Why do you make this so hard to use?

[trevor_macduff]

Seriously. I'm even here trying to contact help and it takes me a thousand clicks to get to post something on a bulletin board, not even chat with someone who can actually help. You're interface is NOT intuitive, nor helpful. I'm looking at grades. A kid turns something in. I click on it. It won't open. I have to click another 5-10 things just to see his work. And since you can't interface with PowerSchool I have to click over to another window to record the score.

I hate everything about this cursed platform. I can open Google Docs and start typing. But in Canvas I have to start a module, create an assignment, name it, save it. Then open it again, select edit. And if I have to go back and change something, it's another 15 clicks. 

Do the industry research. Clicks denote decisions. More decisions denote fatigue. You are NOT making this easier for educators. Less clicks = more efficiency = more energy for students.

[Chris_Hofer]

@trevor_macduff ...

I am sorry to read that you are having such difficulties with Canvas.  As a fellow Canavs user, I can sympathize with you that sometimes there are things in Canvas that might seem to take longer than then should.  But, that's not always the case.  I know you listed a few things in your initial post, but is there anything that maybe Community members could focus on with you to try and make life a little easier for you?  We might be able to provide some solutions to reduce the time it's taking you to do things.  Just know that there are lots of people here in the Community (Canvas administrators, fellow instructors, students) who are ready and willing to help you along the way.

There is also a space here in the Community where you can submit your own ideas and suggestions...as well as participate in discussion for ideas that have already been submitted by others.  You can learn more about this at: Canvas Ideas and Themes - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com).

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.  Take care...

[trevor_macduff]

Help? Sure. How do I click less times?

I open my grades. <click> I see an assignment. <click> I choose speedgrader <click>. I review the assignment. <click> I give feedback. <click, click> I save my effort <click>. I return to the gradebook <click>. I see another assignment <repeat ad nauseum>. 

So many stupid steps to get something so simple. This is an issue of the infrastructure of the system. 

I came here to try to get to customer service. After sufficient time, I was unable to find a contact page. So here I am submitting a complaint to the community. But Canvas did give me a chance to offer feedback and complete a survey. And still no actual access to customer service. 

So I've complained 3 times to 3 different voids where nothing will change and the system will remain barbaric.  

[Ron_Bowman]

@trevor_macduff -

What @Chris_Hofer stated is what you can do to help yourself.   This forum is where you can ask questions about how to do something in Canvas and most times someone here can help.

I understand your frustration with the clicking on everything.  My question to you is: What other LMS platforms have you used that require significantly less clicks to do the same function?  Another question is how is it different from what you were doing before Canvas.

As for the speed grader example, are you wanting to grade multiple assignments for one student (one after the other)?  Or is it go into an assignment and grade all the student submissions for that assignment?  If it is the second question, then there are some scripts I can refer you to  that will speed up the process and reduce the number of clicks when working with speed grader.  

Ron

[KenjiKlein]

I totally agree with the OP. I've used Moodle and D2L. Both were easier, more intuitive, had fewer clicks, and D2L had much greater functionality. Been using this platform for two years and each semester I despise it more and more.

[TrishaMeyer1]

Hi @trevor_macduff ,

What type of assignment did your student turn in, and what kind of trouble did you have opening it? If you can share how you set up the assignment and what issues you had, someone here might have advice about how to make the process easier. 

Note that you do not have to create work in Modules. You can use the Assignments tab and create your assignments there if you prefer fewer clicks. When you are ready to set up your Modules, you can just select the assignment(s) you want from the list. Modules provide organizational structure, but the content itself "lives" in its associated location: Assignments, Pages, Quizzes, etc.

What you describe as ease of use in Google is what I describe as a curse: you can just open up and start typing. And I have, much to my chagrin. I prefer the "check" that Canvas provides by making me consciously choose to edit something. Otherwise I find myself using Revision History->Restore This Version far too often (because I accidentally edited my Google Doc).

It does take some time to get used to how Canvas works. And it is certainly true that we don't all like the same things. I have found that I have more success when I learn to use the native features of Canvas rather than trying to make it behave like something else.

[trevor_macduff]

Thanks everyone. I've been using Canvas 6 years. Before that I've used Edmodo, Google Classroom, and even created content for Moodle. Canvas is far and away the most frustrating platform. I know I should be open to the whole learning thing about this, but I don't want scripts, PD, or more training. I am stuck using this platform. And it won't integrate with PowerSchool, our gradebook. I really just need to talk to someone who can make this a better platform. I appreciate the attempts for community. But it's really just distracting me from being productive. 

