Differentiation Tags in Canvas

Introduction

Differentiation Tags in Canvas allow instructors to create custom sets of students within a course and assign content specifically to those students. These tags are not visible to students and can be used to personalize learning, manage accommodations, or assign different activities to subsets of a class.

Once a tag is applied to students, instructors can use the Assign To field in assignments, quizzes, discussions, modules, or pages to make that content available only to the tagged students.  Differentiation Tags are helpful when you want to assign different content or deadlines without creating groups. It's also important to note that at SPC, you are unable to divide your class list into sections, but many of the things you'd be using sections for, you can use differentiation tags for.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• Extended-time or accessibility accommodations

• Assigning alternate assignments

• Managing a course of students who aren't all doing the same assignments/modules/learning paths.

Contents

How Differentiation Tags Work

Creating Differentiation Tags

Assigning Tags to Students

Assigning Content to a Tag

Filtering Gradebook by Tag

Bulk Assigning Tags with CSV (Optional)

Important Notes

Best Practices

How Differentiation Tags Work

Differentiation Tags follow a simple process:

1. Create a tag in the People page.

2. Assign the tag to one or more students.

3. Select the tag in the Assign To field when creating content.

Only students with that tag will see or access the item.

Note: Most instructors use differentiation tags for differentiating assignments, so this guide focuses primarily on that use case. However, faculty can just use them for internal labels and/or filtering. In that case, you wouldn't use differentiation tags with the Assign To feature.

Creating Differentiation Tags

1. In your Canvas course, select People from the course navigation menu.

2. Select Manage Tags.
   

3. Click Get Started from the side menu that pops up.
   

4. Enter a Tag Name (example: Extra Help, 1), and select Save (2).
   

5. Optional: If you want to create a few tags and have them grouped together because they're related, you can opt to create a Tag Set. Once you select +Add Another Tag, you'll have the option to name the additional tag (1), select Create a New Tag Set (2), fill in the Tag Set Name (3), and Save (4). 
   

Assigning Tags to Students

1. Go to People in your course navigation and select the checkbox next to one or more students (1). 

2. Select Tag As (2).

3. Choose the tag you want to assign (3).

A tag indicator will appear next to the student’s name.

To remove a tag:

1. Click the tag indicator

2. Select the X next to the tag you'd like to remove.
   

Assigning Content to a Tag

You can assign many types of Canvas content to a tag.

Supported items include:

• Assignments

• Discussions

• Quizzes

• Pages

• Modules

To Assign Content to a Tag

1. Navigate to the content and locate the Assign To feature (the example below uses a Module). 
    

   

2. In the Edit Module Settings menu, select Assign To. 
   

3. Select or type in the Tag that contains the students you'd like to assign this content to (in this example, it's a module). 
   

4. Add due dates and availability dates if needed.

5. Click Save.

Only students with that tag will see the item. In your gradebook, you'll only be able to enter grades for students who are tagged to that module. 

Filtering the Gradebook by Tag

Differentiation Tags can also help instructors review grades for specific student groups.

1. Open Grades.

2. Click Apply Filters.

3. Select Differentiation Tags.

4. Choose the tag you want to view.
   

The Gradebook will display only the students assigned to that tag.

Bulk Assigning Tags with CSV (Optional)

For large courses, instructors can assign tags using a CSV file.

1. Go to People → Manage Tags.

2. Select Upload CSV.

3. Download the template file.

4. Enter student information and the tag name.

5. Upload the file.

Canvas will apply the tags automatically.

Important Notes

• Students cannot see the tags assigned to them.

• Removing a tag may remove student access to items assigned to that tag.

• Differentiation Tags work best for behind-the-scenes instructional customization.

• Tags can be added or removed at any time.

Best Practices

✔ Use clear, descriptive tag names (for example: Extended Time)
✔ Keep the number of tags manageable
✔ Avoid removing tags after students have submitted work
✔ Use tags to personalize learning while maintaining a single course structure

Have Questions? Contact the Academic Technology Support Team 
 
atst@spcollege.edu

 Phone at 727-341-3500

(Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST).
After-hours or weekend assistance? Contact the Technical Support Center

Phone at 727-791-2795 or onlinehelp@spcollege.edu

Want to Schedule a One-on-One or Group Session on Canvas or other instructional technology issues or opportunities?

Schedule 1:1 Support Help with a Member of the Academic Technology Support Team