Upcoming Canvas Changes
Internet Explorer 11: August 3
On August 3, Internet Explorer 11 will no longer be supported as a Canvas browser.
New Gradebook: January 18
On 18 January 2020, the existing Canvas Gradebook will be replaced with the New Gradebook.
For more information, please see Upcoming Canvas Changes.
In this Canvas release (June 1), the Compose Message window does not include an option to remove previously received messages. Additionally, the beta label has been removed from the Student Context Card feature option.
Feature Options
- For institutions using the New Gradebook, the Message Students Who window alphabetizes student names by last name.
External Tools (LTI)
- For institutions using the Quizzes.Next LTI, calculators can be enabled for an entire assessment, and Numeric questions support scientific notation.
Release notes also include API updates and fixed bugs.
Release notes describe upcoming Canvas functionality and are subject to change.
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Feature OptionsThe following feature options are addressed in this release:
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- Feature Options
- Updated Features
- Conversations
- Compose Field Message Removal
- New Gradebook
- Message Students Who Alphabetical Sorting
- Quizzes.Next
- Assessment On-Screen Calculators
- Numeric Question Scientific Notation Responses
- Other Updates
- Account Settings
- Student Context Card Beta Label Removal
- Platform/Integration
- API
- API Change Log
- Fixed Bugs
- Accessibility
- Announcements
- Assignments
- Discussions
- Calendar
- Conversations
- Files
- Groups
- Rich Content Editor
- Commons
- Admin Header Link Focus
- Approved Content Curators
- Group Resources
- Resource Updates Count
- DocViewer
- Empty Rows and Columns
- Excel Graph Rendering
- Scatter Graph Trendlines
- ePortfolio
- Sections and Trust Accounts
- Gradebook
- Message Students Who and Trust Accounts
- Outcomes
- Student Mastery Learning Gradebook and Friendly Names
- Permissions
- Grading and Quiz Logs
- Quizzes.Next
- Gradebook and Closed Grading Periods
- SpeedGrader
- Profile Pictures
Updated Features |
Conversations
Compose Field Message Removal
Location to Enable Feature | Conversations |
Configuration Details | N/A |
Affected Canvas Areas | Conversations |
Beta/Test Environment Support | Yes |
Permissions | Conversations - send messages to entire class Conversations - send to individual course members |
Related APIs | Conversations API |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected User Roles | All Users |
Feature Enhancement Ideas | |
Specified Tag for Feature Ideas | Conversations |
Summary
The Compose Message window does not include an option to remove previously received messages.
Change Benefit
This change improves accessibility within the Compose Message window.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
All Users
In the Compose Message window, previously received messages in the thread display below the text field. The Remove option to each specific message has been removed.
Individual messages can still be deleted from a conversation in the Conversations window by opening the message, selecting the Settings menu, and clicking the Delete link.
New Gradebook
Message Students Who Alphabetical Sorting
Location to Enable Feature | New Gradebook |
Configuration Details | |
Affected Canvas Areas | New Gradebook |
Beta/Test Environment Support | Yes |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected User Roles | Instructors |
Feature Enhancement Ideas | |
Specified Tag for Feature Ideas | gradebook_new |
Summary
The Message Students Who window displays names in alphabetical order.
Change Benefit
This change allows instructors to find student names in the window more easily.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Instructors
When an instructor accesses an assignment column and clicks the Message Students Who option, any names that display in the window are displayed in alphabetical order (first name, last name). The list of names remained alphabetical when a different messaging criterion is selected. Student names can be removed manually from the list at any time.
Quizzes.Next
Assessment On-Screen Calculators
Location to Enable Feature | Assignments |
Configuration Details | |
Affected Canvas Areas | Assignments |
Beta Environment Support | Yes (with exceptions—see LTI document) |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected User Roles | Instructors, Students |
Feature Enhancement Ideas | |
Specified Tag for Feature Ideas | quizzes.next |
Summary
The Settings page includes an option for allowing calculators during the entire assessment and not just for individual questions.
Change Benefit
This change allows students to view a calculator throughout an assessment.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Instructors
In the Settings menu, instructors can choose to allow students to view a calculator with basic or scientific functions.
Students
Students can open the calculator by clicking the Calculator icon. The calculator functions are the same as calculators enabled from the individual question.
Numeric Question Scientific Notation Responses
Location to Enable Feature | Assignments |
Configuration Details | |
Affected Canvas Areas | Assignments |
Beta Environment Support | Yes (with exceptions—see LTI document) |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected User Roles | Instructors, Students |
Feature Enhancement Ideas | |
Specified Tag for Feature Ideas | quizzes.next |
Summary
Numeric questions accept scientific notation answers for the Exact Response and Within a Range requirement options.
Change Benefit
This change allows instructors to create questions that require responses in scientific notation.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Instructors
Instructors can create Numeric questions that require responses in scientific notification. For the Exact Response requirement, student answers must match the scientific notation input exactly. For the Within a Range requirement, student answers must fall within the scientific notation range inputs.
The accepted format for scientific notation answers is m*10^n, where m represents the coefficient (the number being multiplied), the asterisk represents the multiplication function, and ^n represents the exponent. For example, the answer 6.9832*10^8 would represent 6.9832 times 10 to the eighth power.
Scientific notation answers are not supported for Margin of Error or Precise Response options.
Other Updates |
Account Settings
Student Context Card Beta Label Removal
Location to Enable Feature | Account Settings |
Configuration Details | N/A |
Affected Canvas Areas | Account Settings |
Beta/Test Environment Support | Yes |
Permissions | Account-level settings - manage Feature Options - enable / disable |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected User Roles | Admins, Instructors |
Summary
The beta label has been removed from the Student Context Card feature option.
