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Canvas Release Notes (2018-08-25)

Canvas Release Notes (2018-08-25)

Upcoming Canvas Changes

October 6: Non-Scoring Rubrics Feature Option Enforcement

On October 6, the Non-Scoring Rubrics feature option will be enabled for all Canvas institutions and applies to all users. For details about this feature, please see Canvas Release: Non-Scoring Rubrics.

In this Canvas release (August 25), the Mark as Done module requirement synchronizes with the student Dashboard List View and Card View to-do list to automatically complete items that have been marked as done. For instructors using the Scheduler tool in the Calendar, the Calendar Feed link includes Scheduler appointment details in the calendar feed export.

For institutions that have enabled self-registration, an observer pairing code expiration time period has been changed from 24 hours to 7 days.

Feature Options

  • For institutions using the Anonymous Grading feature option, SpeedGrader does not display submission details for anonymous assignments until after the assignment is unmuted.
  • For institutions using the International SMS feature option, three additional countries have been added to SMS notifications.
  • For institutions using the New Gradebook, admins can enable the New Gradebook feature option for their entire institution.
  • For institutions using the Learning Mastery Gradebook feature option, the Learning Mastery Gradebook includes filters to hide outcomes with no results and hide students with no results.
  • For institutions using the Student Learning Mastery Gradebook feature option, outcomes include an information icon that display details about the outcome.

Release notes describe upcoming Canvas functionality and are subject to change.

 

Feature Options

The following feature options are addressed in this release:

  • Account: International SMS
  • Course: Anonymous Grading, New Gradebook, Learning Mastery Gradebook, Student Learning Mastery Gradebook
Canvas release summary by user roleCanvas New Release ScreencastCanvas Release Collaborative Chat


Release Notes Change Log

  Updated Features

  BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS

Calendar

Scheduler External Feed Appointment Details

 

Location to Enable FeatureScheduler
Configuration DetailsCalendar External Feed
Affected Canvas AreasCalendar
Affects User InterfaceNo
Affected User RolesInstructors

Summary

For instructors using the Scheduler tool in the Calendar, the Calendar Feed link includes Scheduler appointment details in the calendar feed export. Appointment details include scheduled student appointments, the associated course, and any student comments.

 

In student calendar feeds, the current functionality has not been affected. Students can view their reserved appointment group time slot, but any comments to the instructor are not included.

 

Change Benefit

This change allows instructors to view all appointment details for a Scheduler appointment group without having to access Canvas.

Scheduler appointment group details display in calendar feed exports

Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Instructors
When instructors create an appointment group for a course through the Scheduler tool, and students reserve appointment group time slots, instructors can view the appointment group details in their Canvas Calendar. If an instructor wants to export the calendar feed to an external calendar, Scheduler appointment group details are included in the calendar feed.

Feature Idea Contributions

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

Dashboard

List View and Mark as Done Module Requirements

 

Location to Enable FeatureModules
Configuration DetailsModules Requirements
Affected Canvas AreasModules, Dashboard
Affects User InterfaceYes
Affected User RolesInstructors, Students

Summary

The Mark as Done module requirement synchronizes with the student Dashboard List View and Card View to-do list to automatically complete items that have been marked as done.

Note: This behavior is only supported when the page is located in one module. Adding the same page within multiple modules does not synchronize with the to-do list.

Change Benefit

This change helps synchronize to-do items with the module requirement’s status. Currently students must manually complete the page from the List View after selecting the Mark as Done button.

 

Affected User Roles & Behaviors

Instructors

Instructors can add a page to a module, add a module requirement, and require the page be marked as done.

Students

Students can view the page and click the Mark as Done button. The page is removed from the to-do list and marked as complete in the Dashboard List View.

Students with Mark as Done module requirements can select the button, which updates in the List View

Feature Idea Contributions

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

 

Gradebook

Learning Mastery Gradebook Filter Options

This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.  

Location to Enable FeatureLearning Mastery Gradebook
Configuration DetailsLearning Mastery Gradebook Feature Option
Affected Canvas AreasLearning Mastery Gradebook
Affects User InterfaceYes
Affected User RolesInstructors

Summary

The Learning Mastery Gradebook includes filters to hide outcomes with no results and hide students with no results. Selected filters persist for the course within the same browser.

