Canvas Credentials Product Update July 2022

[AnneliseGoodman]

This release has in it, among other things, LTI 1.3. We know many of you use Canvas as your LMS and have been eagerly awaiting this upgrade, and we couldn’t be more excited to deliver it! 

We hope you’ll set aside a little time to take a look around, then reach out to us with your thoughts and any questions you may have. We’re looking forward to hearing your feedback.

Please note there isn’t any action required of you at this time. This release does not impact your existing configurations or integrations. We hope you are as excited as we are to take advantage of the new features, though. 

To use the new LTI, you will need to install an upgrade. Documentation for doing so is included in the release notes.

If you have already installed the upgrade and are currently using the beta version of LTI 1.3, you will see the updates automatically and won’t need to do anything more.

Here is an overview of what to expect:

• Groups is out of beta and is officially live!
• Customized leaderboard points: Specify a weight for each badge so recipients receive a different number of leaderboard points for different badges.
• Combined legacy LTI and pathways LTI functionality: Separate pathways LTIs for each course are no longer needed. (Canvas and Blackboard only)
• Auto subscribe learners to pathways: Groups for courses are created automatically, and all students enrolled in the course are automatically added to the group. (Canvas and Blackboard only)
• Automatic badge award triggering: The LTI sync will now occur automatically at least once every 24 hour period. (Canvas and Blackboard only)
• More trigger options: Badges can be awarded automatically based on course grade and/or individual assignments. (Canvas only)
• Options for Canvas admins to preauthorize the issuers or organization for courses to use, and to prevent the use of personal issuers. (Canvas only)
• Lots of interface and user experience improvements!

Also of note is Credentials documentation has been added, here, to the Instructure Community and will be maintained there from now on. Knowledge Base articles will soon start automatically redirecting to the new content: Canvas Credentials/Badges (Badgr) - Instructure Community 

If you want to subscribe to receive updates to any Community content (like, for example, release notes), you can do so using these instructions: Subscriptions 

We asked many of you for assistance as we worked on these improvements, and we are tremendously grateful to you for answering that call. Your guidance was invaluable and we are very proud and excited about the end result. We hope you love the new features as much as we do!

Happy badging!

All the best,

Your Canvas Credentials CSM Team

[audra_agnelly]

How has Canvas's acquisition of Badgr impacted Terms of Service? When searching for terms of service, Badgr's page states:

"1.3 Eligibility. You may only access and use Badgr if you can form a binding contract with CSky and only in compliance with these Terms and all applicable laws. You must be 13 years old or older to use Badgr."

Since we are K-12 we have not been able to implement Badgr due to this stated age limitation. If we use Canvas Badges/Badgr free, are the terms of service now wrapped by our terms of service with Canvas?

[daisybennett]

Hi @audra_agnelly - thanks for your question! Right now Canvas Badges isn't useable for under 13 users. We are in the process of figuring out what's need for COPPA compliance in the US. We will update the Community as soon as the legal and functional requirements are established. Please reach out to your Customer Success Manager if you are interested in learning more.

Thank you!

[MrReed]

Previously, the Badgr Pro features required an extra fee/subscription.  Will these features be integrated into Canvas now?  Or will they still require an extra fee?

[Jordana_Estner]

Hi @MrReed - Credentials CSM here, nice to meet you. 🙂

Badgr Pro's advanced suite of features are still available with a paid subscription. 

Badgr will be rebranded as “Canvas Badges” as it joins the Instructure Learning Platform. Canvas LMS customers can also upgrade to Badgr Pro’s advanced suite of tools in new “Canvas Credentials,” offering unlimited badging, leaderboards, analytics and personalized pathway progress visualizations.

Instructure Acquires Concentric Sky, Makers of Badgr

Let us know if you have any other questions or comments!

[jsowalsk]

@Jordana_Estner do you know when this plans to happen???

Badgr will be rebranded as “Canvas Badges” as it joins the Instructure Learning Platform. Canvas LMS customers can also upgrade to Badgr Pro’s advanced suite of tools in new “Canvas Credentials,” offering unlimited badging, leaderboards, analytics and personalized pathway progress visualizations.

[Jordana_Estner]

Hi @jsowalsk - in most ways, the rebranding has already taken place. We do not yet have an estimated time frame on the changes to the product itself, though we will certainly keep everyone posted via this blog as information becomes available.

[jsowalsk]

Thank you, @Jordana_Estner. Where can we see the branding has taken place? Will there be changes to both the free and paid versions? 

[MrReed]

Hi @Jordana_Estner ,

Thank you for your reply! 

Our district is a Canvas customer.  Were could we find pricing information for upgrading to the Badgr Pro/Canvas Credentials features?

[Jordana_Estner]

@jsowalsk -- the new branding exists on this page, the Instructure website, throughout the Instructure community, on all new resources and marketing materials, and so on, and so forth. 

@MrReed -- happy to help! I'd recommend connecting with the Canvas CSM or CSM team you usually work with. They should be able to assist you with pricing information for a Canvas Credentials subscription.

[jsowalsk]

@Jordana_Estner But, what about within the application? When will this change?

[jsowalsk]

Where should we look for it throughout the community?

[Jordana_Estner]

@jsowalsk - Here is a link to the main page for the Canvas Badges and Canvas Credentials Community content. 

We do not yet have an estimated time frame on the changes to the product/application itself, though we will certainly keep everyone posted via this blog as information becomes available.

[jsowalsk]

Great, thank you since this is what we are most concerned about: changes to the product/application itself, though we will certainly keep everyone posted via this blog as information becomes available. @Jordana_Estner