In this production release (April 21), admins can set a default Dashboard view for new Canvas users and allow graders to add excess points to outcome criteria in SpeedGrader. Additionally, the account-level SIS Import process supports a feature option refactor that provides improved performance and stability.

In Conferences, individual recordings can be individually deleted. The Rich Content Editor expands auto-open inline files to display the full file preview and includes a word counter within each editor window. And the Announcements page includes an updated icon for the Reply icon.

Other updates are also available in various APIs and documentation.

Production release notes also include fixed bugs.

This is an abridged version of the original Canvas Release Notes article. For the full document, please click here.

Features are subject to change based on user feedback and testing. Please follow the release notes for the latest information.

Below is a screencast of the release notes.

Updated Features

 

Account Settings

Dashboard Default View

Admins can select the Dashboard default view for new users in the account. This setting defaults to the Card View unless otherwise changed to the Recent Activity View. New users can change their Dashboard view at any time in the Dashboard Options menu. Once a user has selected a different view, the default no longer applies.

 

 

Conferences

Individual Recording Deletion

Conference recordings can be individually deleted. Previously, only the entire conference could be deleted, which would also remove all conference recordings. This change helps instructors who manage long-running conferences and create multiple recordings.

 

Additionally, concluded conferences display the date and time the conference was concluded.

 

 

 Canvas open source contributions: BigBlueButton feature: Delete recordings individually 

 

Rich Content Editor

Inline Preview Document Height

When an auto-open inline preview file link is displayed in a Rich Content Editor browser window, the preview expands to a default height of 800px and displays the full file preview. Previously the preview only expanded to a default height of 400px.

 

Word Counter

The Rich Content Editor displays a word counter within the editor browser window. This change can help users know how many words they have typed in a discussion, page, assignment text entry, or other content location where the Rich Content Editor is supported.

 

The word counter calculates the number of words entered into the editor. A word is considered to be a single string of characters typed together without using the spacebar.

 

The word counter only displays for the user creating content in the Rich Content Editor. After the content is saved, the word counter is no longer visible unless the content is edited. Additionally, the total word count is not visible to any other user.

 

 

Note: The Rich Content Editor does not have a word count limit. However, word count is not the same as a total character count, which does affect the Rich Content Editor and can vary based on HTML content and use of special characters.

 

 Canvas Community contributions: Word Count 

 

SpeedGrader

Outcomes Extra Credit

When an instructor grades a submission in SpeedGrader and uses a rubric for grading that includes outcomes, outcomes support excess points above the maximum point value. This change allows instructors to provide extra credit and award more points than allowed by the outcome.

 

 

Turning off this feature option does not affect excess outcome point values that have already been assessed in a rubric in SpeedGrader. When the feature option is not enabled, each outcome only supports the maximum criterion value. Any entries higher than the maximum value are not retained when the rubric is saved.

 

Note: Excess points for a rubric criterion can be awarded at any time and are not managed by the Allow Extra Credit Outcomes feature option.

 

Fixed Bugs

 

Accessibility

Courses

The account-level Courses page include H1 headings at the start of the page content.

 

New Gradebook

The Grade Detail Tray supports the up and down arrow keys. These keys allow users to navigate each Gradebook status.

 

Outcomes

When an outcome value is deleted from the Decaying Average field, the cursor is retained in the same field.

 

Pages

In new pages, focus is retained in the title field.

 

People

When a keyboard user tabs to the Act As or Send Message buttons, the Enter key opens the appropriate window.

 

The account-level People page include H1 headings at the start of the page content. Additionally, the search results table includes row headings.

 

Announcements

Posted Date Display

New announcements created without a Delay Until date display their posted date correctly.

 

Explanation: When an announcement created without a Delay Date was posted for a course, the Posted date would not display in the Announcements page. Canvas code has been updated to display the Posted date for new announcements. This change does not affect copied announcements, which never display a Posted date.

 

Assignments

Student Rubric Range Results

In rubrics, students can view highlighted criterion range results in the grades page and the submission details page.