Change Benefit

This change allows instructors to filter outcomes and students within the Learning Mastery Gradebook.

Learning Mastery Gradebook includes filters for outcomes and students

Feature Idea Contributions

https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/2515-hiding-unused-outcomes 

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

 

Grades

Student Learning Mastery Gradebook Outcome Icons

This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.  

Location to Enable FeatureGrades, Learning Mastery Tab
Configuration DetailsStudent Learning Mastery Gradebook Feature Option
Affected Canvas AreasGrades
Affects User InterfaceYes
Affected User RolesStudents

Summary

In the Learning Mastery Gradebook, outcomes include an information icon that display details about the outcome including last assessment, calculation method, and mastery level (if applicable).

 

Change Benefit

This change allows students to view the details for individual outcomes.

Student Learning Mastery Gradebook include outcome icons for students

Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Students
When students view the Learning Mastery Gradebook, they can select the information icon next to an outcome and view the details of that outcome.

Feature Idea Contributions

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

 

SpeedGrader

Anonymous Assignment Hidden Submission Details

This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.  

Location to Enable Feature

SpeedGrader

Configuration Details

Anonymous Grading Feature Option

Affected Canvas Areas

SpeedGrader

Affects User Interface

Yes

Affected User Roles

Instructor

Summary

When an assignment is anonymous, SpeedGrader does not display submission details until after the assignment is unmuted.

Change Benefit

This change helps enforce student anonymity for assignment submissions.

 

Affected User Roles & Behaviors

Instructors

When an assignment is anonymous, the SpeedGrader sidebar shows the assignment was submitted but does not display the date and time.

SpeedGrader sidebar does not show submission details for anonymous assignments

If a submission is resubmitted, the submission menu displays submissions by number (e.g. Submission 1, Submission 2).

Anonymous assignments with multiple submissions display submissions by number

When the assignment is unmuted, the sidebar will unhide all anonymity details, including the student names and submission details.

Feature Idea Contributions

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

Users

Self-Registration Observer Pairing Code Changes

 

Location to Enable FeatureUser Settings
Configuration DetailsSelf Registration, Canvas Authentication (Admins)
Affected Canvas AreasUser Settings (Students and Observers), People page (Instructors), Authentication (Admins)
PermissionsGenerate observer pairing code for students (account, course)
Affects User InterfaceYes
Affected User RolesAll Users
Original Feature Introduction2018-07-14

 

Summary

For institutions that have enabled self-registration, an observer pairing code expiration time period has been changed from 24 hours to 7 days. Pairing codes also include uppercase and lowercase letters.

Change Benefit

This change allows observers additional time to pair a student’s account using the web or the Canvas Parent mobile app. The capitalization change to alphanumeric codes improves code validity.

Pairing codes are active for up to 7 days

Affected User Roles & Behaviors

Observers

When observers receive a pairing code from a student, the observers can use the code within 7 days. No other functionality has been affected.

Feature Idea Contributions

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

  Other Updates

  BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS

Account Settings

New Gradebook Feature Option Change

This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.    

  
Feature DeployDeployed to the production environment 2018-08-15
Location to Enable FeatureAccount Settings
Configuration DetailsNew Gradebook Feature Option
Affected Canvas AreasNew Gradebook
Affects User InterfaceYes
Affected User RolesAdmins

Summary

Admins can enable the New Gradebook feature option for their entire institution.

Change Benefit

This change allows admins to enable the New Gradebook for all courses within an account or subaccount without having to enable the feature option within individual courses.

 

Affected User Roles & Behaviors

Admins

In the Account Settings Feature Options tab, admins can change the New Gradebook to On, which will enable the New Gradebook for all courses in the account.

Feature Idea Contributions

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

User Settings

International SMS Country Additions

 

Location to Enable Feature

User Settings, Ways to Contact Link

Configuration Details

International SMS Feature Option

Affected Canvas Areas

User Settings

Beta Environment Support

SMS Notifications Not Supported

Affects User Interface

No

Affected User Roles

All Users

Summary

International users in Rwanda, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan can enable SMS messages for Canvas notifications. Unlike in the United States, international carrier details are not required as part of the communication setup.

