Ignite AI in Action: Using the Prompt Library and Writing Effective Prompts

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 IgniteAI ecosystem. It 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 Use the Prompt Library

How to Write a Great Prompt for IgniteAI

Tech Tip Tuesday: IgniteAI

How to Access IgniteAI Search in Canvas

1. Navigate to Canvas. 
2. Select the IgniteAI button from either your Dashboard (1) OR your individual course (2). 
   
   
3. This opens up the IgniteAI Agent. 
   • By default, it opens in the Chat view, but if you ever need to return to this view, select the Chat button (1). 
   • Select the Chat History button (2) to see previous chats. 
   • Select the Community Library button (3) to find prompts shared by other users or share you own. 
   • To write a prompt, enter it in the text field (4) and then select the arrow (5). 
   • To see the IgniteAI Privacy Policy, press the AI button (6). 
     

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

1. Navigate to IgniteAI Agent in Canvas (instructions above). 
2. Inside the IgniteAI agent, select the Community Library button. 
   Note: If you want to, you can bookmark the IgniteAI Agent Prompt Library in your web browser. 
3. The IgniteAI Prompt Library will open in a new browser tab. Click Sign In in the top right corner and select Sign in with Canvas LMS. When prompted, choose canvas.spcollege.edu (1) from the dropdown menu, and click GO (2). 
   
4. 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. 
   
5. 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. 
6. Copy the prompt from the Prompt Library (1). Paste your prompt into your IgniteAI agent chat area (2). Fill in blanks/make changes as needed. Then, press the arrow (3). The IgniteAI Agent's response will appear below (4). If you need to drill down or ask follow-up questions, write more in the text field (5). To start a new chat, select the New Chat button (6). 
   
   
   

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

1. “Tell me which students haven’t submitted the Stoichiometry assignment.” 
2. “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.

Tech Tip Tuesday: IgniteAI