In this Canvas release (January 15), the expanded or collapsed state of the Course Navigation Menu persists throughout all Canvas courses.
In the Rich Content Editor, accessibility issues are displayed via an indicator over the Accessibility Checker icon. This functionality was previously managed by the Accessibility Checker Indicator feature option, which has been enforced for all Canvas institutions.
In the Gradebook, the Missing status is removed for missing submissions that receive a manually entered grade.
In Modules, the state of the Load in New Tab checkbox is retained for External URL and External Tool (LTI) links.
In SpeedGrader, graders are notified about unposted comments.
In Course and Account Settings, the Feature Preview tabs have been restored to their original terminology as Feature Options. The term Feature Preview has been repurposed only as a label that references a feature in active development.
In Permissions, The LTI - add / edit / delete permission has been grouped into three separate permissions.
Account Settings
- The Gradebook View menu can include the option to split student names into two separate columns and show and export first and last name separately.
Feature Options
- For institutions using New Quizzes, Matching questions include the option to select partial credit.
- The Slack Notifications feature option has been transitioned to an account setting.
- Updated Features
- Courses
- Course Navigation Menu State
- Gradebook
- Missing Status Removal
- Modules
- Modules Link State
- Permissions
- External Tools (LTI) Granularity
- Rich Content Editor
- Accessibility Checker Indicator Feature Enforcement
- SpeedGrader
- Unposted Comment Warning
- Account Settings
- Gradebook
- Split Name Columns
- Other Updates
- Account Settings
- Slack Notifications Feature Option Transition
- Settings
- Feature Preview Terminology Adjustment
- Feature Options
- New Quizzes
- Matching Questions Partial Credit
Courses
Course Navigation Menu State
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-20 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
N/A |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Course Navigation Menu |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Instructors, Students, Observers | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
|
|
Feature Video |
Summary
The expanded or collapsed state of the Course Navigation Menu persists throughout all Canvas courses.
Change Benefit
This change offers consistency with the behavior of the Global Navigation Menu and allows a user to set the state of the Course Navigation Menu.
Feature Workflow
When a user changes the state of the Course Navigation Menu, the collapsed or expanded state is retained throughout the course until changed by the user. The menu state is applied on a per-user basis and retained for all courses where the user is enrolled.
Additional Details
The Gradebook page hides the Course Navigation Menu by default, which will always be collapsed regardless of the user’s preference.
Gradebook
Missing Status Removal
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-20 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
N/A |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Gradebook, SpeedGrader |
|
Permissions |
Grades - edit, Grades - view all grades |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Instructors | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
|
|
Feature Video |
Release Screencast: 2022-01-15 Grading Missing Status Removal |
|
Related Idea Conversations |
Summary
When a grade is entered manually for a missing submission, the missing status is removed.
Change Benefit
This change removes the Missing label for submissions that have not been submitted online but that have received a manually entered grade.
Feature Workflow
When an assignment indicates a student’s submission as missing, and a grade is entered manually in the Gradebook, the Missing status is removed. In the Gradebook, the Missing status is indicated as a color. The Grade Detail Tray displays both the status and the color.
Additional Details
Once a manual grade has been entered, the Missing label is removed. Removing the entered grade does not replace the Missing label. Labels that need to be reapplied must be done manually.
The Missing label is also removed if the assignment is part of an assignment with a Late Policy, and a manual grade is entered for the assignment submission.
This behavior also applies in SpeedGrader.
Modules
Modules Link State
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-20 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
N/A |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Modules |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Instructors | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
|
|
Feature Video |
Summary
When External URL and External Tool (LTI) links are added to a module, the state of the Load in New Tab checkbox is retained for all additional link entries.
Change Benefit
This change assists content creators in retaining their preferred action for managing links within modules.
Feature Workflow
When an External URL or an External Tool (LTI) links are added to a module, the Load in New Tab checkbox is not selected by default. However, if the checkbox is selected, the checkbox will remain selected for all additional links added to a module.