Change Benefit
This change indicates that this feature option is no longer in beta.
Affected User Roles & Behaviors
Admins
Admins can enable this feature option that has been changed from beta status to production-ready for their institution. No existing functionality has been affected.
Features without a beta status indicate the features are ready to be enabled in production; any additional enhancements will be added as part of regular Canvas releases.
Platform/Integration |
API
API Change Log
Adjustments have been made to the following APIs as noted in the API Documentation change log:
- Files API
- Originality Report API
- Uploading Files
Fixed Bugs |
Accessibility
Announcements
Announcements that are unread are part of the title when read to screen readers.
Assignments
In the sidebar, the Submissions heading is labeled as an H2, and the Comments heading is labeled as an H3.
Discussions
The Discussions page includes H2 headings in their appropriate locations.
Discussions that are unread are part of the title when read to screen readers.
Calendar
Labels are included in the Edit Event window for screen readers.
Conversations
The Conversations page and all icons display a color contrast of 4.5:1 for high contrast profiles.
Files
The checkbox next to each file identifies the name of the selected file for screen readers.
Groups
The Groups heading is labeled as H1, and individual groups are labeled as H2.
The New Student Group window reads the Group name and Joining labels to screen readers.
Rich Content Editor
The toolbar keyboard shortcut can be enabled from anywhere in the Rich Content Editor.
Commons
Admin Header Link Focus
When Commons administrators click the Admin tab in Commons navigation, focus returns to the Account Settings tab.
Explanation: Previously, when navigating through the tabs on the Admin page in Commons and then clicking the Admin tab in Commons navigation, Commons would display the Account Settings tab but focus would remain on the previously viewed tab (e.g., Groups). Commons code has been updated so the focus returns to the Account Settings tab.
Approved Content Curators
Users given the ability to manage Approved Content no longer retain permission to approve content and view the Admin page in Commons when the Approved Content option is disabled.
Explanation: When users were given the ability to manage Approved Content and the Approved Content option was disabled, users would retain the ability to view the Admin page and managed resources in Commons. Commons code has been updated to disable the ability to manage Approved Content when the Approved Content option is disabled.
Group Resources
Group managers will only see group resources when filtering resources in the Managed Resources tab.
Explanation: In some cases, group managers in Commons were able to see all resources shared by their institution when managing group resources. Commons code has been updated so group managers can only see resources shared to their group when managing resources in Commons.
Resource Updates Count
The Updates page link shows the correct number of resource updates available in Commons.
Explanation: When a user had more than 10 updates available in the Updates page, the Updates page link would not display the correct number of updates. Commons code has been updated so the number will reflect the actual number of available updates.
DocViewer
Empty Rows and Columns
DocViewer previews of XLSX files render empty rows and columns to maintain formatting from the original document.
Explanation: Previously, DocViewer removed empty rows and columns from XLSX spreadsheet files. DocViewer has been updated so empty rows and columns will no longer be removed.
Excel Graph Rendering
Graphs created in spreadsheets and rendered in DocViewer display correct data and legend information.
Explanation: In some cases, DocViewer would render graphs created in spreadsheets with incorrect or missing data or legend information. DocViewer has been updated to correctly render graph data and legend information.
Scatter Graph Trendlines
Scatter graphs in Word documents correctly display trendlines in DocViewer.
Explanation: In some cases, scatter graphs created in Word documents would not display the correct trendline when rendered in DocViewer. DocViewer has been updated so trendlines will be correctly displayed.
ePortfolio
Sections and Trust Accounts
For users in a trust account, ePorfolio sections can be reordered successfully.
Explanation: When a user tried to organize the sections of an ePortfolio, and the user was associated with a trust account, reorganizing the sections displayed an error message. Canvas code has been updated to allow section organization regardless of the user’s originating account.
Gradebook
Message Students Who and Trust Accounts
In the Message Students Who window, students associated with a trust account display in the list of students for a selected filter.
Explanation: When a Message Students Who window was opened to send a message to students, and the course was associated with a trust account, the window only included students whose accounts were located in the same account as the course. Canvas code has been updated to display all students in a course regardless of the student’s originating account.
Outcomes
Student Mastery Learning Gradebook and Friendly Names
Students can view friendly names for outcomes in the Student Mastery Learning Gradebook.
Explanation: When students were able to view the Student Mastery Learning Gradebook, viewing the name of an outcome did not display the friendly name, if available. Canvas code has been updated to display friendly names to students if created for an outcome at the account or course level.
Permissions
Grading and Quiz Logs
The Grades - Edit permission and the Quizzes - View Submission Log permission are required for a user to view quiz submission logs.
Explanation: When the Quizzes - View Submission Log permission was enabled for a user, the user was unable to view quiz submission logs unless the Grades - Edit permission was also enabled. Canvas code documentation has been updated to reflect these two associated permissions to view quiz submission logs.
Quizzes.Next
Gradebook and Closed Grading Periods
Quizzes.Next submissions in a closed grading period do not generate an error.
Explanation: When a grade from Quizzes.Next was submitted to the Canvas Gradebook, and the Quizzes.Next assignment was within a closed grading period, the submission did not include a URL and generated an error in the Gradebook. Canvas code has been updated to allow Quizzes.Next submissions to display in the Gradebook in closed grading periods.
SpeedGrader
Profile Pictures
In the SpeedGrader menu, included student profile pictures are updated correctly to display the student whose submission is being viewed in SpeedGrader.
Explanation: When a student submission was viewed in SpeedGrader, and the next student was viewed in SpeedGrader, the student profile picture in the SpeedGrader menu did not change to reflect the next student being viewed. Canvas code has been updated to always display the profile picture for the student’s submission being viewed SpeedGrader.
| Date | |
|---|---|
| 2019-05-20 | Release Notes Published |
