Changes from https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-14552-canvas-beta-release-notes-2018-04-30?sr=search&search...
Updated Features—
- Removed Account Settings: Right-to-Left Language Support
Other Updates—
- Added Permissions: See Other Users’ Primary Email Address, View Login IDs for Users
Platform/Integration—
- Added API Additions: Roles API
Upcoming Canvas Changes
SIS File Refactor: June 2
On June 2, the SIS File Refactor account-level feature option will be enabled for all institutions. This change benefits institutions with large SIS imports, provides more detailed error and troubleshooting information, and allows for future SIS Import engineering improvements. Learn more about the SIS File Refactor in the Canvas Production Release Notes (2018-04-21).
Course and People Search: June 2
On June 2, the Course and People Search account-level feature option will be enabled for all institutions. This change allows admins to more easily navigate courses and users in a Canvas account. Learn more about Course and People Search in the Canvas Production Release Notes (2018-03-10).
In this production release (May 12), Yo is no longer supported as a Canvas web service. Additionally, the Files Settings menu icon has been replaced with the Options icon.
For admins, the Customize this Menu link in the Global Navigation menu directs to the Help Menu section in the Account Settings page, and two new permissions have been added for allowing users to view primary email addresses and view login IDs.
For instructors, the Announcements commenting option is persistent per user across all courses that allow announcement replies.
For students, the submission details page sidebar displays the assignment status as Submitted instead of Turned In.
Production release notes also include API updates and fixed bugs.
Features are subject to change based on user feedback and testing. Please follow the release notes for the latest information.
Canvas New Feature Screencast (2018-05-12)
Next release schedule
- Beta release and notes: May 21
- Production release notes: May 29 (in observance of Memorial Day in the United States)
- Production release and documentation: June 2
Production release notes indicate Canvas updates that will be included with Saturday’s release and are subject to change. However, some features may already be deployed to production as indicated in the release notes. New features may differ from those available in your beta environment. Learn more about the Canvas Release Schedule.
- Not all features will apply to mobile apps, and some functionality may be implemented in mobile apps at a later date.
- Mobile features are updated and announced separately according to app and device in the Mobile release notes
The Canvas product team welcomes feedback according to Canvas Community Feedback Guidelines. Release notes comments are subject to release notes comment policies.
Account-level features are not available in Free-for-Teacher accounts unless otherwise indicated.
Flash Content Reminder: Canvas displays Flash content as supported within major browsers. Microsoft Edge, Safari, Chrome, and Firefox default to HTML5 as the preferred method for displaying website content, which promotes a faster, more secure browsing experience. These browsers will eventually block all Flash content. For best performance in Canvas, course content should be designed to support HTML5. Any affected content can still be accessed by manually allowing permission for flash content in the browser. Using the camera and microphone to record media content within the Canvas Rich Content Editor currently still relies on Flash and is being addressed by Canvas engineers.
Advanced CSS and JavaScript users: Canvas releases may include undocumented changes that affect styles and code in custom applications. Please make sure to view your Beta environment for any customization conflicts.
- UpdatedFeatures
- Announcements
- Comment Setting Persistence
- User Settings
- Yo Web Service
- OtherUpdates
- Assignments
- Submission Details Page Sidebar Terminology Update
- Files
- Settings Menu Icon Update
- Global Navigation
- Help Customization Link Section Anchor Tag
- Permissions
- See Other Users’ Primary Email Address
- View Login IDs for Users
- Platform/Integration
- API Changes
- Accounts API
- User Observees API
- API Additions
- Accounts API
- Communication Channels API
- Courses API
- Enrollments API
- Roles API
- Submissions API
- User Observees API
- Users API
- Fixed Bugs
- Accessibility
- Assignments
- Courses
- Notifications
- People
- SpeedGrader
- API
- Courses API
- Assignments
- Duplicated or Unmuted Assignments Validity Error
- Peer Reviews and Rubric Removal
- Section Date Term Override Error
- Blueprint Courses
- Module Lock Dates
- Gradebook
- Grading Period Placement and Due Date Changes
- New Gradebook
- Grading Periods and Enrollment Visibility
- People
- New People Page and Add People Button
- New People Page and Deleted Enrollments
- New People Page and Test Students
- Quizzes
- Auto-Graded Quiz Changes and Grading History Accuracy
Updated Features |
Announcements
Comment Setting Persistence
When users are allowed to comment in announcements in a course, the Allow Users to Comment option is persistent and displays the same option set in the previous announcement. This change assists instructors so they don’t have to change the comment option for each announcement they create.
