External or "insecure" content: Strategies for helping students cope

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
15
22632

From time to time, Canvas users encounter a blank or partially-blank page where content (usually videos) should appear--and almost invariably, the culprit is browser permissions. How to rectify it is a function of the browser the student is using. Videos and other external links that start with the "https:/" prefix are generally not considered external content by Canvas and so should display without issue; however, not every hosting site supports the "https:/" protocol, so inevitably, students will run into the blank page issue from time to time.

The cornerstone resource is in the Canvas Guides--Which browsers does Canvas support? (under the Browser Privacy Settings heading)--and it's a good idea to provide this link in your course, ideally in an orientation or introductory module. In addition to addressing the browser issue, this helpful lesson explains the special use cases for Flash and Java.

In addition, members of the Canvas Community have generously offered their strategies for helping students anticipate and deal with blocked content.

Gabrielle Orsi contributed her page of tips and resources, and she helpfully used links for her images, so the HTML for this page can be copied and used in any course without the need to upload images. I've provided the HTML code for this page in an attachment to this document; to use it, download the file, copy the HTML, and paste it into the HTML Editor in a content page of your choosing.

Tips-for-viewing-embedded-content-in-Canvas.png

Florida SouthWestern State College created this helpful resource. As before, I've provided the HTML code for this page in an attachment to this document; to use it, download the file, copy the HTML, and paste it into the HTML Editor in a content page of your choosing. (This page does use embedded images, so you'll need to download the image files attached to this document, re-upload them to your Canvas course, and insert them as appropriate.)

Is-the-page-you-re-trying-to-view-blank.png

Last, I recently came across this lovely tutorial, and I apologize that I bookmarked it but didn't make note of its creator. Stake your claim to it in the comments, and I'll add attribution! (ETA:  @clong  authored this helpful slideshow. Thanks, Chris!) Going Beyond the Shield - Google Slides

Incorporating a page similar to one of these in your courses will save you and your students a lot of time, and will ease your students' progress through the resources in your course.

15 Comments
clong
Community Champion

Hi Stefanie,

Great page! I'm the creator of Going Beyond the Shield - Google Slides​ glad to see it included in this list.

Wish we could embed content like this in jive​ as we could in ZenDesk. Only con I've found in the new community.

canvas_admin
Community Champion

I've used the template from Florida SouthWestern State College for all of our online courses and love it. However, even though I labeled the page "Having trouble loading a course document or page?", I still get students contacting us rather than consulting the page. *smh*

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

Thanks,  @clong ​ ! This slideshow is awesome, and I've added attribution to the document.

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

I know, right? What "can't miss" title could we possibly give it? Smiley Wink

awilliams
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

 @canvas_admin ​, is that template available online somewhere or in Commons? I'm redoing our templates and I'd love to take a look at what they did.

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

awilliams​, do you mean the one for FSW? It's attached to the doc above.

awilliams
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

Oh, I must have misunderstood. I thought it was a course template. Thanks stefaniesanders​.

canvas_admin
Community Champion

awilliams​, I simply made it a content page that is included in our first module of each course.

cclarke1
Community Novice

As the "universal" color for a URL is blue and it is underlined why not replace the white label above the display area with this standard format?

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

As the "universal" color for a URL is blue and it is underlined why not replace the white label above the display area with this standard format?

 @cclarke1 ​, can you clarify this comment? Are you suggesting a design change to Canvas? Or are you suggesting a modification to one of the templates provided here?

cclarke1
Community Novice

Yes, a design change. So the white label (as seen in pic below) looks

like a link.

Thanks!

Cynthia Clarke, Anthropology/Global Studies;

Webpage:

http://www.everettcc.edu/directory/faculty/index.cfm?eid=4bb#CynthiaClarke

Office: GWH 218

Phone :(425) 388-9382

On Fri, Jan 8, 2016 at 6:38 AM, kona@richland.edu <instructure@jiveon.com>

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

 @cclarke1 ​, I'm not able to see your image. However, if you're suggesting a design change, I recommend that you search the Canvas Feature Ideas​ space, and if you don't find an existing feature idea that corresponds with what you're suggesting, you can submit a new one after reading How to write a good feature idea submission​. (And include your image in the description of your feature idea!)

cclarke1
Community Novice

I did and this was closest I found.

Given you know your internal group, could you forward?

Thanks

Cynthia Clarke, Anthropology/Global Studies;

Webpage:

http://www.everettcc.edu/directory/faculty/index.cfm?eid=4bb#CynthiaClarke

Office: GWH 218

Phone :(425) 388-9382

On Fri, Jan 8, 2016 at 8:37 AM, stefanievsanders@gmail.com <

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

 @cclarke1 , which feature idea was the closest you found? I don't see a link in your response.

Also, I'm a Canvas Coach (you can read more about the Canvas Coaches here Canvas Coach  and here MEET YOUR CANVAS COACHES  and also here How did the Canvas Coaches become Coaches?). Feature ideas must be submitted by the community member advocating for them, so if you'd like to see a feature idea implemented, please write it up, describe your use case(s), and submit it to the Canvas Feature Ideas​ space for consideration and voting.

cclarke1
Community Novice

Never mind

I will shift everything over to my website

Cynthia Clarke, Anthropology/Global Studies;

Webpage:

http://www.everettcc.edu/directory/faculty/index.cfm?eid=4bb#CynthiaClarke

Office: GWH 218

Phone :(425) 388-9382

On Fri, Jan 8, 2016 at 9:37 AM, Stefanie Sanders <instructure@jiveon.com>