Canvas New Features Release January 21
Instructure will perform its monthly release of new features to Canvas on Saturday, January 21, 2023. This is a part of the regular process by which Canvas provides new features to all of its users on the third Saturday of every month, without interrupting access to the system. More information about how Canvas releases work can be found here. This month brings updates to Inbox functionality and Canvas Training Services Portal.
New Assignment Enhancements for Students
New assignment enhancements are now active for students in Canvas! Don’t worry - these enhancements do not change anything fundamental in how you create or grade assignments; rather, these enhancements are quality-of-life adjustments that will make assignment details obvious and intuitive for students.
What New Canvas Features Will You Request?
Did you know you can submit a feature request directly to Canvas’ parent company Instructure? Instructure has a community forum called Idea Conversations where users can request and discuss ideas to make Canvas better. You can access the Idea Conversations page in Canvas by going to the Help option on the left-hand navigation menu, and then clicking Submit a Feature Idea.
Did You Know Canvas Has Hidden Games?
If you have ever navigated to a broken link or experienced an internet connection issue while in Canvas, you may have seen a “Page Not Found” screen like the one on the right. Hidden inside pages like this are games that you can play! All you have to do is hit the spacebar.
Avoid These Common Course Import Mishaps
As we head towards the middle of the Fall term, you may already be thinking ahead to Spring. A new semester will mean new empty course shells that you will need to develop, and no one wants to spend all Winter break troubleshooting issues. That is why we on the EdTech team want to review how to proactively identify and fix some common course import mishaps.
Are You Familiar With the Reset Course Content Button?
In the Course Details of the Course Settings menu, you may have noticed an option called “Reset Course Content.” This is a powerful setting option within your course; in fact, it is so powerful that we on the EdTech team wanted to take a few moments to review its functionality with you.
Overview of Turnitin Draft Coach
Newly available for students and staff, Turnitin Draft Coach helps users navigate the issues of similarity, plagiarism, and grammar directly in Microsoft Word. This means that students can draft work in Word and then use the feedback in Draft Coach to help improve their writing prior to submitting an assignment.
InstructureCon 2022 Overview
On July 14, the FSCJ EdTech team attended InstructureCon 2022. This convention showcased the latest in Canvas and online learning. The conference was virtual this year, with live sessions that were also recorded so anyone could catch up on whatever they missed. We connected with other educators across the world through games and online discussion forums. We were inspired by the keynote speakers, creative inventor Simone Giertz and organizational psychologist Adam Grant. The following were some highlighted sessions we found helpful along with the avatars we created at the conference!