This setting is associated with the user context and not the course context. If an instructor changes the comment setting in one course and creates an announcement in another course, the same comment setting will apply. However, if the course has not enabled comments for announcements, the comment option does not display in the announcement and the announcement is locked by default.
User Settings
Yo Web Service
Canvas notifications no longer integrate with Yo, a single-tap zero-character communication tool.
Other Updates |
Assignments
Submission Details Page Sidebar Terminology Update
When a student submits an assignment, the submission details page sidebar displays the assignment status as Submitted. Previously the sidebar displayed the status as Turned In. This change helps align consistency with Canvas terminology.
Files
Settings Menu Icon Update
The Files Settings menu icon has been replaced with the Options icon. This change helps align consistency throughout all Canvas areas and mobile apps.
Global Navigation
Help Customization Link Section Anchor Tag
In the Global Navigation Help menu, the Customize this Menu link directs admins to the Help Menu Options section in the Account Settings page. Previously, the customization link directed admins to the top of the Account Settings page, which required them to scroll down the page.
Permissions
See Other Users’ Primary Email Address
The Account and Course Roles page includes the See Other Users’ Primary Email Address permission. This permission is enabled by default for admins at the account level, and instructors and TAs at the course level (as well as any custom roles based on instructor and TA roles). However, this permission can be enabled for student, observer, and designer roles. Details about this permission have also been added to the Roles API.
When enabled, users can search for other users via primary email address in the People page and view email addresses via the Roles API. The People page does not display a user's email directly in the People page, but it is returned in search results via API.
The functionality of this permission has always existed in Canvas for users with the add/remove students permission. However, this new permission change limits email visibility to other users who may not need to view other users' email addresses.
View Login IDs for Users
The Account and Course Roles page includes the View Login IDs for Users permission. This permission is enabled by default for admins at the account level, and instructors and TAs at the course level (as well as any custom roles based on instructor and TA roles). However, this permission cannot be enabled for any other role. Details about this permission have also been added to the Roles API.
When enabled, users can view login IDs for users in the People page and access login details via API.
When searching for a user in the new account-level People page, admins were unable to search for user data other than name if the admin did not also have permission to add/remove other teachers or add/remove students from the course permissions. Canvas code has been updated to allow admins to search for user data based on the permissions granted to the admin. The following permissions are now required for each intended search result:
- Find a user by email address: See Other Users’ Primary Email Address permission
- Find a user by SIS ID: Read SIS Data or Manage SIS Data permissions
- Find a user by Login ID: View Login IDs for Users permission
Platform/Integration |
For details about using Canvas API documentation, please see the Canvas API Policy page.
API Changes
Accounts API
List Active Courses in an Account Endpoint
- Sort parameter: Replaced subaccount value with account_name value. Subaccount can still be used as a value for backward compatibility.
User Observees API
List Observees Endpoint
- Clarifies that the returned observees will include the observation_link_root_account_ids attribute
API Additions
Accounts API
List Active Courses in an Account Endpoint
- Include parameter: Added account_name value
Communication Channels API
Delete a Push Notification Endpoint
- Added endpoint
Courses API
List Your Courses Endpoint
- Include parameter: Added account object
List Courses for a User Endpoint
- Include parameter: Added account object
Get a Single Course Endpoint
- Include parameter: Added account object
Enrollments API
List Enrollments Endpoint
- Added enrollment_term_id parameter
Roles API
Create a New Role Endpoint
- permissions[<X>][enabled] parameter: added read_email_addresses value (see other users’ primary email address) and view_user_logins value (view login IDs for users)
Submissions API
List Submissions for Multiple Assignments Endpoint
- Added graded_since parameter
User Observees API
Add an Observee with Credentials Endpoint
- Added root_account_id parameter
Add an Observee Endpoint
- Added root_account_id parameter
Remove an Observee Endpoint
- Added root_account_id parameter
Users API
Create a User Endpoint
- Added destination parameter
Fixed Bugs |
Accessibility
Assignments
The Assignment Index page and Create Assignment page includes correct form labels and valid aria attributes.
