Student Login API Bug

[shoyt]

in a test scenario using the following api, i'm able to get a record for our control student. however, only one record is ever returned. i have logged into and explicitly logged out of the student's account several times after the timestamp of the lone record being returned.

/api/v1/users/:user_id/logins?per_page=100

oddly enough, in the "new analytics" session for the class that student is enrolled in, none of the most recent activities are seemingly recorded either.

that is, the "last page view" matches the timestamp of the single login record the api returns for the student in question.

what might be the cause of the issue?

[chriscas]

Hi @shoyt,

The logins API endpoint is listing the available login methods (usernames / ids) for that particular Canvas account, not a list of every time they logged in to Canvas.  I think you may want to look more into reports or analytics APIs is you're after more granular information about student usage of Canvas.  Someone with more experience may be able to chime in and suggest an exact API endpoint to use for this.

-Chris

[shoyt]

Hi, @chriscas ...

I was able to get an answer from the Canvas tech team assigned to my company. The API endpoint is /api/v1/users/:user_id/page_views . While Canvas has no dedicated endpoint just for logins, this will report on all activity. Logins turn out to be those entries whose "url" value ends with the query string ?login_success=1 ...

Thanks for explaining the intent of the endpoint I was trying to use. I must have skimmed the documentation too quickly. Or, maybe it just wasn't very clear. Either way, now at least you and I know the answer and can help the next person running into the same situation.

[chriscas]

Hi @shoyt,

I'm not exactly sure what you are doing with the data, but I did want to point out for you or anyone else who may find this thread in the future that the page_views (especially just looking for logins) may have a limitation...  Namely, the mobile app.  In most cases, the mobile app stays logged in forever, so a student may log in to that during their freshman year, and depending how much they use the add vs a laptop/desktop), you could see very few logins but the student could have a ton of activity (that the page_views would still generally show).  Just something to think about...

-Chris

[shoyt]

@chriscas ... that's great to know!

We have a unique set of students in terms of their available avenues to access Canvas, so hopefully it doesn't become an issue. If it does, they realize their grant funding requires activity reporting from us on their logins and academic progress. So if we see they aren't logging in but they swear they are, we'll know where to look first in the discrepancy.

Thanks much for all your help.