Why are lists so difficult to use in Canvas?

[LeighanneShaw]

My Accessibility Checker constantly flags my content for lists. I would happily comply and use the list function (bullets, numbers) in Canvas if it weren't so difficult to use. It is practically impossible to create any list resembling an outline in a visually comprehensible hierarchy like this one:

I. FIrst point or piece of instruction

       A. Small step 1

       B. Small step 2

II. Second point or piece of instruction

       A. Small step 1

       B. Small step 2

In the above, the A and B are indented clearly underneath each main point, like in an outline, and this makes reading much easier. It also conveys the information in an organization pattern that I want students to think about as they read it.  Sometimes, I prefer to use bullet points instead of A and B to help students see the parts of a main point more simply. 

However, each time I try to create this, Canvas defaults to a single list with no hierarchy, and my content looks like this, which is not conducive to the points and subpoints that I want to convey:

I. FIrst point or piece of instruction
A. Small step 1
B. Small step 2
II. Second point or piece of instruction
A. Small step 1
B. Small step 2

I can finangle it to sort of work, but it is a real headache, and sometimes, it just plain doesn't work, so I disregard the accessiblity flag entirely. Honestly, if Canvas would just fix this function to flow more like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, making lists would be easier and my content would be more accessible. 

[JeffCampbell]

I'm not sure what might be causing yours to look like that. Proper indenting occurs on my end with use of the Tab key when making the list in the editor. Time item I, hit enter to go to the next line, hit Tab to indent. When I get to C (to use your example), I just hit enter a second time and it un-indents back to the left. In terms of indenting, it behaves exactly like I experience on both Word and Docs.

Now, what I wish could be fixed is changing the list format when indenting. For example, turning on numbers defaults to this:

1. Item 1
   1. Item 1a
   2. Item 1b
2. Item 2
   1. Item 2a
   2. Item 2b
   3. Item 2c

If I want to make the sub-bullets go from numbers to letters, I have to highlight them and use the menu to change the format. A bit annoying for larger lists, but that is the only major thing I see that could be improved. I would like to see it so that one format changes to another upon indenting, such as numbers change to letters and vice-versa, rather than requiring me to edit.

There could also be improvement for options. Lowercase letters can be used, but I have to add that via HTML. Which is also interesting because the drop-down for lists on here allows me to select both upper and lower case. Canvas pages/assignments/etc do not seem to have that option.

[LeighanneShaw]

Thanks for the reply, and the above example you just gave is a perfect illustration of the problem I'm encountering. Your hierarchy in the list you created goes from Main Point 1 to sub-points, which it also starts with numeral 1.   I teach outline format, which uses a different hierarchy:  it starts from Roman Numerals, then to Capital Letters, then to Arabic Numerals, then to Lower-case letters. I am unable to do this without a whole lot of effort and space-bar spacing.   I have tried to create everything in a same-level list, and then merely highlight the ones I wish to indent, but it won't let me change to numeral, or letter, or let me bullet it.  It's either all bullets, or all numerals, or all letters. There is no easy way for Canvas to mix the hierarchies such as in a proper outline.   

Does that make sense?

[chriscas]

Hi @LeighanneShaw,

Can I ask how you're creating the lists exactly?  Are you trying to copy/paste from another application like Word, or directly typing in the Canvas editor?  Copy/paste between word nd an online platform like Canvas has always been somewhat problamatic because even though things look cisually similar, back-end code can look veyr different between the two and there is not necessarily 10% compatibility.

If you're typing directly in the editor though, it should actually work fairly similarly to word.  You start our list, then hit enter to go to the next item.  You can use the tab key or the increase indent button to move an item to the next level, and do shift-tab or decrease indent to go back.  You can also change the bullet style for each level with the dropdown menu, and this can be done each time you create a new level (it doesn't create the hierarchy of bullets automatically like Word).  Here's a screenshot of a quick list I just created in 1 minute or to to show you what should be possible.

I hope this helps a bit, but look forward to hearing back from you!

-Chris