts and replies to the topic
* 'average_time_to_post_hours': the average time to post or reply from the topic created_at date
* 'first_reply_timestamp': the timestamp of the first post
* 'average_time_to_post_from_first_reply_hours': the average time to post or reply from the first post (for cases where all discussions are released at once, this may be a more meaningful metric of time to reply)
* 'average_posts_per_author': the average posts per author (does not include enrollments with no posts)
Where a `post` is a response to a topic, and a `reply` is a reply to the post.
> `{course_id}-module-discussion-summary.csv`
We have calculated summary metrics at the level of `module` where there are multiple discussion topics. This is optional (see .env creation above) The csv with the summary information includes the following columns:
* 'module_id',
* 'module_name',
* 'module_unlock_at': assuming the course uses an unlock_at date this will be used to calculate,
* 'number_of_posts': the total number of posts and replies in the module
* 'median_posts_word_count': the median word count for all posts and replies to the module topics
* 'average_time_to_post_hours': the average time to post or reply from the module_unlock_at date
* 'first_reply_timestamp': the timestamp of the first post
* 'average_time_to_post_from_first_reply_hours': the average time to post or reply from the first post (for cases where all discussions are released at once, this may be a more meaningful metric of time to reply)
* 'average_posts_per_author': the average posts per author (does not include enrollments with no posts)
## Getting Started
These instructions will get you a copy of the project up and running on your local machine for use with your own API tokens and Canvas domains.
### Prerequisites
1. **Install [Node 10 or greater](https://nodejs.org)**.
1. **Install [Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads)**.
### Installation and execution of script
1. Clone this repo. `git clone https://github.com/ubccapico/canvas-discussion.git`
1. Then cd into the repo. `cd canvas-discussion`
1. Run the installation script. `npm install` (If you see `babel-node: command not found`, you've missed this step.)
1. Generate Canvas API token and copy it to clipboard
> - See [Get Started with the Canvas API](https://learninganalytics.ubc.ca/guides/get-started-with-the-canvas-api/) for more information.
> - ⚠️ Your Canvas API token is the equivalent to your username and password and must be treated as such (following any security guidelines of your home institution).
1. Create a `.env` file.
1. Add the following: `CANVAS_API_TOKEN={YOUR API TOKEN}`, `CANVAS_API_DOMAIN={YOUR API DOMAIN}`, `COURSE_IDS={YOUR COURSE ID(s)}`. > - At UBC the `CANVAS_API_DOMAIN` is `https://ubc.instructure.com/api/v1`
> - At another institution it might be something like `https://{school}.instructure.com/api/v1`
1. Add `INCLUDE_MODULE_SUMMARY=true` (or `INCLUDE_MODULE_SUMMARY=false`) to indicate whether you would like to include a summary grouped by module. If this is not in the .env it will default to false and no module summary will be created.
Your .env file should look like
```
CANVAS_API_TOKEN=22322...
CANVAS_API_DOMAIN=https://ubc.instructure.com/api/v1
COURSE_IDS=1111,1112
INCLUDE_MODULE_SUMMARY=false
```
1. Run the script. `npm start`.
1. A `{course_id}-discussion.csv` and a ` {course_id}-discussion-summary.csv` file should be generated with discussion data in the output folder for each provided course_id. If you have set `INCLUDE_MODULE_SUMMARY` to `true` then you will also see a file `{course_id}-module-discussion-summary.csv`.
## Authors
* [justin0022](https://github.com/justin0022) -
**Justin Lee** <[email protected]>
## License
This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.