This workshop will provide an overview of the new IgniteAI tools recently added to Canvas during the week of January 5, 2026. These features are optional and faculty-facing, except for Smart Search, which is available to both faculty and students. The session will cover how to enable each tool in Settings > Feature Options and will walk through their basic functions:

• IgniteAI Search: an AI-enhanced course search in Canvas that lets students and instructors find content using natural, “meaning-based” queries, not just exact keywords.
• Ignite AI Translations (for Discussions and Announcements): allows faculty and students to translate Canvas text in place, supporting multilingual participation without leaving Canvas.
• IgniteAI Translations (for Canvas Inbox): translates private Canvas Inbox messages in place, available for both faculty and students.
• IgniteAI Summaries for Discussions:  lets an instructor generate a quick AI-written recap of a discussion thread right inside Canvas.
• IgniteAI Insights for Discussions: uses AI to scan individual student replies and flag how relevant and substantive they are compared to the original prompt. 
  Feature Preview (free through 6/30/2026 and may incur additional cost in the future)
• IgniteAI Generator for Rubrics: within an Assignment, instructors can generate a draft rubric based on the assignment description, then edit and refine it before publishing. Enhanced Rubrics must be enabled to use this feature.
  Feature Preview (free through 6/30/2026 and may incur additional cost in the future)

We will also review the available Documentation for each tool and allow time for questions. For additional support, faculty can contact ITDS at itds@montclair.edu.