Button maker in rich content editor

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

I think there should be a button maker in the rich content editor (RCE). I find myself creating courses that make thorough use of the pages feature of canvas (especially when designing fully online, asynchronous  classes). I usually use images as buttons in order to make user friendly navigation options for these courses. This makes me wish that there was a way to more easily create and customize buttons within the RCE. I presently use "Da Button Factory" to create the buttons for my courses. This suggested button maker would have many (if not all) of the same features such as colour, font size, font, button size, fit to text, corner rounding...

 

The button maker could include additional features such as:

  • Visual feedback that a button can be/ has been pressed (change of colour, removal of 3d elements to create the illusion of a physical button press).
  • Programed changes to the button such as a change of colour after the assignment that it links to has been submitted. Or a size increase to draw attention to daily activities (quizzes, video lectures). 
  • Prerequisites. The button that links to a quiz could re-direct the student to a video lecture or online reading if Canvas detects that the student has not interacted with the necessary material for said quiz. Canvas already tracks student activity through "Access Reports" so I don't think this is outside the realm of possibility.

 

These are just a few of my ideas. I definitely think that community polls could be set up to see what features would be more useful than others. While there is definitely a high ceiling for this kind of tool, I also think that this kind of tool would help more novice creators create more professional looking courses.

 

16 Comments
Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
Status changed to: Open

@JonathanParkin 

Thanks for sharing this idea. We'll move it forward as a request for a built-in button maker in the Rich Content Editor (RCE); should that development come to pass, members can then initiate new conversations around enhancements to that functionality, some of which are listed as "additional features" in the bullet points in the description.

ttorres
Community Member

I use Word or google docs to make attractive buttons to navigate to modules and assignments.  I would like an easier way through Canvas directly 🙂  It would take the tedious time away from going from word right to Canvas then setting the link. 

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
Status changed to: In Development
 
Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
Status changed to: Open
 
chrish
Community Participant

Today I was working with a teacher in zoom and I noticed a new icon in the RCE. It looked like 4 symbols, a triangle, square an two others.. Wish I would have grabbed a screenshot. I had her click on it and it said "button builder". After we were done I went to look for it and could not find it, I even masqueraded as here and could not see it, then found this. What magic is this?

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

@chrish Keep an eye on the Q4 roadmap... 😉

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
Status changed to: In Development
 
Ron_Bowman
Community Champion

@JonathanParkin -

Good post on the buttons.  I can't wait to see the implementation in Canvas.

I saw where you mentioned pages and I wanted to PM you, but evidently that feature is turned off for you.  It sounds like you may have a lot of pages for your courses and I thought you might be interested in the extension developed by a community member.  This extension allows the instructor to organize their view of pages into folders.  

https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Idea-Conversations/Allow-folders-in-Pages/idi-p/360796/page/20#co...

you will have to scroll down on the page to find the actual post by Dan (the link should come up on page 20 for that discussion).

The actual chrome link is: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/canvas-page-folders/oedghiclldgapmpgcplfjjfdkfehlkpp

 

KristinL
Community Team
Community Team
Status changed to: On Beta
  Comments from Instructure

 

For more information, please read through the Canvas Release Notes (2022-04-16)

jonna_radegard
Community Participant

This will be great, does anyone know when the ability to upload custom images will be added? It says in a future deploy but what is the timeframe? Thansk! Jonna