Allow wrap-around text for content items in a module

[amixon]

  This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

  Idea will be open for vote Wed. July 1, 2015 - Wed. October 7, 2015  Learn more about voting...

Dear Canvas

Recently you updated the number of characters visible in the module main page.  Now all of my assignments are truncated and end with ....

Why would you do this?

Does this look informative to students?  Why is there so much white open and available space between my assignment name and the number of points it's worth?

http://puu.sh/ipNcq.png

Now, I heard it was to make things easier to read on phones and tablets.  Except it's not. Here's my tablet.  This is awesome.  Totally - I like being able to see 10 letters of an assignment.  And since you can't hover on a tablet, why have you done this?

I would like to know who, in their right mind, looked at this and said, yeah.... that looks great!

http://puu.sh/ipNmy.png

I would like to vote on increasing the display size of assignment names in the modules.  Whatever it was before was even too small.  So I don't know if this is a vote on increasing the allowable text letters, or if it increases the width of the pixels used in that category.  No, I don't use the app for Canvas because I don't like how it's set up or organized.  It looks entirely different than the web based version, nothing is indented and so on, so that's not a reasonable alternative request Canvas.

Thanks

April

  Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the Canvas Production Release Notes (2016-08-27)

[orwinr]

My team and I are with Tim on this one. We are in the process of redesigning our course templates and were looking to use the "Text Headers" in the module to describe specific pieces of content. We were quite disappointed to find that the headers don't wrap. Yes, there is a tool tip when you mouse over but for us that just doesn't cut it. Please make this a priority.

[allison]

Hello all,

I've been working with our awesome Design team to see if there's a way to improve not just the character limit but also the font size in modules. Here is our first go at a possible change. What we've done here is increase the "row height" of each module item and put some of the relevant information on a second line. What do you think of this approach? Upsides? Downsides?

[orwinr]

Thanks for continuing to work on this Allyson. This screenshot actually appears to be the assignments page that is showing the second line of information. In the modules area, would each module item show this information pulled directly from the assignment as it shows here? If there isn't additional information, like in a text header, will the second line automatically collapse? To me, it is the character limit that is most important at this point. The ability for text headers to wrap is key! The second line is just a bonus 🙂 Thanks again for working on a solution!

[sadenniston]

Relevant information on the second line is much better in my opinion - it ties the information to the item much more tightly.

As Randy stated, the ability to wrap is the key rather than using the space that is currently taken up by the relevant information. Wrapping with no limits makes text headers more meaningful and would shift the modules space from what is now essentially a work unit index.

[kona]

Is this how it would look on Modules (not assignments)? Regardless, I like the second line, especially if it gives us more room on the top line!

[Stef_retired]

Deactivated user​, I too would like to see how this will look on the Modules view, and am looking forward to being able to put more detailed information in text headers without having them truncated. I am hopeful that this critical part of the original feature idea is being addressed.

[BKINNEY]

I like it. To, me, it looks like plenty of space for a title, but I have a couple of biases: first, I personally think titles should be kept short, for variety of reasons. I know lots of people disagree, and I've seen many, many a file on faculty hard-drives with what I consider unreasonably long names. In keeping with that practice, it's no surprise to me that many here want unlimited space for their module titles. My other bias is that I avoid using mobile devices, and especially avoid the Canvas App, when trying to get anything done. In fact, I like to have dual monitors, so that I can fill an entire monitor with my browser, and still have screen real estate left for other programs. So, when I look at a Module listing, I see a longer line than many others would. On a small screen, I can easily imagine that a single line would be insufficient space for the type of titles I routinely see when working with faculty.

Bottom line, I like what you have done, but I don't see the harm in allowing titles to wrap. People like me, who would rather have short, neat menus will keep their titles within a single line, and those who feel the need to turn their titles into mini-abstracts can do so. Is there a technical reason why the design team is so resistant to line wrapping? If not, then I don't see why individual course owners can't decide for themselves how long their page titles should be. So what if it makes their menus ugly and forces their students to have to scroll a lot? Those are tradeoffs an instructor makes, and Instructure should not be dictating them.

[Chris_Hofer]

I like how you've included some relevant information about the assignment underneath the title.  Like others have already posted, would this same view of items carry over to the "Modules" page, too?  This is maybe minor, but my one concern with increasing the "row height" is that you've now increased the overall length of the page (even if it is a bit more scrolling).  I think would be a reason why many of us would like to see this Feature Idea implemented:

[govreacl]

Suggest also wrapping assignment title in the gradebook.

[kmeeusen]

Hi  @govreacl ​.

There are many places in Canvas in which wrapping should be included, and the Gradebook is definitely one of those places. Since new or additional ideas cannot be piggybacked onto existing ideas, I suggest you create  a new feature idea for this.

Learn how to create feature ideas at @How do I create a new feature idea?

I hope this helps,

KLM