 

Explanation: When a student viewed an assignment with a rubric in both the grades page and submission details page, the rubric scores were displayed but the criterion range was not highlighted as shown in SpeedGrader to instructors. Canvas code has been updated to highlight rubric results for students.

 

Blueprint Courses

File Replacement

Replacing files in Blueprint course do not affect module items linked to the files in associated courses.

 

Explanation: When a file was replaced in a Blueprint course, any module that linked to the file in an associated course was deleted. Canvas code has been updated to retain all module file links in associated courses when files are replaced in Blueprint courses.

 

MasteryPath Assignments

Quizzes and graded discussion set as MasteryPath items are updated in associated courses.

 

Explanation: When a quiz or graded discussion was set as a MasteryPath item in a Blueprint course, the conditional item was not added to the same assignments in associated courses. Canvas code has been updated to update assignments in associated courses as MasteryPath items.

 

Module Prerequisites

Modified module prerequisites in Blueprint courses are also modified in associated courses.

 

Explanation: When a module prerequisite was removed or deleted in a Blueprint course, the prerequisite was not updated in the associated course. Canvas code has been updated to reflect modified changes to module prerequisites in associated courses.

 

Renamed Folders

Folders that are renamed in Blueprint courses generate an unsynced change for associated courses.

 

Explanation: When a folder was renamed in a Blueprint course, the Blueprint course did not trigger an unsynced change. This behavior did not affect renaming files, which does trigger a change in the Blueprint course. Canvas code has been updated to

generate unsynced changes when a folder is renamed in a Blueprint course.

 

Courses

New Courses Page and Instructor Show More Link

In the new account-level Courses page, the Show More link only displays when more than two instructors are enrolled in the course.

 

Explanation: When a course included only two instructors, but one of the instructors was enrolled in multiple sections, the Show More link displayed in the Courses page. Canvas code has been updated to only display the Show More link if more than two unique instructors are enrolled in a course.

 

Gradebook

SpeedGrader Link and Trust Accounts

For users in a trust account, the More Details in the SpeedGrader link displays the intended student’s submission in SpeedGrader.

 

Explanation: When an instructor selected the More Details in the SpeedGrader link in the Gradebook for a student submission, and the student was part of a trust account, the link redirected to the first student listed in SpeedGrader instead of the intended student. This behavior affected both the current and New Gradebook. Canvas code has been updated to align the SpeedGrader link in the Gradebook with the intended student’s submission.

 

Weighted Assignment Groups and CSV Exports

When weighted assignment groups are enabled, exported CSV Gradebook files display the correct number of columns.

 

Explanation: When weighted assignment groups were enabled in the Gradebook, the exported Gradebook CSV included missing commas and affected the column display. This behavior affected both the current and New Gradebook. Canvas code has been updated to display the correct number of CSV columns with weighted assignment groups.

 

People

Act as User and Custom Admin Roles

Custom admin roles can act as users in the account.

 

Explanation: When a user with a custom admin role tried to act as another user, Canvas returned an unauthorized error. Canvas code has been updated to include a new Accounts API endpoint to support custom admin roles.

 

 

Rich Content Editor

Embedded Video Files in Firefox

Embedded video files in Firefox display above the video controls as shown in other browsers.

 

Explanation: When a user played an embedded video file in a course using Firefox, the video displayed below the video controls in a narrow iFrame. Canvas code has been updated to display embedded video files correctly in the Rich Content Editor.

 

Video Links

Text added before a video link does not affect the formatting of the video.

 

Explanation: When a video link was added to the Rich Content Editor, and text was placed before the video link, viewing the video broke the formatting and displayed the video under the video controls. Canvas code has been updated to correct media elements in the Rich Content Editor and prevent text from affecting video formatting.

 

 

User Settings

Language Notifications

Notifications are sent in the language specified by the user.

 

Explanation: When a user’s settings page defaulted to English, users occasionally received notifications in other languages as detected by the user’s browser. Canvas code has been updated to use the Canvas language setting in the user settings page instead of a language detected by the browser.