March 21, 2020 Canvas Updates

Starting March 21, 2020, Canvas will receive a number of improvements and updates as part of the regularly-scheduled upgrade cycle by Instructure. Updates are made regularly to bring new features, improve user experience, and fix bugs. Such updates do not typically result in downtime. 

Upcoming Changes

  • Assignments: Re-upload Submissions Status Page
  • Gradebook: Export Sort Order
  • Syllabus Page: Course Summary Visibility

Quick Summaries

Assignments: Re-upload Submissions Status Page

The status of re-uploaded assignment files is managed in the background, no longer requiring the uploader to wait for the files confirmation page.

Previously…

Instructors needed to wait for Canvas to complete processing changes to student submission files before resuming grading.

What’s new?

This change moves file uploads from a front-end process to a back-end process allowing instructors to leave the assignment page. Additionally, this change prevents large files from timing out during the upload.

How can this affect teaching and learning?

This feature enables instructors to maintain flow during SpeedGrader assessment and reduces the amount of time file processing takes from instructor assessment.

Gradebook: Export Sort Order

The Gradebook export CSV file matches the order of assignments displayed in the Assignments page.

Previously…

The Gradebook export arranged assignment groups by ID, followed by the assignments position within the group.

What’s new?

Exporting a CSV file from Grades will now match the order of assignments displayed in the Assignments page.

How can this affect teaching and learning?

This change provides consistency between the default order of the Gradebook and the CSV file.

Syllabus Page: Course Summary Visibility

The syllabus page includes an option to remove the Course Summary section.

 Previously… 

The Syllabus page for every course was automatically populated with a Course Summary of assignments.

What’s new? 

The syllabus page includes an option to remove the Course Summary section.

How can this affect teaching and learning? 

This change gives instructors more control over what material appears to students in the Syllabus tab.

Learn more

To learn more about this Canvas update, and to see how the changes may affect instructors’ and students’ work, refer to the audience-specific release note links.