The checkbox will always retain the state of the last added link. If the checkbox is deselected when a link is added to a module, the checkbox will return to its default state.
Permissions
External Tools (LTI) Granularity
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-20 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
N/A |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Permissions |
|
Permissions |
Manage LTI |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Admins | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
Releases Q&A: 2022-01-15 Permissions External Tools LTI Granularity |
|
Feature Video |
Release Screencast: 2022-01-15 Permissions External Tools LTI Granularity |
|
Related Idea Conversations |
Summary
The LTI - add / edit / delete permission has been grouped into three separate permissions.
Change Benefit
This change provides more granularity for managing External Tools (LTI).
Feature Workflow
The LTI - add / edit /delete permission is grouped in the permissions list as Manage LTI.
As with other permissions, the row displays icons that represent the permission status for the user role. All permissions within the group can be managed together by clicking the main icon for an account user role.
Individual permissions for a user role can be changed to the full enabled or disabled state at any time by changing the status for the main permission.
Additional Details
- LTI - add: Add LTI apps
- LTI - delete: Delete LTI apps
- LTI - edit: Edit LTI apps, including placements
Rich Content Editor
Accessibility Checker Indicator Feature Enforcement
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Rich Content Editor |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Instructors, Students | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
Releases Q&A: 2021-08-21 RCE Accessibility Checker Notifications |
|
Feature Video |
Release Screencast: 2022-01-15 Rich Content Editor Accessibility Checker Indicator |
Summary
When accessibility issues are detected within the Rich Content Editor, the Editor display an indicator over the Accessibility Checker icon. This functionality was previously managed by the Accessibility Checker Indicator feature option, which has been enforced for all Canvas institutions.
Change Benefit
This change shows content creators when accessibility concerns are detected without needing to open the Accessibility Checker.
Feature Workflow
When accessibility issues are detected within the Rich Content Editor, the Editor display an indicator over the Accessibility Checker icon.
This feature was originally introduced in the 2021-08-21 Canvas Release Notes.
SpeedGrader
Unposted Comment Warning
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-20 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
N/A |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
SpeedGrader |
|
Permissions |
Grades - edit, Grades - view all grades |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Instructors | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
Releases Q&A: 2022-01-15 SpeedGrader Unposted Comment Warning |
|
Feature Video |
Release Screencast: 2022-01-15 SpeedGrader Unposted Comment Warning |
|
Related Idea Conversations |
Summary
Graders are notified about unposted comments.
Change Benefit
This change notifies graders if a comment has been created but not posted.
Feature Workflow
When a grader creates a text, media, or audio comment and tries to advance to the next student or a previous student for the assignment, the grader is notified that the comment has been created but not posted. Selecting the Proceed button indicates the comment should be saved as a draft for the submission being viewed.
Users can choose to not be notified for comments that have not been posted by selecting the checkbox at the bottom of the window.
Additional Details
The option to not show the warning applies on a per-assignment basis. Viewing another assignment and navigating between students before posting a comment also displays the warning.
The option is also stored on a per-browser basis, so viewing an assignment in a different browser will also display the warning.
Gradebook
Split Name Columns
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-20 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
Account Settings |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Gradebook |
|
Permissions |
Grades - edit, Grades - view all grades |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Instructors | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
|
|
Feature Video |
|
|
Related Idea Conversations |
Summary
The Gradebook View menu can include the option to split student names into two separate columns and show first and last name separately.
Change Benefit
This change allows student first and last names to be displayed and exported in separate columns.
Feature Workflow
Canvas admins have the option to allow the Gradebook to display split student name columns in Account Settings.
When this feature is enabled for the institution, the Gradebook View menu in individual courses displays the Split Student Names option, which displays student names as last name first.
Additional Details
When student names are split, the Last Name column can still be sorted by type and order and supports secondary info.
Split names are respected and displayed in the Gradebook CSV export.