Courses
At the account level, course search results are announced to screen readers.
Notifications
User notification preference tooltip details can be viewed by keyboard users and screen readers.
People
At the account level, people search results are announced to screen readers.
SpeedGrader
When the Allow Outcome Extra Credit feature option is enabled, rubric score changes are announced to screen readers.
API
Courses API
In the Create a New Course Endpoint, the course[default_view] parameter does not include the option to set a page as the front page.
Explanation: When a user created a new course via the API and set the default view for the home page, the API documentation displayed an option to set a front page. However, the parameter was unable to support the API call because the functionality was not supported. Canvas code has been updated to remove the option to set a page as the front page from the API documentation.
Assignments
Duplicated or Unmuted Assignments Validity Error
Duplicated or unmuted assignments with edited Until dates do not generate an error.
Explanation: When a duplicated or unmuted assignment was also edited so the Until date matched the Due date, the assignment generated an error. Canvas code has been updated to allow Until dates to be edited without error.
Peer Reviews and Rubric Removal
Removing a rubric from a peer review assignment does not affect currently assigned peer reviews.
Explanation: When a rubric was removed from a peer review assignment, all currently assigned peer reviews were also removed from the assignment. Canvas code has been updated to not affect peer review assignments when a rubric is removed.
Section Date Term Override Error
Assignments can be assigned to an individual student if the student is enrolled in a section with term override dates.
Explanation: When a student was enrolled in a section with term override dates and assigned to an assignment, the assignment displayed that the date cannot be after the term end. Canvas code has been updated to not validate assignments assigned to individual students. This change does not affect assignments assigned to entire sections, which are still validated against term dates.
Blueprint Courses
Module Lock Dates
Modules with unlocked dates in Blueprint courses generate an unsynced change for associated courses.
Explanation: When a module was locked until a specific date in a Blueprint course, synced to associated courses, then unlocked, the Blueprint course did not trigger an unsynced change. Canvas code has been updated to generate unsynced changes when a previously locked module is unlocked in a Blueprint course.
Gradebook
Grading Period Placement and Due Date Changes
Assignment due date edits do not affect placement within another grading period.
Explanation: When an assignment’s due date was changed in a course with multiple grading periods, the Gradebook displayed the assignment cells as grayed out notifying the submission was in another grading period. Canvas code has been updated to ensure assignment due dates place the assignment in the correct grading period for all submissions associated with the assignment.
New Gradebook
Grading Periods and Enrollment Visibility
Grading period assignments verify concluded and inactive student option visibility.
Explanation: When a user selects a grading period and has not selected the option to display inactive or concluded students, submissions for inactive and concluded students still displayed in the grading period. Canvas code has been updated to verify the concluded and inactive student visibility option in the Gradebook when displaying assignments.
People
New People Page and Add People Button
In the new account-level People page, the Add People button only displays for users with permission to add users to courses.
Explanation: When an admin clicked the Add People button in the new account-level People page, and the admin did not have permission to add users to courses, the page generated an error message. Canvas code has been updated to only display the Add People button for admins who have the add/remove students and/or add/remove other teachers permission.
New People Page and Deleted Enrollments
In the new account-level People page, deleted enrollments are not included in search results when filtering by role.
Explanation: When an admin filtered the new account-level People page by role, the search field displayed both deleted and active enrollments. Canvas code has been updated to display only active roles as part of the search filter.
New People Page and Test Students
In the new account-level People page, the test students are not counted in course enrollments.
Explanation: When a course included a test student, the test student displayed in the new account-level People page count as a student enrollment. Canvas code has been updated to remove test students from enrollment counts.
Quizzes
Auto-Graded Quiz Changes and Grading History Accuracy
Auto-graded quizzes with manual edits retain all grades in the Grading History page.
Explanation: When an auto-graded quiz was manually edited, the Grading History page only displayed the manual grade change and not the original grade. Canvas code has been updated to retain and display all grades for an auto-graded quiz.
