[Account Settings] New 'Color Overlay' feature should have a way to change default setting

[chriscas]

With the new "Color Overlay" feature for course card images in this weeks Beta Release Notes, I think there should be a way to set the default behavior at an account level (edit: not subaccount level, since this really applies to users). The current default is to have the color overlay enabled, but I'd prefer the opposite behavior by default.  Rather than requesting to change the default, I think admins should have the ability to choose the default (enabled or disabled) for this feature.  I did mention this request in the release notes, and in the canvaslive beta release notes chat, and seemed to get some support.

Deactivated user‌laurakgibbs‌,  @kroeninm ‌,  @stuart_ryan ‌, Beta Release Notes (2017-05-01) Collaborative Chat 

[jbrady2]

 @victoria-maloy ‌ This was something that I brought up in an earlier post concerning the proposed changes for the color overlay. While I would agree with the instructor having control over color overlay showing if they choose to place an image on their course card, removing the color overlay should not be allowed to affect the calendar. Besides the reasons you mention (color blindness and personal choice), another issue would be if more than one instructor chooses a similar color or if the removal of color overlay affects the calendar, which would defeat the purpose of being able to color code individual courses for the user in the calendar view.

[SHEBENE]

This feature doesn't prevent students from being in control of the color associated to their courses/calendar layers. It doesn't even prevent them from turning the color overlay back on. It's merely about being able to default it to the off setting. The student is still empowered to pick the color for their course/calendar as well as deciding that they prefer their courses to have a wash of color over the images.

[kiran_mohan]

Great idea. I am also interested to know from Instructure's point of view on why the development was done giving the option to control the colour overlay as a user setting when the initial idea (https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/6521-remove-colour-overlay-from-course-cards-that-have-an-imag... ) was requesting to control this at the account level. Guess there has been no other discussions or ideas around the colour overlay from an individual user's perspective. 

[jfrielich_ls]

chriscas‌,  @kiran_mohan ‌,  @stuart_ryan  I'm trying to understand an instance where the semi-transparent Color Overlay on a Course Card. A course color is currently a user selected (and randomly assigned default color); the user selected color is used in places such as the Calendar. When the user changes the dashboard setting to deactivate Color Overlay the color still identify the course by a circle on the top right of the Course Card.

Why would anyone want a Color Overlay? Is there an instance when having the color over the image would be desired? Why not remove the color overlay option altogether? 

Oh Boy! Here is the short version of my tangents:

IDEA 1 (fail?): Default should be instructor set color, option to allow students to change color. Fails because multiple courses may use the same color thus making it pointless.

IDEA 1 SOLUTION: Solution 1 - Priority, If an instructor set a course to a color that is unique (no other instructor set the same course color) the other courses could be different colors and it wouldn't matter if a student could change them. Solution 2 - ADD TEXTURES!!!! A series of texture overlays, like diagonal lines, dots, zig-zags, can be automatically placed over similar colors by the computer (if multiple courses were assigned similar default color overlays).

IDEA 2: Who uses 'Dashboard View' 'Recent Activity'? Let's get rid of that and only have course cards! (or have an account setting to "Dashboard view Course Card only - turn off to allow users the ability to view Recent Activity as their Dashboard".

IDEA 2B: Add the Notifications that Recent Activity has to the right side of the dashboard. We have a To-Do list and a Coming Up list. Why not have the first item be a Announcement list! etc.

IDEA 2C: NOTIFICATIONS!!!!! Make a notification center with things like Discussions, Assignment Comments (very few of my students read comments because it is too many steps and doesn't just pop up).

IDEA 2D: A ticker displaying number of unread comments with a drop down displaying the assignment. Also including DocView (formerly Crocodoc) comments, In the K-12 classroom Comments directly on a document are like secrets, students don't know they exist (unless its a draft or assignment that is required to view in order to complete a future assignment).

OKAY, too many ideas flying through my head. I'll save those and make IDEAS.

The big question though:

***WHY DOES 'Color Overlay' NEED TO BE FEATURE AT ALL?***

[stuart_ryan]

 @jfrielich_ls ‌, I have been wondering the same thing since the most recent change was implemented. My original feature request was to give us a way to remove it entirely, however Instructure seems deeply committed to the overlay being a 'feature' and not an oversight, bug, or unwanted component.

So I will just go with your final line... I don't know, and I am really really REALLY hoping that we get some traction on this feature request to have a system wide feature available to turn it off by default, then (possibly) let users enable it if they so desire.

[JACOBSEN_C]

Please turn color overlay off.

[garrett_william]

Its been a while since some have commented here but I uploaded css code to remove it from our courses. When I presented at the conference last week we got a lot of complements on our course cards. This is definitely something that should be controlled by the admin. I feel the same way about the colors themselves. I would love to base them on subject area or course name.

[jbuchholz]

 @garrett_william ,

I love the look of your dashboard. How did you do it? Is the logo in the corner part of the CSS that you created? Would you mind sharing as I am sure there are a number of people who would love to have something like this running in their production environment?

Jesse

[garrett_william]

Thanks Jesse! I had some help with the CSS code (to remove the overlays) way back when. It may have been posted on one of the boards in the community. Here is the snippet:

.ic-DashboardCard__header_image .ic-DashboardCard__header_hero {
   background:none !important;
}‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

As for the Nav logo, I'm pretty sure I uploaded a transparent PNG and used the theme editor for the white background.

All our course cards, icons and logos are made with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator (with lots of help from IconFinder.com). I actually have a template for the cards if you use Photoshop.

I am currently working on the side menu and making logo for some additional links: Help With Custom Menu Icons and Script 

Lots of fun but very tricky for me because I am not that skilled when it comes to css and js.

[jbuchholz]

 @garrett_william ,

I would love the template. I love the clean look on the cards.

I am definitely a novice when it comes to css and js and I am trying to learn more and more. Thank you for your help.

Jesse