[New Quizzes] Be able to go BACK IN TIME to RESTORE item to previous edits like with Google Docs...

[richard_ireland]

It would be awesome if Canvas allowed instructors to restore their new quizzes to previous "versions" after edits/changes are made. This would be similar to Google docs where you could write up a entire paper and then realize you accidentally cut out an important part during the editing process. Since Google docs saves all the changes that you make along the way, users can go back in time and find something that they accidentally deleted or cut out. 

Let me start off by sharing my Canvas issue that I experienced the other day to explain why this is necessary. Here is an email I sent my IT person because Canvas doesn't have a direct support line for the public...

"Last year, I uploaded a quiz in Canvas that is 100 questions long. Due to the online learning environment, I needed to split this test into two parts. So I duplicated the test using the "copy to" tool in Canvas. This created ONE copy of the 100 question test. I then spent about two hours deleting half of the questions and rewriting them so that the kids couldn't find the answers (as quickly) using Google. I also renamed this test to "Practice Test 1: Part A." I then went to the original 100 question test and attempted to duplicated it again so that I could make "Practice Test 1: Part B" for the second set of questions. However, when I tried to duplicate the original 100 question test for the second time, it REPLACED ALL OF THE WORK that I did for "Practice Test 1: Part A." Yes, the file is still named "Practice Test 1: Part A," BUT all of my changes are GONE! In other words, when Canvas try to duplicate the original 100 question test for the second time, it tried to duplicated it to the SAME LOCATION as before. Consequently, "Practice Test 1: Part A" once again has 100 questions (even though I had already deleted 50 of them and rewrote most of them) without any of the changes that I've made.

Do you have the power to go back and look at my Canvas History and revert my Canvas account to a specific time of day (kind of like Apple's Time Machine)? I've spent way too much time on this to have Canvas lose it all. 

If you do have this power, 10am would be ideal."

If Canvas allowed instructors to go back in time and restore a new quiz to previous versions like Google docs, then I wouldn't have had to deal with this issue... It would be amazing if this feature could be added! 

[Stef_retired]

@richard_ireland Please know that Canvas has 24/7 phone, chat, and ticket support that is available to those institutions that have contracted for it. Do you want your IT person to have a member of Canvas support investigate the case you initiated? If so, please ask them to escalate the case on your behalf.

I don't know if Canvas Support can successfully restore the previous version of the quiz that was overwritten, but it would be worthwhile to have them take a look and rule that out before we move this idea forward.

Thanks!

[richard_ireland]

@Stef_retired My IT person was in touch with Canvas support and this is what I was told. 

"I’ve checked with Canvas Support and unfortunately they are not able to revert a quiz once it’s been rewritten."

This is why it would be awesome to have the revert function added.

[Stef_retired]

@richard_ireland  Thanks for providing that additional detail. We've edited the idea slightly to align it with New Quizzes functionality and have moved it forward for broader discussion.