[User Settings] Session Log-Out Warning

[HELKT70061]

If your institution opts to have a log-out period for security/privacy reasons there is currently no log-out session warning due to inactivity. This means that when a user is in the Canvas system, they are not alerted when their session expires or if they have been logged out on a different tab/browser or mobile device. Activity in Canvas is defined only as clicks. Text-entry is not included, so the following:

• updating grades,
• entering an assignment or discussion,
• creating a message or announcement
• recording a video (presumably),
• composing the answer to an essay based quiz question

would not trigger or track as activity. We have had several instances where students have lost work in assignments, instructors have lost grades, announcements and messages that they were working on because they did not know that they were logged-out.

Although a stay "signed-in" checkbox feature is available and could potentially help in these situations, we were informed that this option is only available when the log-out period is set to 1 hour or greater. This period was deemed too long for public computers.

Potential solutions would include:

1. a pop-up session log-out warning that would ask the user if they want to stay logged-in
2. the availability of the check box at log-out times set to under 1 hour

[scottdennis]

This idea has moved to the next stage and will be open for voting among the Canvas Community, from Wed. November 4, 2015 - February 3, 2016.

Check out this doc for additional details about how the voting process works!

[Jeff_F]

A few eons ago I managed nearly 1,000 public computers and found the best approach was to set Windows to lock the display when someone forgets to logout after a determined period of inactivity.  Of course this approach requires such computers to be accessed via an account. 

I am no Kung-Fu Panda master but it would seem the path of least resistance is to set the Windows lock screen as noted above vs. changing all the applications students access via the public computers.

[jason_siciliano]

Fixing the issue of not counting text entry as input seems like a better (and the correct) change.  To the user, clicking, tapping, swiping, and typing are all the same thing (their input).  Losing student or instructor work while they are using the site is a bug.  I mean no disrespect to the programmers, and I greatly appreciate those who code Canvas, and I think it is a fine piece of software overall.  The root issue should be addressed however. 

As I am typing this I am noticing there is an auto-saving feature at the bottom of this text box.  Perhaps the issue has been addressed in some fashion?

[scottdennis]

Hi Jason,

Not to disregard or discount the rest of your comment but to specifically address, "As I am typing this I am noticing there is an auto-saving feature at the bottom of this text box."; these forums live outside of Canvas in a product called Jive that Instructure uses to host the external Canvas Community.  There have been several other times people have observed that adding some of the features present in Jive to Canvas would be an improvement however.

[allison]

 @jason_siciliano ​, I agree with you that solving for auto save in the text editor (what we call the Rich Content Editor or RCE) would be an excellent first step that might resolve a good portion of the pain users feel when a session expires. I'm working on a project right now to help us implement autosave in the RCE, though the exact time when we'll release that functionality is not known. Stay tuned! We'll archive this idea for now.

[Renee_Carney]

  Idea is currently in Product Radar Learn more about this stage...

[johnsonk]

Why can't there be an option to stay logged in in the inactive warning box?  The box claims that there is no activity when I have been clearly active.  I have lost work, due to having to log in when I've been interrupted by this notice.  It is truly aggravating.

Ken Johnson

Florida International University

[Renee_Carney]

The Radar idea stage has been removed from the Feature Idea Process.  You can read more about why in the blog post Adaptation: Feature Idea Process Changes.

This change will only impact the stage sort of this idea and will not change how it is voted on or how it is considered during prioritization activities.  This change will streamline the list of ideas 'open for voting', making it easier for you to see the true top voted ideas in one sort, here.

[madams6]

Has this had any movement on this since 2018?

I get logged out regularly, without warning, while I am very much actively grading. Even library databases, authenticated through our portal too, give me a warning. But only after I have actually not been active, never while actively searching.

Carefully composed responses to student work all wiped out.