Some students can't see image files embedded in assignment

[erica_wagner]

I have an assignment of canvas that has some images embedded into it for some of the students to use in a question (hair identification). A couple have contacted me to see they cannot see the images--just little tabs with the filenames (which give away the answers). One sent a screen shot of what they can see, which I have attached to this message. I also attached an image of a screenshot of what I see via the student view function.

When I log in as a student, I see the images just fine (no names giving away answer, just images). Some of my students evidently have no trouble seeing them either.

I used the embed image feature within the assignment function, and the image files are in the canvas files for that course.

No idea what is going on, but it's a problem!

Erica

[bneporadny]

Hi Erica,

It's hard to tell what the exact cause is here but from the screen shots you provided the student who's pictures are displaying correctly is using a windows computer and the firefox browser, while the one getting the with the file names is using an apple computer and chrome. So we have two different types of computers and two different browsers being used. So it could be the difference in browsers or it could be the difference in security between the operating systems and browsers. If would recommend seeing if you can replicate this issue by using the different browsers and using the student view option within your course. This may help you be able to determine what the issue with. 

[erica_wagner]

Thanks for the response!

I haven't been able to replicated the issue using chrome on my pc, or on my spouse's imac with the safari browser. I can't access it via chrome on his computer, because he doesn't have any google products on his computer, so I can't rule out it's a specific issue with chrome on a mac.

Not sure what to do if this is the case. I've told students to try different browsers and to make sure other processes and windows aren't open (in case their machines have low RAM) if they have issues, and sent them a link to student canvas support.

I'm trying to keep embedded images relatively small as well. I've been creating these images by using paint to crop existing images and then saving them and uploading them to the canvas files for each course.

I'm also wondering if this might be something happening to specific students when they try to access during "high usage" times for canvas, or when their own ISP is possibly bogged down. Obviously, our online infrastructure is taking a hit right now.

Erica Wagner

Adjunct Biology Professor

Sacramento City College

[LHenry123]

I am having the same issue! There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why some students can see it and others cannot. All of my students are on iPads and are accessing Canvas through Safari. 

[erica_wagner]

Still no definitive solution to this. I had a similar issue with an exam I gave three different classes this week. A few of the students had trouble seeing the images embedded in three of the questions, but most could see them fine. I could see them just fine during the preview.