Give Access to Camera to Embed Pictures

[nikolina_petrov]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

Hello fellow Canvas users,

I was surprised to find out that students have access to their camera to record a video in the Rich Content Editor but do not have the same ability to take a picture and Embed it directly. As a math teacher to young students, I would like for students to be able to do some of their work, common core modeling on paper and then with One Click of a Button to upload that work for me to review.

It is very useful for any science and math class or for a teacher to see the students work prior to answering the question.  Teachers can use it the open response quizzes and the homework assignments and students will not have a saved picture on their Chromebook or another device. It should be a direct snap a picture in the Rich Content Editor for teacher speed grading and analyzing,

Currently,  students have to take the picture save it either in their Drive or worse, on a different website, and then find it, upload it and on and on. It's too many steps to do while a young mind needs to concentrate on the work not on how to turn it in.

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the following release notes:

Canvas Student Release Notes (iOS 6.3) 

 Canvas Teacher Release Notes (Android 1.6)

Canvas Student Release Notes (Android 6.3) 

[nikolina_petrov]

Hello and thank you for your questions,

I would like to see the Camera embedding functionality anywhere there is a ability for the Rich Content Editor.

I know most of our students use Chromebooks but in our district there are some that are using Ipads and the mobile ability would be very helpful.

Best Regards,

Nikolina Petrova

6th Grade Math Teacher

Villa Fundamental

[bogardde]

I believe the ratio would change as you progressed through the grade levels. I would say that at the K-4 levels, the proportion would be virtually 100% webcam. That proportion would steadily start to drop from there, and by high school, it would probably be virtually 100% mobile device.

I agree with Nikolina that it would be useful to have the camera functionality anyplace we have the RCE. That would be helpful for teachers who want to make a quick photo that would go into a Page or into Assignment or Quiz instructions. On the student side, I think Assignment submissions would be the most useful place for webcam pix. I'm thinking photos of art projects, models, a quick "this is me making a healthy choice for dinner" photo of food, etc.

[allison]

bogardde​, thanks for your insight that the older we get the more likely we will rely on a mobile device for taking and embedding pictures. That says to me that whatever solution we come up with, it should probably work seamlessly on both mobile and web interfaces. I will archive this idea for now, but please know that I am definitely keeping 1:1 iPad schools in mind as we make design and investment decisions for Canvas.

[nikolina_petrov]

Hello Scott,

could you let me know the status of the the idea. I do not see it anywhere.

Give Access to Camera to Embed Pictures

[Renee_Carney]

  Idea is currently in Product Radar Learn more about this stage...

[joshua_gagnier]

Hello,

As a science teacher in a blended learning environment I am forced to have students submit a google doc with pictures they take with their webcam on a weekly basis. A lab notebook is an integral part of my blended classroom so I need to have students write things down, though everything is submitted digitally to keep all their work, grades, and most importantly my feedback in one place. This would significantly shorten the time in class devoted to submitting simple webcam photos for assignments saving several hours of student time through the academic year for what should be a simple process.

Warm Regards,

Joshua Gagnier

Middle School Science Teacher

[elizabeth_henry]

This would help out so much in my class! Currently my students have to take a picture on their science notebooks, then click through to save it to their chromebook, then upload it. Sometimes they upload it through the files drive, instead of their google docs, and the program makes me download the file to see it. This would streamline the process for both me and my students.

Thank you for considering this idea!

[nicole_deshazer]

As a science and PLTW elective teacher, this feature would be awesome! I sometime have to create google docs just to get pictures of their projects. This could take out the middle man and eliminate confusion from my middle school students. Being able to directly open the camera and submit photos from canvas would save time and energy for me and my students! It could help them create better portfolios and organize their progress and ideas better, too.

[mfalkner]

Some things need to be filed in camera and under seal from time to time.

[bogardde]

A workaround I have experimented with is just having students take a brief video of themselves holding the paper (or whatever the assignment was) up to the screen.

It's not a great solution, but maybe easier than putting kids through the multi-step uploading process? Just another possibility while Canvas gets around to giving snapshot capabilities.