Change Benefit

This change offers SMS notification support to additional users outside the United States.

 

Affected User Roles & Behaviors

All Users

In the User Settings page, users can select SMS as a contact method. The Text (SMS) tab displays all supported country codes.   

Feature Idea Contributions

Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.

  Fixed Bugs

  BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS

Accessibility

Account Settings

When a Help menu name field transition to an invalid value, a flash alert is displayed to screen readers.

Horizontal rules in content exports and the Move menu in the Navigation tab are hidden to screen readers.

Admin Tools

Horizontal rules in the Admin Tools tabs are hidden to screen readers.

Announcements

The New Announcement button H1 reads as New Announcement to screen readers.

When the External Feeds sidebar is closed, focus is retained in the External Feeds button.

In content pages using Chrome and Safari browsers, keyboard-only focus is initially placed in the title field.

Courses

When a search is made for a course at the account level, results are announced to screen readers after the Enter key is pressed or when the user moves away from the search field.

Dashboard

In the Dashboard Card View, card icons include a focus box for all users.

Discussions

Unread discussion indicators are read by screen readers.

Files

File table headings are read correctly to screen readers.

Rich Content Editor

In assignment pages, keyboard-only focus is initially placed in the name field.

Rubrics

In a rubric within SpeedGrader, focus is retained in the comment field for the first criterion.

Theme Editor

Templates and My Themes headings are set as H2s.

API

SIS Imports API

The API Restore workflow_states of SIS imported items endpoint returns a progress for SIS restore states.

Explanation: When a user tried to make an API call to restore workflow states, the API call timed out when it tried to restore all states before returning the API response. Canvas code has been updated to return a progress for SIS restore states instead of returning the SIS import directly.

Courses

Account Search Errors

Requesting a new course search before a previous search has completed does not generate an error message.

Explanation: When an admin searched for a course while a previous search was still processing, the page displayed an error message even though the new search displayed search results. Canvas code has been updated to not display aborted search results as errors and display results for last requested search.

Modules

Module Duplication Omissions

Prerequisites and Unlock Dates are not included in duplicated modules.

Explanation: When a module was duplicated, duplicated prerequisites and unlock dates caused confusion for students when modules had to be completed in sequential order. Canvas code has been updated to not include prerequisites and unlock dates when duplicating a module.

Quizzes

Disabled Third-Party Cookie Launch in Chrome

Quizzes.Next can be launched if third-party cookies are disabled in Chrome.

Explanation: When third-party cookies were disabled in Chrome, and a user tried to open Quizzes.Next, the tool could not be launched in the browser. Quizzes.next code has been updated to support launching quizzes when third-party cookies are disabled in Chrome.

Numerical Answer Question Negative Values

Numerical Answer questions support negative values.

Explanation: When a negative value was added to a Numerical Answer question, and the answer type was Answer with Precision, the question returned NaN if the precision was set to a number other than 16. Canvas code has been updated to allow negative values.

Rich Content Editor

Link to URL and Internet Explorer 11

Selecting content with the Link to URL link from the content selector sidebar links the selected content correctly.

Explanation: When content was selected using the Link to URL link in the content selector sidebar using Internet Explorer 11, the selected content was not highlighted and the word Link was inserted into the page. Canvas code has been updated to correct links with existing text in Internet Explorer 11.

Table Edits and Internet Explorer Edge

Tables can be edited in Internet Explorer Edge.

Explanation: When a table was edited using Internet Explorer Edge, the table could not be edited. Canvas code has been updated to allow editing using Internet Explorer Edge.

Terms

Default Term Names

The Default Term name cannot be renamed.

Explanation: When a default term was renamed, new courses were not able to be created in the term. The previous default term was always displayed in the course creation window despite the renamed term. Canvas code has been updated to not allow the default term to be renamed.


Release Notes Change Log

  BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS

Date
2018-08-15

Added—Updated Features

  • Users: Self-Registration Observer Pairing Code Changes

Added—Other Updates

  • Account Settings: New Gradebook Feature Option Change

Added—Fixed Bugs

  • API: SIS Imports API
2018-08-13Release Notes Published

Change Log

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