Student PDF Annotations on Web Browser Version

Recently, a new feature was added to the Canvas App, which allows students to "mark-up" PDFs directly in Canvas and submit them. This is amazing! However, it s only a feature on the App, and not in the normal web browser version for students with Laptops or Desktops. This is a great feature that Canvas has, and I just wish the students at our school (who all have district-provided laptops) could do it too!

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

For more information, please read through the  Canvas Release Notes (2021-05-15).

87 Comments
LisZ
Community Member

I just made an account on this page just to suggest this feature!!! I am really trying to avoid sending my 2nd Grade eLearning students off to third party webistes (like Kami) to complete assignments. The current work-around to allow students to annotate on PDFs in Canvas is way too confusing for young students. Canvas, PLEASE make it so students can annotate directly in Canvas!!! The functionality is already there for giving feedback in SpeedGrader, they just need to be able to access it before submitting the assignment! 

 

For anyone interested in the lengthy process of annotating directly in Canvas here is a video that explains it: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLuaMnQuiF8&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR09syJqs_GnQw4xmvnp8kVlLUeeAl...

Mziller
Community Member

I don't understand why we as teachers have access to an annotation box in speed grader, on a desk top or lap top, but the kiddos that really need it more don't have the same access to that tool. You need to allow this for students because not all have iPads.

swendling
Community Explorer

Elementary Students need a way to annotate documents that is direct.  Since annotation exists within the Canvas platform, after a document has been submitted, it seems that it wouldn't be too difficult to provide a way students could annotate at the start.  Trying to find a work around to pdf annotation is causing me so much stress! My students are 6 and 7 years old.  See Saw and Class Dojo both have it; with Class Dojo just adding it this summer.  Please, please, please Canvas friends, take pity on the elementary school teachers and add this feature. 

Karen93
Community Member

Currently students and teachers can write, highlight, draw, and comment on a PDF in the feedback section of an assignment. Students need to be able to interact with PDFs in this manner before the assignment is submitted. I would like to see this functionality added to make district curriculum easier for teachers to manage in Canvas and easier for students to interact with. I am a school district Canvas Coordinator (PK-12) and an online instructor for a university.

epulham
Community Contributor

We would really benefit from this tool as well!!

kmeta
Community Member

This really needs to be prioritized for our kids (our children and our students). A "mark up" feature is available on so many other platforms. As said before in an earlier comment, teachers have the ability to mark up or add annotations, but our students really need this too. And given the fact that this feature is available on the mobile app, it should have been an automatic desktop feature (besides, this doesn't make sense when most of my students don't have mobile devices). We should be simplifying things as much as possible to eliminate frustration that causes kids to give up. Having this capability would really be an improvement! PLEASE, can someone bump this up the priority chain?? 

cveach
Community Member

We really NEED this for elementary students who are using district provided Chromebooks.

Lauriezazz
Community Novice

This would be so helpful, especially for the younger kids!

Ak50
Community Member

Yes!   Please!  So many hours wasted and so many frustrated students and teachers would be thrilled if you could annotate a pdf

DannonMcg734
Community Member

We need a way for younger students to write and draw on pages, such as PDFs.