If a user has a preferred name that is different from their legal name, the legal name will be displayed.
Account Settings
Slack Notifications Feature Option Transition
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2022-01-12 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
Account Settings |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Notifications |
|
Permissions |
Account-level settings - manage |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Admins | Canvas Features by User Role |
Summary
The Slack Notifications feature option has been transitioned to an Account Setting.
Change Benefit
This change removes the need to enable this feature as a feature option before enabling it as an Account Setting.
Feature Workflow
Admins can view a Slack API section in Account Settings, which can be used to enable Slack as a contact method for users to receive Canvas notifications. This integration requires an existing Slack account. A user with admin access to a Slack workspace must set up the Slack integration before it can be used for all users in a Canvas account.
Details about enabling Slack for an institution can be found in How do I enable Slack for an account?
Settings
Feature Preview Terminology Adjustment
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-20 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Location to Enable Feature |
N/A |
|
Affected Canvas Areas |
Account Settings, Course Settings |
|
Permissions |
Feature Options - enable / disable, Feature Options - view |
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Admins, Instructors | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
Releases Q&A: 2022-01-15 Settings Feature Preview Terminology Adjustment |
Summary
The Account and Course Settings Feature Preview tabs have been restored to Feature Options. The term Feature Preview has been repurposed as a label only and references to a feature that is in active development.
Change Benefit
This change adjusts the strategy behind Feature Options and Feature Preview terminology.
Feature Workflow
The Feature Options tab displays the list of all feature options available in Canvas. Although feature options are designed to be enforced at a later date, not all existing feature options will be enforced. In future Canvas deploys, all feature option descriptions will be updated to designate whether the feature option is eventually intended to be enabled for all institutions.
Feature options may include a feature preview label, which indicates a feature option in active development. Feature previews represent functionality being built directly through user feedback, and their releases are scheduled outside the regular Canvas release process. Feature Preview release availability is posted in the Canvas Releases & Deploys Related Releases section. Feature previews include a user group for feature participation. Users should subscribe to the user group to receive feature updates.
Additional Details
Feature Option visibility is an account permission.
The change to the Feature Options tab was originally adjusted in the 2021-07-21 Canvas Deploy Notes.
Feature options allow institutions to enable newly developed Canvas functionality according to their preferred time frame. Unless otherwise noted, all feature options are opt-in and do not require any action by a Canvas admin until a feature’s enforcement date is announced.
A feature preview label indicates a feature option in active development, which is being built directly through user feedback. Feature previews deploy updates outside the regular Canvas release schedule and are posted in the Related Releases section in Canvas Releases & Deploys.
Please reference the table below each feature heading for specific feature information. For general information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.
New Quizzes
Matching Questions Partial Credit
|
Beta Environment Availability |
2021-12-21 |
|
Production Environment Availability |
2022-01-15 |
|
Feature Option Name |
New Quizzes |
|
LTI Tool |
|
|
Affects User Interface |
Yes |
|
Affected User Roles |
Instructors | Canvas Features by User Role |
|
Feature Q&A |
Releases Q&A: 2022-01-15 New Quizzes Matching Questions Partial Credit |
|
Feature Video |
Release Screencast: 2022-01-15 New Quizzes Matching Questions Partial Credit |
|
Feature Option User Group |
|
|
Related Idea Conversations |
Summary
Matching questions include the option to select partial credit, similar to the Multiple Answer questions. Partial credit is the default option for this question type.
Change Benefit
This change allows instructors to award partial points for partially correct matching questions through auto grading.
Feature Workflow
When a Matching Question is created, the Matching Questions question type includes the Grading section, which allows the question to require exact matches to receive full points or allow for partial credit. Previously, matching questions awarded all points or not points, even though a student was asked to assess multiple items within the same question.
Newly created matching questions default to the partial credit option.
| Date | |
|---|---|
| 2022-01-12 |
Added Other Updates
|
| 2021-12-20 | Published Release Notes |
Change Log
2021-12-20
