These are the latest Canvas system updates that will become available on 8th December 2018. Please click on an update to expand and view the information.  If you have any questions please submit a support ticket via the help menu in Canvas.

Update 1: Observer Removal Checkbox. This update is available for the following Canvas roles: Teacher, TA and Course Designer.

 

Summary  
Instructors can remove all observer roles from conference invitations.

Change Benefit 
This change allows instructors to directly manage observer roles when inviting course members.

Affected User Roles & Behaviours 

Instructors
By default, when an instructor creates a conference, the conference automatically invites all course members to the conference. However, instructors can also select the option to remove all course observer members so they are not invited to the conference.

Conferences Observer Checkbox

When the Observer member checkbox is selected, the check mark is removed from the first checkbox. However, all course members are still invited except the observer members. Deselecting the Observer member checkbox still allows the instructor to select specific course users, if needed.

Conferences Observer Checkbox Options

Other relates guides for instructors
How do I create a conference in a course?

 

Update 2: Course Settings - Navigation Home Link Menu Removal. This update is available for the following Canvas roles: Teacher, TA, Course Designer and External Examiner.

 

Summary
In the Navigation page, the Home link does not include a Settings menu.

Change Benefit
This change aligns consistency with intended functionality of keeping the Home link at the top of the Course Navigation Menu.

Affected User Roles & Behaviours

Instructors 
When instructors open the Navigation page in Course Settings, the Home link does not include a Settings menu. Drag-and-drop functionality was previously disabled, so being able to move the Home link via the Settings menu countered the link’s intended behavior. Any page that is disabled is redirected to the Home page, which cannot be disabled because the URL access is required to access the Home page from other Canvas areas.

Any courses that currently have the home page disabled will not be able to re-enable the link, though course navigation functionality should not be affected since content is already redirected to the Home page.

Course Settings Navigation Menu Home

Other relates guides for instructors
How do I use the Course Navigation Menu as an instructor?
• How do I manage Course Navigation links?

 

Update 3: Dashboard - Card View Course Ordering. This update is available for the all Canvas roles.

 

Summary
Course cards can be manually ordered in the Card View Dashboard.

Change Benefit
This change allows users to place course cards in a specific order.

Affected User Roles & Behaviours

All Users
In the Card View Dashboard, users can select the Options menu for a course and move the card to another location in the Dashboard. Depending on the placement of the existing card, cards may be moved to the top of the Dashboard, ahead or behind a specific card, or to the bottom of the Dashboard.

Cards can also be manually dragged and dropped to another location in the Dashboard.

Once a dashboard card has been reordered, new courses added to the dashboard always display at the end of all existing courses.

Dashboard Card View Move Option

Other relates guides for instructors and students
How do I use the Dashboard as an instructor?
How do I use the Dashboard as a student?

 

Update 4: Rich Content Editor - HTML 5 Media Recorder. This update is available for all Canvas roles.

 

Summary
HTML5 (the latest type of code that describes webpages) is used instead of flash within the Rich Content Editor in Firefox and Chrome browsers.

Change Benefit
This change allows recorded media without requiring flash within the Firefox and Chrome browsers. Internet Explorer and Safari browsers do not support this functionality. Users will not notice any change within the Rich Content Editor and still require the use of Flash.

Affected User Roles & Behaviours

All Users
Users can click the Media button in the Rich Content Editor and view an improved interface when recording media. Users can confirm their microphone and webcam, and if more than one device is supported, select which device should be used.

If a user does not have a webcam, the audio option will be selected automatically.

Note: The browser may briefly display a flash message, even though flash is not required. Additionally, the browser may ask to allow access to the computer’s microphone and webcam before initial use.

Rich Content Editor HTML5 Media Recording

Other relates guides for instructors
How do I record a video using the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?
How do I record a video using the Rich Content Editor as a student?