Add a Checkbox to Disable Reset Course Content

[hangerls]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

For more information, please read through the  Canvas Deploy Notes (2021-07-07)

The option to Disable Reset Course Content button is included with other things such as having the ability to publish courses and course content. This needs to be it's own option so only ADMINS can Reset Course Content. This button is in the settings of each course and can accidently be used by teachers, or they can use it to reset the course not understanding exactly what they are doing. The option needs to be removed.

[Stef_retired]

@hangerls 

Thanks for sharing this idea. As it moves forward for broader discussion, you might want to check out the solutions discussed at Hide Buttons by Role - Canvas Community 

[kirsten_ryall]

We've had to add some instructions over that button for our instance of Canvas that forces users to click a few times before they even get to the Canvas messaging. Our pop-up boxes basically say 'are you sure?' and then 'are you really, really sure?'. We have had instances of users hitting course reset without understanding all the impacts, despite the canvas warning message, and then a very busy IT team trying to reverse it. With this in mind, I can understand the argument for making it an admin-only setting.

[heberlie]

@hangerls Disabling 'Reset Course Content' would be a nice feature to apply to specific Roles to prevent Instructors from accidentally losing their work at a critical time and I could support that, no doubt.

An alternate idea with similar goal might be to improve or smarten the logic of the process. For instance, if someone is resetting, how about the 'Warning' information include the actual course details about which course is being reset? Most of our Instructors have multiple courses and tend to have tabs open which leads to the mistake of pressing the right button on the wrong course. Oops!

How about a check in logic to see if the course being reset is currently Published/Active/Populated with students/submission content/grades? Maybe all of those with big red exclamation points listing these out as potential conflicts with proceeding despite the risks.

If it's smarter and clearer about what is happening, then the folks resetting shell courses will be able to retain permissions to the button and mistakes will hopefully decrease for courses in progress.

If we can't make it smarter, than I agree that having a good option to disable and force Instructors to go through an admin support person is superior to what we have now. If it's toggle-able, that could be really great to take the button away once the semester starts. 🙂

[emilywthompson]

It would be nice to protect faculty from doing this by accident. Good idea!

[Stef_retired]

Comments from Instructure

The Reset Course permission has been separated from the Delete Course permission. This change allows admins to differentiate permissions between resetting a course and deleting a course. 

For more information, please read through the  Canvas Deploy Notes (2021-07-07).