In addition to the robust features already in Canvas, JHU has approved some great new features released at the start of a new term.
New University-Wide Features
Releasing on 5/20/2023
- SpeedGrader – Additional Quick Links – SpeedGrader quick links are added to Options menus for Assignments, Graded Discussions, Modules, Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes.
- This update improves accessibility to SpeedGrader from various areas within Canvas.
Released on 5/10/2023
- Rich Content Editor – Drag and Drop or Paste Multiple Files – In the Rich Content Editor, users can drag and drop or paste multiple files.
- This change allows users to quickly and efficiently add files in the Rich Content Editor.
Feature Workflow
- Users can drag and drop multiple files into the Rich Content Editor.
- Additionally, users can paste multiple files in the Rich Content Editor.
Released on 5/8/2023
- Assignments – Submit Assignment on Behalf of Student – When the Submission-submit on behalf of student permission is enabled, instructors can submit a file upload assignment on behalf of a student in the Gradebook. The submission includes the timestamp and who submitted the assignment. Additionally, the instructor can submit multiple files at a time for a single student and submit beyond the availability date.
- Gradebook – Sort by First Name – When the Split Student Names Gradebook Setting is enabled, instructors can sort students by first name. The Allow gradebook users to view and export student first and last names in separate columns must be enabled at the account level to use this feature. Additionally, sorting students by last name continues to be available. You need to turn on Split Student Names in the Gradebook view options in your course to see this in the Gradebook.
Released on 1/3/23
- Anonymous Grading – Enable anonymous grading of assignments.
- Anonymous Grading works for Group Assignments. You need to turn on Anonymous Grading in the assignment first and then check the option for the Group.
- Anonymous assignments automatically default to a manual posting policy. Grades for anonymous assignments, like other manual post-policy assignments, are not displayed to students until assignment grades are posted.
- Warning: Posting grades for an anonymous assignment will remove anonymity from the assignment.
- Anonymous Instructor Annotations – Anonymize all instructor comments and annotations within DocViewer. This option only affects comments added in DocViewer in the SpeedGrader submission window. Comments added in the SpeedGrader sidebar are not anonymous.
- Confetti for On-Time Submissions – Displays confetti for users that turn in an assignment prior to the set due date. Note, this is an opt-in feature for students.
- Confetti for valid links – Displays confetti for instructors that run the link validator on a course and no issues are found. Note, this is an opt-in feature for faculty.
- Moderated Grading – Enable moderated grading (to be graded by multiple reviewers).
- When an assignment reaches its maximum number of graders, the grading notification gets removed from the Dashboard for graders who have not yet assessed the assignment. Submissions can still be accessed through the Gradebook if needed. SpeedGrader displays the submissions in a read-only mode to hide all student names and submission details.
- When ready, you need to release and post Moderated Grades, for students to view them.
- Warning:
- If, for example, a TA adds comments and an Instructor adds comments, it only adds one set of comments and it drops other comments, losing the other user’s comments.
- Once you release a grade, you are unable to revert it to be unreleased again.
Released 12/1/2022
- Scheduled Page Publication – You can schedule when pages should be published.
- When your page is saved for scheduled publication, you can return to the page and manage the publishing of it at any time by clicking the ”Will publish on” button. Note, you cannot schedule a page if it is already published.
- You have to edit the page itself. This feature is not available in the module view.
- Warning: The date needs to be in the future and cannot be in the past. If the date is set to be the current day or in the past, the page will not publish.
New Divisional Features
Released 1/3/23
Apply Score to Ungraded – Allows instructors to apply scores to ungraded submissions en masse rather than having to hand enter them individually. This feature is particularly useful at the end of a term.
This is approved by the following divisions: AAP, BU, SAIS, SOE, WSE/EP
Adding Features to Canvas
JHU has developed a process for reviewing and approving new features for Canvas that are determined by the LMS Steering Committee. This is separate from the process used to approve 3rd party tools.
- Potential features offered by Canvas are reviewed by [email protected], the Canvas Implementation Group, and LMS Steering Committee to see if there are any conflicts with JHU policies and our unique technical implementation.
- If there are no conflicts, the Canvas Implementation Group, with representation from each division, vote on whether or not to test the feature based on their research and the needs of their users.
- Once testing is complete, the Implementation Group votes on whether to implement the feature at this time.
- All approved features will be launched in the following term.
Interested in a new feature? Share your interest with your teaching and learning center so it can be evaluated for a future term.
Questions about New Features?
Reach out to your division’s teaching and learning center if you are interested in learning about these new features or have other Canvas-related questions and ideas.