Introduction
IgniteAI is Instructure’s integrated, education-first AI platform built directly into the Canvas LMS experience. Rather than existing as a separate tool, IgniteAI works seamlessly within the natural flow of teaching and learning, with no additional logins required.
IgniteAI Search is a part of this IngiteAI ecosystem. enhances your work in Canvas LMS by allowing you to request tasks in plain language and receive useful, context-aware results. This guide covers how to use the IgniteAI search, how to craft prompts, and how to use the Prompt Library as well.
Contents
How to Access IgniteAI Search in Canvas
How to Write a Great Prompt for IgniteAI
How to Access IgniteAI Search in Canvas
- Navigate to your course in Canvas.
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Select IgniteAI Search from your course navigation. It's in the second section, at the top, above Pages, Assignments, etc.
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Type your search/question into the text field (1) and select the Search button (2). If you're not sure what to search for, keep reading for more guidance!
How to Use the Prompt Library
Not sure what to ask the IgniteAI agent? The IgniteAI Prompt Library is a great starting point for ideas and ready-made prompts. The Prompt Library provides pre-built, example prompts organized by category (like student performance or course data) to help you explore what IgniteAI can do.
Think of it as:
- A menu of “things you can ask”
- A shortcut to avoid starting from scratch
- A template bank you can customize
- Navigate to IgniteAI Search in Canvas (instructions above).
Note: This guide details how to use the prompt library alongside the IgniteAI Search, but there will be other ways to access IgniteAI as more features are rolled out into our Canvas instance. - In a separate tab, open up the IgniteAI Agent Prompt Library.
- Inside the IgniteAI Agent Prompt Library, you can do a keyword search for prompts (1) or share a Prompt of your own (2). You can also filter by tag (3). If you sign in using your Canvas account (4), you can bookmark prompts you like as well.
- In the Filter b Tag area, you can drill down the results by using multiple filters. For instance, you can select the Higher Education, Beginning of Semester, and Course Setup tags to find IgniteAI Agent prompts that fit all of those categories.
TIP: Don’t treat prompts as final products. Treat them as starting drafts. The real power comes from customizing them with your course context.
This is an amazing resource, but it's important to remember that not all schools' Canvas instances function like ours. If you have questions about this, ATST would love to discuss! We're happy to help you work through questions!
How to Write a Great Prompt for IgniteAI
Strong prompts are clear, specific, and structured. Use these practices to improve your results.
Start with a clear task
Begin by stating exactly what you want the Agent to do. Focus on specific actions rather than broad requests.
Examples
- “Extend the due date for all assignments in Module 4 by three days.”
- “Generate 3 possible discussion prompts based on the Game Theory Overview page.”
- “Tell me which students haven’t submitted the Stoichiometry assignment.”Be specific about the task.
Clear, action-based prompts improve accuracy and outcomes.
Specify where the work should happen
The Agent can act across your Canvas environment, but it needs to know where to focus.
Include details like:
- Module, assignment, or discussion
- Timeframe or content source
Example
“In Introduction to Psychology, update the description of the Week 5 reflection assignment to reflect the new due date.”
Include rules or preferences
If there are constraints, add them early so the Agent can follow them.
You might include:
- Whether the output should be a draft or applied immediately
- Alignment requirements, such as outcomes or standards
- Tone or structure preferences
Examples
- “Use an encouraging tone in the reminder message.”
- “Align the content on the Persuasive Essay page to the listed course outcomes.”
Break up multi-step tasks
For more complex work, guide the Agent step by step. This gives you more visibility and control.
Example
- “Tell me which students haven’t submitted the Stoichiometry assignment.”
- “Can you send those students a reminder message about the upcoming deadline?”
Review before publishing
IgniteAI Agent helps you move faster, but you remain responsible for final decisions. Always review drafts, summaries, or changes before sharing them with students. If something isn’t quite right, refine your prompt and try again.
Using the Prompt Library along with clear prompt-writing strategies helps you work more efficiently and get more meaningful results from IgniteAI.
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
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