[Announcements] Publish and Unpublish Announcements

[dhulsey]

I love that Canvas can bring over announcements when I copy content from another Canvas course. This keeps me from copying and pasting announcements I make every semester.  To further develop this feature, it would be nice if Announcements were unpublished on import, meaning the instructor can see them but the students can't. With a "publish button on every announcement, instructors could release announcements quickly when they are needed without the tedious setting of a date and time on each announcement.

This feature would also bring announcements in line with other tools in Canvas that use publish and unpublish functionality and would help instructors who might unintentionally be releasing announcements to students from a past semester.

[jhart31]

After five years and over 700 educators on this forum plus another 180 on another one regarding the same topic, it appears Canvas ignores these discussions.  It looks like they are available to placate us to think someone really cares about our comments....well, they should.  We are on the frontline teaching every day working to make our classes positive learning experiences for our students.  Time is of the essence when teaching multiple classes online, and especially now with everyone teaching online due to the virus.  Not having these features is a time-waster.  I have written comments five times beginning in 2015 about the lack of having an end date for announcements.  Many instructors like myself would rather have the end date while others want the option to publish/unpublish.  Either one or both of these features are available for quizzes, discussion boards, pages, and files.  What is the problem in getting this done for announcements?  These forums don't work, so the suggestion is to write a separate letter to each of the individuals below. If the majority of those who have commented on this send a letter, maybe the request will get the attention it deserves to implement this long-overdue programming omission.

There has been a change in leadership recently at Instructure, so here are the two most relevant names to contact with the address included:

Charles Goodman - Interim CEO

Mitch Benson - Chief Product Officier

[grassin-drake_1]

I'm new to the thread, but amazed that this has been outstanding since 2015. Indeed it looks like a simple fix. So Carmen/Instructure, what gives? Not having this feature creates a lot of extra work for us.

[mastucke]

I just learned that there is a known issue related to announcements that Canvas has not fixed. When I change the date on imported messages that I have delayed send dates set for, if the delay date has not yet passed, the messages sometimes default to their original import status with no date visible. The "no date" issue could be easily avoided by implementing this publish/unpublish function.  

[jsharp1]

As I begin getting my Canvas courses ready for summer, I am again reminded how beneficial the publish/unpublish functionality for Announcements would be! I am again left with only two choices: 1) Delete all my announcements and recreate them when I need them (duplication of efforts as I use the same announcement script) or 2) Edit every announcement to change the Delay Posting date. Neither of these options is preferable and each takes an enormous amount of time I could be spending on the actual development of course content.

I am willing to partner with anyone wiling to start a concerted letter writing campaign to convince Instructure to remedy this issue after five years!

[jhart31]

Hi Jason,

Like you and the other 720+ instructors nationwide who find this programming glitch not fixed after five years, it appears the company either does not view these forums or do not feel this is a worthy request.  Anyone who teaches and uses Canvas daily knows the current lack of a close date / unpublish feature is a huge time waster.  I have addressed this problem numerous times in these forums and the most recent one is above our responses in this forum listing the two names of the individuals and address who might be able to facilitate our much needed request.  I have sent letters and encourage those who are equally as frustrated to do the same or allow having your name included in a blanket letter to Charles Goodman and Mitch Benson who, by nature of their positions, should be able to encourage the programmers to fix this issue.

[terry_taylor]

Thank you John for your persistence.  I'm afraid no one is listening.  How hard could this be? 

[dahlingern]

Please, pretty please, move this idea up to the top of the list for implementation.  

[tbrecheisen]

The fact that this feature has been requested since 2015, has a ton of votes, and is a no-brainer (why would I EVER want my previous year's/semester's comments to copy over??) makes me question the purpose of ever having requests by Canvas.  What does it take to get this approved and on their radar?  lol

[don_quick]

Yes, with the silly stuff they are improving it makes you wonder what it takes to get a fundamental flaw in the system to get fixed. Isn't 5 years and over 700 up votes enough?

DonQ

[teyorks]

Agreed! It would be so much better if previous semesters' announcements copied over as "unpublished."