Canvas and Other Updates from Summer 2024

August 13, 2024 / Digital Learning / Tags: Canvas Releases, Canvas

Welcome Back! Canvas and Other Updates

Summer 2024

Welcome back Eagle Family! As we gear up for the exciting journey of Fall Semester, here is a summary of new and updated features in Canvas and Respondus from May-July. We encourage you to explore and practice using new features in your personal Canvas Sandbox!

Canvas New Features

- Rich Content Editor: A Find and Replace tool is now available.
- SpeedGrader: Provide recorded feedback with screen capture and auto captioning capabilities directly in SpeedGrader using the Studio Media Recorder
  Video demo: https://community.instructuremedia.com/embed/5c403120-ff3b-40d0-8542-5e653674998f
- Discussions: Assign ungraded discussions to students and sections.
- Canvas Inbox:
  - Add a Signature to your Messages
  - Set an Auto Response for Messages
- Modules:
  - Module and Assignment Differentiation settings allow you to assign specific students to an entire module and individual module items. This feature improves the differentiation of Modules to create a more dynamic and adaptive learning environment.
    Video demo: https://community.instructuremedia.com/embed/9fd0d8f1-86d2-437f-91ae-f7543c23ecec
  - The Add Module and Edit Module Settings pages are redesigned as trays.
- Pages: The “Assign To” feature allows you to assign pages to students and set availability dates.
- Search Tool – Atomic Search, the search tool now available in Canvas, indexes your course materials to help you and your students to easily find your learning materials without having to click and scroll through your course.

Respondus New Feature

This feature was released a while ago, but it’s been very popular so we’re mentioning it again

- Respondus Monitor: Option to record student’s screen.

Use Respondus Monitor with MyLab and ALEKS:

- Respondus Monitor with your Pearson MyLab course - https://web.respondus.com/pearson-mylab/
- Respondus Monitor with ALEKS - https://web.respondus.com/aleks/

Canvas Interface Updates

- Speedgrader:
  - Randomize the order of Students to improve prevention of grading fatigue and biases when grading students.
  - A Draft Status notification displays if a comment has not been submitted.
- Courses: The text on the “Student View” button is changed to “View as Student”
- Assignments: In Assignments and Discussions, an “Assign To” button and “Manage Assign To” link is available to set assignment availability dates, due dates, and until dates. In Assignments, Discussions and Quizzes, the Assign To user interface is redesigned in a tray.

Digital Learning Blog Post: https://www.fgcu.edu/digitallearning/digital-learning-blog/2024-24-07-assign-to-button

Canvas Account Settings

- Account Settings: Profile Name Pronunciations can now be included on your profile. This feature allows users to provide a clear and accurate representation of how names should be pronounced, making it easier for other to address them correctly.

Other Updates in Canvas

- Announcements and Discussions: Enforcement of Discussion/Announcement Redesign has been applied for all Canvas institutions. This change provides users with the most engaging, user-friendly, and efficient discussion and announcement interface.

Video demo: https://community.instructuremedia.com/embed/832c1229-ab1d-4614-8501-1d0728b28420

- New Analytics:
  - Enforcement of New Course and User Analytics Feature Option have been applied for all Canvas institutions. This change enhances the accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness of data analysis efforts, providing a significant advantage in a data-driven environment.
  - Now you can Export New Quizzes Using Common Cartridge when Exporting Course Content as XML file type allowing the import of existing quizzes (Classic Quizzes) to New Quizzes.
- Conferences: Canvas Profile Picture (Avatar) Now Syncs to BigBlueButton. This update allows instructors and students to build a stronger sense of community in their classes and reduce the need for users to share webcams.

Future Releases coming to Canvas

- Rubrics: Rubrics Redesign Phase 1 will allow admin and instructors to search and sort rubrics, view the location rubrics are used, duplicate and archive rubrics, as well as more easily edit existing rubrics. Additionally, the rubrics create and edit interface is redesigned.
- Discussions: The Discussion Summaries feature uses Generative AI to quickly give instructors a summary of the main points, questions, and ideas in a discussion thread.

Stay up to date with upcoming features by subscribing to the Canvas Release Notes.
For instructions on how to subscribe to the release notes, click here.

The Digital Learning Team
elearning@fgcu.edu