Upcoming Canvas Changes
October 6: Non-Scoring Rubrics Feature Option Enforcement
On October 6, the Non-Scoring Rubrics feature option will be enabled for all Canvas institutions and applies to all users. For details about this feature, please see Canvas Release: Non-Scoring Rubrics.
In this Canvas release (August 25), the Mark as Done module requirement synchronizes with the student Dashboard List View and Card View to-do list to automatically complete items that have been marked as done. For instructors using the Scheduler tool in the Calendar, the Calendar Feed link includes Scheduler appointment details in the calendar feed export.
For institutions that have enabled self-registration, an observer pairing code expiration time period has been changed from 24 hours to 7 days.
Feature Options
- For institutions using the Anonymous Grading feature option, SpeedGrader does not display submission details for anonymous assignments until after the assignment is unmuted.
- For institutions using the International SMS feature option, three additional countries have been added to SMS notifications.
- For institutions using the New Gradebook, admins can enable the New Gradebook feature option for their entire institution.
- For institutions using the Learning Mastery Gradebook feature option, the Learning Mastery Gradebook includes filters to hide outcomes with no results and hide students with no results.
- For institutions using the Student Learning Mastery Gradebook feature option, outcomes include an information icon that display details about the outcome.
Release notes describe upcoming Canvas functionality and are subject to change.
- Follow the Canvas release notes space to be notified of updates
- For all release changes, view the Release Notes Change Log
- If you notice any contrary functionality compared to the outlined behavior in these notes, please file a Canvas support case according to your institution's support protocol
- Other questions? View the Canvas Release Notes FAQ
Feature Options
The following feature options are addressed in this release:
- Account: International SMS
- Course: Anonymous Grading, New Gradebook, Learning Mastery Gradebook, Student Learning Mastery Gradebook
 |  |  |
- Feature Options
- UpdatedFeatures
- Calendar
- Scheduler External Feed Appointment Details
- Dashboard
- List View and Mark as Done Module Requirements
- Gradebook
- Learning Mastery Gradebook Filter Options
- Grades
- Student Learning Mastery Gradebook Outcome Icons
- SpeedGrader
- Anonymous Assignment Hidden Submission Details
- Users
- Self-Registration Observer Pairing Code Changes
- OtherUpdates
- Account Settings
- New Gradebook Feature Option Change
- User Settings
- International SMS Country Additions
- Fixed Bugs
- Accessibility
- Account Settings
- Admin Tools
- Announcements
- Courses
- Dashboard
- Discussions
- Files
- Rich Content Editor
- Rubrics
- Theme Editor
- API
- SIS Imports API
- Courses
- Account Search Errors
- Modules
- Module Duplication Omissions
- Quizzes
- Disabled Third-Party Cookie Launch in Chrome
- Numerical Answer Question Negative Values
- Rich Content Editor
- Link to URL and Internet Explorer 11
- Table Edits and Internet Explorer Edge
- Terms
- Default Term Names
Updated Features |
Calendar
Scheduler External Feed Appointment Details
| Location to Enable Feature | Scheduler |
| Configuration Details | Calendar External Feed |
| Affected Canvas Areas | Calendar |
| Affects User Interface | No |
| Affected User Roles | Instructors |
Summary
For instructors using the Scheduler tool in the Calendar, the Calendar Feed link includes Scheduler appointment details in the calendar feed export. Appointment details include scheduled student appointments, the associated course, and any student comments.
In student calendar feeds, the current functionality has not been affected. Students can view their reserved appointment group time slot, but any comments to the instructor are not included.
Change Benefit
This change allows instructors to view all appointment details for a Scheduler appointment group without having to access Canvas.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Instructors
When instructors create an appointment group for a course through the Scheduler tool, and students reserve appointment group time slots, instructors can view the appointment group details in their Canvas Calendar. If an instructor wants to export the calendar feed to an external calendar, Scheduler appointment group details are included in the calendar feed.
Feature Idea Contributions
Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing Calendar feature ideas
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with calendar or scheduler
Dashboard
List View and Mark as Done Module Requirements
| Location to Enable Feature | Modules |
| Configuration Details | Modules Requirements |
| Affected Canvas Areas | Modules, Dashboard |
| Affects User Interface | Yes |
| Affected User Roles | Instructors, Students |
Summary
The Mark as Done module requirement synchronizes with the student Dashboard List View and Card View to-do list to automatically complete items that have been marked as done.
Note: This behavior is only supported when the page is located in one module. Adding the same page within multiple modules does not synchronize with the to-do list.