Even just replying here requires a double click on the text box. No where else in the entire interwebs do we find a text box that isn't either the default cursor location or at least activates when you click on it. Only Canvas would make me click on it's 'reply' box twice. Just another way their coders and engineers are out of touch with productivity. 

And now I"m stuck getting responses to this thread because I can't see the 'unsubscribe' option. 

[TrishaMeyer1]

I'm unclear on why your institution can't integrate PowerSchool and Canvas. According to Canvas, integration should be possible:

Admin FAQ: Canvas and PowerSchool

I agree that the double-click to reply is annoying, but that started for me just a few days ago; I think it's just a bug.

Somewhere on your page you should see "Email me when someone replies" and you should be able to uncheck that box.

[Chris_Hofer]

@trevor_macduff ...

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And it won't integrate with PowerSchool, our gradebook.

---

Full discloser, I have never used PowerSchool, so I do not know what the capabilities of it are.  That being said, I do agree with @TrishaMeyer1.  You will want to take a look at the documentation that she provided.  If your school has not yet integrated PowerSchool with Canvas, this would be a conversation you'd want to have with your school's Canvas administrator(s) or someone from their Online Learning / eLearning / Distance Learning staff.  They would be able to tell you if there are any plans down the road to make this connection happen between systems.  Or, maybe it already is integrated in some way...or maybe it is actively being worked on.  Again, speak with folks at your school about this.  Hopefully they'll be able to give you more specifics.

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Even just replying here requires a double click on the text box. No where else in the entire interwebs do we find a text box that isn't either the default cursor location or at least activates when you click on it. Only Canvas would make me click on it's 'reply' box twice.

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Just for clarification, the interface that Instructure uses for the Canvas Community website (the site you are on now) is not owned by Canvas.

And now I"m stuck getting responses to this thread because I can't see the 'unsubscribe' option.

---

You can easily unsubscribe from this posting (if you want).  At the top of this page, at the upper right corner of your original post, you'll find a three-dot kebab icon.  If you hover over/click on this icon, a menu of options will appear.  One of those options should be the ability to "Unsubscribe" (or "Subscribe" if you're not subscribed).

I hope this helps to clarify things for you.  Again, as I mentioned in my initial response (and has been echoed by others), we are here to help you in the Community.  Even though some things might be frustrating at times, we are here to help you figure out the best way to accomplish what you want to do.  Let's keep the conversation going.

Take care, and be well!

[dahnajeen]

^ Oh my goodness so much this! ^

The instructions I've found make it clear that Canvas does not know what the words "bulk" or "default" mean. Instructions for how to bulk move or update something clearly give instructions for how to do it one at a time. So annoying.

[KK71]

I'm with you on this!

I have quite a few assignments every week that are on paper. I used to be able to create the assignments for 6 weeks at a time. Mind you, this is high school and I am creating 4 assignments a week for one subject and I have three subjects in total. Prior to February, this was tedious but doable. The process was - go to Assignments tab, go to the assignment group, click on "+" to start a new assignment, give it a name, a due date (usually the end of the week), assign points, publish and done. I only need these assignments to show up in my gradebook and added to anything in modules. 

Somewhere in February a student told me there was a quiz that hadn't taken yet and it showed up as "missing," which tanked their grade. I looked at it and there was this "text entry" requirement. Where did that come from? I removed it then had to manually remove all the "missing" and zeros that were added because of how my settings are. It gets worse. I didn't know about this change and had over 20 assignments floating around with this new "text entry" submission attached to all the assignment I made.

I cannot find anywhere online where or when this changed. It was ok in the beginning of January. Now, I have to go to assignments, find the category, click "+" to make the assignment, do all the things I mentioned, BUT now I have to select "More Options" where I then have to remove the option for the "text entry," save & publish, then go back to the assignment tab and start the next assignment. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

I tried the help option in Canvas, which I am guessing is a chatbot. It told me this has always been the way Canvas has acted. No, it hasn't. Then I looked through all the release notes for the most recent updates. No mention of a change to this process anywhere. Even my school district IT person couldn't find anything. There's nothing on the internet about any change or it taking longer. This may not be a big issue if you only have 12-15 assignments a semester, but I am creating 4 assignments a week minimum for one subject!! 

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi there, @KK71 ...

I saw that you posted very similar wording in a separate posting, and I wanted to let you know that I provided a response there for you to consider: Re: Since February, why is creating an assignment ... - Instructure Community - 641095.

If you have any questions about my reply, please feel free to post them on that thread...thanks!