Canvas by Instructure Release Notes (Android 4.2)

[erinhmcmillan]

Originally posted February 28, 2015

In this update, all Android users can view global announcements from their institution. Instructors can link to the SpeedGrader app via Assignments and grant permission for students to create discussion topics. Users can also choose to disable Panda features within the app.

Download the Canvas by Instructure app in the Play Store. Version 4.2 requires Android 4.0.3 or later.

• New Features
• Global Announcements
• Updated Features
• SpeedGrader Link in Assignments
• Discussion Settings
• Other Updates
• Disable Panda Option
• Improved Support for Embedded Videos

  New Features

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Global Announcements

Android users can now view Global Announcements in the app. Global Announcements are created by admins to be seen by all users in the institution, unless otherwise specified. Global Announcements can only be viewed in the app; if you are an admin, Global Announcements can only be created in the Canvas browser interface.

Note: Global Announcements will not appear in the navigation if there are no announcements.

  Updated Features

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SpeedGrader Link in Assignments

Users who are enrolled as an instructor in at least one course in their account can access the Canvas SpeedGrader app from an Assignment. If SpeedGrader is not already installed on the device, instructors can click the SpeedGrader link to access the Play Store and download SpeedGrader.

Logins to SpeedGrader are separate from the Canvas app, so if instructors are not yet logged in to SpeedGrader, they must do so before they can use SpeedGrader.

Discussion Settings

If instructors allow students to create discussion topics in the browser version of Canvas, students can also create discussion topics within the app. The Discussions Add icon will appear in the action bar when the permission is enabled for a course.

  Other Updates

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Disable Panda Option

Users now have the option to disable all Panda-related features in their user settings.  When checked, Unsupported Panda, New Feature Panda, Panda Facts, Flying Panda, and Panda Avatar will be removed or changed to non-panda images.

Improved Support for Embedded Videos

Embedded video performance has been significantly improved within the Canvas app.