Change Benefit
This change helps synchronize to-do items with the module requirement’s status. Currently students must manually complete the page from the List View after selecting the Mark as Done button.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Instructors
Instructors can add a page to a module, add a module requirement, and require the page be marked as done.
Students
Students can view the page and click the Mark as Done button. The page is removed from the to-do list and marked as complete in the Dashboard List View.
Feature Idea Contributions
Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing Dashboard feature ideas
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with dashboard
Gradebook
Learning Mastery Gradebook Filter Options
This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.
| Location to Enable Feature | Learning Mastery Gradebook |
| Configuration Details | Learning Mastery Gradebook Feature Option |
| Affected Canvas Areas | Learning Mastery Gradebook |
| Affects User Interface | Yes |
| Affected User Roles | Instructors |
Summary
The Learning Mastery Gradebook includes filters to hide outcomes with no results and hide students with no results. Selected filters persist for the course within the same browser.
Change Benefit
This change allows instructors to filter outcomes and students within the Learning Mastery Gradebook.
Feature Idea Contributions
https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/2515-hiding-unused-outcomesCanvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing Learning Mastery Gradebook feature ideas
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with Learning Mastery Gradebook
Grades
Student Learning Mastery Gradebook Outcome Icons
This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.
| Location to Enable Feature | Grades, Learning Mastery Tab |
| Configuration Details | Student Learning Mastery Gradebook Feature Option |
| Affected Canvas Areas | Grades |
| Affects User Interface | Yes |
| Affected User Roles | Students |
Summary
In the Learning Mastery Gradebook, outcomes include an information icon that display details about the outcome including last assessment, calculation method, and mastery level (if applicable).
Change Benefit
This change allows students to view the details for individual outcomes.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Students
When students view the Learning Mastery Gradebook, they can select the information icon next to an outcome and view the details of that outcome.
Feature Idea Contributions
Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing Student Learning Mastery Gradebook feature ideas
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with student learning mastery gradebook
SpeedGrader
Anonymous Assignment Hidden Submission Details
This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.
Location to Enable Feature | SpeedGrader |
Configuration Details | |
Affected Canvas Areas | SpeedGrader |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected User Roles | Instructor |
Summary
When an assignment is anonymous, SpeedGrader does not display submission details until after the assignment is unmuted.
Change Benefit
This change helps enforce student anonymity for assignment submissions.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Instructors
When an assignment is anonymous, the SpeedGrader sidebar shows the assignment was submitted but does not display the date and time.
If a submission is resubmitted, the submission menu displays submissions by number (e.g. Submission 1, Submission 2).
When the assignment is unmuted, the sidebar will unhide all anonymity details, including the student names and submission details.
Feature Idea Contributions
Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing feature ideas: anonymous&moderated, speedgrader, speedgrader and anonymous&moderated
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with anonymous&moderated or speedgrader
Users
Self-Registration Observer Pairing Code Changes
| Location to Enable Feature | User Settings |
| Configuration Details | Self Registration, Canvas Authentication (Admins) |
| Affected Canvas Areas | User Settings (Students and Observers), People page (Instructors), Authentication (Admins) |
| Permissions | Generate observer pairing code for students (account, course) |
| Affects User Interface | Yes |
| Affected User Roles | All Users |
| Original Feature Introduction | 2018-07-14 |
Summary
For institutions that have enabled self-registration, an observer pairing code expiration time period has been changed from 24 hours to 7 days. Pairing codes also include uppercase and lowercase letters.
Change Benefit
This change allows observers additional time to pair a student’s account using the web or the Canvas Parent mobile app. The capitalization change to alphanumeric codes improves code validity.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Observers
When observers receive a pairing code from a student, the observers can use the code within 7 days. No other functionality has been affected.
Feature Idea Contributions
Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing observer feature ideas
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with observer
Other Updates |
Account Settings
New Gradebook Feature Option Change
This feature is used in conjunction with an existing feature option in Canvas. Please view the content below for additional details. For more information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.
| Feature Deploy | Deployed to the production environment 2018-08-15 |
| Location to Enable Feature | Account Settings |
| Configuration Details | New Gradebook Feature Option |
| Affected Canvas Areas | New Gradebook |
| Affects User Interface | Yes |
| Affected User Roles | Admins |
Summary
Admins can enable the New Gradebook feature option for their entire institution.
Change Benefit
This change allows admins to enable the New Gradebook for all courses within an account or subaccount without having to enable the feature option within individual courses.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Admins
In the Account Settings Feature Options tab, admins can change the New Gradebook to On, which will enable the New Gradebook for all courses in the account.
