DocViewer: Admin and Instructor can edit/delete comments

[herriott10ad]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

In the current implementation of Canvas DocViewer, Admin and Instructor roles have no authority to remove annotations. 

Please consider adding Admin and Instructor authority to remove comments and annotations from a document. 

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the following release notes:

Canvas Student Release Notes (iOS 6.3) 

Canvas Production Release Notes (2018-06-02) .

https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-15152 

[erinhmcmillan]

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the Canvas Beta Release Notes (2017-10-16) 

[erinhmcmillan]

Idea is currently in development

This feature is back in development and will be available in a future release.

[cms_hickss]

Thank you for the update on the status change of this Idea.

[bierschenk_1]

A very strong +1 to Susan and Tim's caveats. This topic was brought to my attention by a faculty member who'd seen it on the Writing Program Administrators listserv, where there was strong concern that "allowing an instructor to co-opt the voice of a TA (or student)" is concerning, both legally (as Susan notes) and pedagogically — while I certainly understand the concerns of professors wishing to maintain consistency of instruction, I share the concerns of my colleagues who value transparency in acknowledging that instruction and learning is coming from a multiplicity of voices. From our disciplinary standpoint, it makes a lot more sense to allow an edit, but mark it (a la Facebook's 'Edited' indication). I recognize that this wouldn't be suitable for all courses/instructors -- course-level settings would be very welcome.

[mippolit]

The challenge is building in the flexibility needed by various instructors in various situations. For example, I use a grader and not a TA. I want the ability to completely edit anything that my grader posts without the student being able to see that I changed anything. Typically, I make edits if a student submits a really “original” solution/discussion that my guidelines to my grader do not cover. I’ll then update my guidelines to my grader as necessary. If I were using a TA, I can see where having a record of edits visible to the TA could make sense.

An earlier comment suggested course level options to control edits. Perhaps this could also be by role (like grader versus TA versus other roles).

Mark

Mark Ippolito

[g_rausch]

Strongly agree to bring back the ability to delete TA comments as the teacher. Please notify us of the status of this issue. Thank you!

[matthew_weather]

FYI: Those Beta Release Notes, (and the 2017-10-28 Production Release notes) just mention a change in the visibility of the delete icon, and say nothing about the ability for a teacher to delete TAs' comments. Here's what the release notes say:  (From Canvas Production Release Notes (2017-10-28) )

When a user creates an annotation, the Delete icon only displays as part of the initial placement. Once a user clicks away from the annotation, the Delete icon no longer displays in the page. The Delete icon only displays again if the user directly clicks the annotation. This change hides the Delete icon so it does not obscure annotation content.

[arnold_cassie]

This looks like you can only edit/delete comments if you are looking at an actual document. What about if a student submits an image? I am not seeing how you can modify a comment that type of submission.

[mark_fuson]

This is an essential feature to move Canvas forward and improve teacher/student/parent communication.

[amyr_nestor]

I would agree that we need the ability to delete comments by students