Feature Idea Contributions
Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing New Gradebook feature ideas
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with gradebook_new
User Settings
International SMS Country Additions
Location to Enable Feature | User Settings, Ways to Contact Link |
Configuration Details | |
Affected Canvas Areas | User Settings |
Beta Environment Support | SMS Notifications Not Supported |
Affects User Interface | No |
Affected User Roles | All Users |
Summary
International users in Rwanda, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan can enable SMS messages for Canvas notifications. Unlike in the United States, international carrier details are not required as part of the communication setup.
Change Benefit
This change offers SMS notification support to additional users outside the United States.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
All Users
In the User Settings page, users can select SMS as a contact method. The Text (SMS) tab displays all supported country codes.
Feature Idea Contributions
Canvas features are always welcome to feedback. Product teams may make adjustments at any time via the Canvas Feature Idea process.
- View existing SMS feature ideas
- For new ideas, please tag the idea with sms
Fixed Bugs |
Accessibility
Account Settings
When a Help menu name field transition to an invalid value, a flash alert is displayed to screen readers.
Horizontal rules in content exports and the Move menu in the Navigation tab are hidden to screen readers.
Admin Tools
Horizontal rules in the Admin Tools tabs are hidden to screen readers.
Announcements
The New Announcement button H1 reads as New Announcement to screen readers.
When the External Feeds sidebar is closed, focus is retained in the External Feeds button.
In content pages using Chrome and Safari browsers, keyboard-only focus is initially placed in the title field.
Courses
When a search is made for a course at the account level, results are announced to screen readers after the Enter key is pressed or when the user moves away from the search field.
Dashboard
In the Dashboard Card View, card icons include a focus box for all users.
Discussions
Unread discussion indicators are read by screen readers.
Files
File table headings are read correctly to screen readers.
Rich Content Editor
In assignment pages, keyboard-only focus is initially placed in the name field.
Rubrics
In a rubric within SpeedGrader, focus is retained in the comment field for the first criterion.
Theme Editor
Templates and My Themes headings are set as H2s.
API
SIS Imports API
The API Restore workflow_states of SIS imported items endpoint returns a progress for SIS restore states.
Explanation: When a user tried to make an API call to restore workflow states, the API call timed out when it tried to restore all states before returning the API response. Canvas code has been updated to return a progress for SIS restore states instead of returning the SIS import directly.
Courses
Account Search Errors
Requesting a new course search before a previous search has completed does not generate an error message.
Explanation: When an admin searched for a course while a previous search was still processing, the page displayed an error message even though the new search displayed search results. Canvas code has been updated to not display aborted search results as errors and display results for last requested search.
Modules
Module Duplication Omissions
Prerequisites and Unlock Dates are not included in duplicated modules.
Explanation: When a module was duplicated, duplicated prerequisites and unlock dates caused confusion for students when modules had to be completed in sequential order. Canvas code has been updated to not include prerequisites and unlock dates when duplicating a module.
Quizzes
Disabled Third-Party Cookie Launch in Chrome
Quizzes.Next can be launched if third-party cookies are disabled in Chrome.
Explanation: When third-party cookies were disabled in Chrome, and a user tried to open Quizzes.Next, the tool could not be launched in the browser. Quizzes.next code has been updated to support launching quizzes when third-party cookies are disabled in Chrome.
Numerical Answer Question Negative Values
Numerical Answer questions support negative values.
Explanation: When a negative value was added to a Numerical Answer question, and the answer type was Answer with Precision, the question returned NaN if the precision was set to a number other than 16. Canvas code has been updated to allow negative values.
Rich Content Editor
Link to URL and Internet Explorer 11
Selecting content with the Link to URL link from the content selector sidebar links the selected content correctly.
Explanation: When content was selected using the Link to URL link in the content selector sidebar using Internet Explorer 11, the selected content was not highlighted and the word Link was inserted into the page. Canvas code has been updated to correct links with existing text in Internet Explorer 11.
Table Edits and Internet Explorer Edge
Tables can be edited in Internet Explorer Edge.
Explanation: When a table was edited using Internet Explorer Edge, the table could not be edited. Canvas code has been updated to allow editing using Internet Explorer Edge.
Terms
Default Term Names
The Default Term name cannot be renamed.
Explanation: When a default term was renamed, new courses were not able to be created in the term. The previous default term was always displayed in the course creation window despite the renamed term. Canvas code has been updated to not allow the default term to be renamed.
| Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-15 | Added—Updated Features
Added—Other Updates
Added—Fixed Bugs
| ||
| 2018-08-13 | Release Notes Published | ||
