Author Archives: Shane Degen

Canvas Update (11/20/2021)

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On Saturday, November 20, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment. The highlights of this release are listed below. The full release notes are also available.

  • Assignments — Submission Feedback Indicator: In the Assignment Details page, the Show Rubric and View Feedback links indicate when new comments have been added as an annotation or in a rubric.
  • Settings — Settings Tab URL Links: The Account and Course Settings tabs support independent URL references. This change allows users to remain in a specific tab after a Settings page is refreshed. 
  • ​SpeedGrader – Assignment Text Entry Word Count: The word count for assignment text submissions is displayed in SpeedGrader. 

UW-Whitewater Updates

  • Beginning on December 1st, 2021 all video files that are created and uploaded into Kaltura through Canvas will have caption files automatically generated. For additional details, please review our blog post on this topic.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, or even just curious about how they can help you, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Winter Course Prep Bootcamp

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Strapped for time, and looking for a guiding hand on all the things you need to do to get a Canvas course up and running for Spring?  Now is your chance!  Join us for hands-on workshops broken up between quick demonstrations, and supported work time.

Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels

These sessions are designed for instructors looking to get their Spring 2022 course up and running, but all faculty and staff are welcome. If you are interested in designing a course for Summer or Fall 2022, try the Winter Online Blended Institute. Come with previous content ready to be updated, or moved from paper into Canvas (ie moving a quiz or rubric into a digital form). This series of workshops will provide you the how-to and time to complete specific tasks to get your course set up. Enroll in one, a handful, or all of them; even if it is just for a way to schedule your time.

EVENT NAMEDATE/TIMELOCATIONREGISTER
Getting StartedMonday, January 3rd
9:00am – 10:30am		McGraw 19c
and Webex		Signup
Building Your
Content		Wednesday, January 5th
9:00am – 10:30am		McGraw 19c
and Webex		Signup
Assignments and
Setting up Grades		Friday, January 7th
9:00am – 10:30am		McGraw 19c
and Webex		Signup
AccessoriesMonday, January 10th
9:00am – 10:30am		McGraw 19c
and Webex		Signup
CollaborationsWednesday, January 12th
9:00am – 10:30am		McGraw 19c
and Webex		Signup
Wrapping UpFriday, January 14th
9:00am – 10:30am		McGraw 19c
and Webex		Signup

Canvas Update (10/16/2021)

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On Saturday, October 16, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment. The highlights of this release are listed below. The full release notes are also available.

  • Navigation – Sticky Navigation Menus: The Account, Course, and User Navigation Menus remain sticky and are always visible on their respective pages.
  • SpeedGrader – Submission Status Label Edits: The SpeedGrader sidebar includes an Edit icon to be used for submission statuses. Statuses can be edited the same way as in the Gradebook. Additionally, adjusting a status in SpeedGrader also applies to the Gradebook.
  • Gradebook – Assignment Search: The Gradebook includes two search fields: one for student names, and one for assignment names. Using the Assignment search field displays any search results that match an assignment in the course.
  • Notifications – Course Notification Customization: Course notification preferences can be customized in a user’s Notifications page.
  • User Settings – Microsoft Immersive Reader: The Microsoft Immersive Reader button can be enabled in User Settings, if not already enabled by the institution. Additionally, the Reader is supported in Assignments, and the Syllabus. 

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, or even just curious about how they can help you, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas Update (09/18/2021)

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On Saturday, September 18, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

  • Rich Content Editor – Accessibility Checker Indicator: When accessibility issues are detected within the Rich Content Editor, the Accessibility Checker automatically displays an indicator. This indicator helps users know about these issues without having to open the Accessibility Checker. Opening the Accessibility Checker will show the number of errors and how to correct each error.
  • New Analytics – Canvas Online Attendance: New Analytics includes an Online Attendance tab, which updates according to criteria set at the account level. Instructors will be able to tell which days a student has done at least one of the following:
    • Accessed a Page in Canvas.
    • Created a Page (if you have provided that permission).
    • Made a Discussion post.
    • Submitted an Assignment.
    • Started and/or submitted a Quiz.
    • Loaded a collaboration to view/edit.

Prior Canvas Updates

It can be really hard to keep up with Canvas releases, so the following are the prominant updates that have happened since the end of spring semester.

  • Assignments – Student Annotated Submissions: Instructors can use annotated document assignment type to upload a document for students to annotate and submit directly in Canvas. This assignment type is included under the online assignment types so that instructors can select additional submission options for students unable to annotate onscreen.
  • Course settings – Section Date Enhancement: A visual change was made to the availability dates option for sections of a course. This update made the visuals of the date settings for the sections match those of the course.
  • SpeedGrader – Comment Library: Comments can be added and saved for reuse within SpeedGrader, allowing individual users to save frequently used comments to be reused across assignments in multiple courses.
  • Canvas – Maintenance Window: Instructure has moved their intermittent maintenance to twice monthly scheduled maintenance windows. Moving forward, maintenance will be performed on the first and third Thursdays of each month, beginning at 1:00am, and running no later than 3:00am. Canvas may be unavailable to users during these windows. All users are able to view maintenance window times through Account then Settings. For additional information, please refer to the Canvas Community discussion.
  • New Quizzes – Multiple Attempts First Score Option: It is now possible to give students multiple attempts on a New Quiz, but retain their first score as their grade.
  • New Quizzes – Item Bank M​​​​​anagement: Item banks can now be shared with the entire account or individual users. When instructors share an item bank, the item bank supports a new View permission, which can be given to a user and provides access to the bank as read only. The user who shares an item bank can continue to specify editing access for other users.
  • New Quizzes – Save and Build Button Workflow: The New Quiz creation page includes both a Save and a Build button. When an instructor creates and enters details for a quiz, the page displays both a Save and a Build button. Previously the page only included the Save button, which counterintuitively launched in the New Quiz editor. 

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, or even just curious about how they can help you, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Fall 2021 LTC Training and Workshops

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The LTC is offering a full roster of learning opportunities ranging from training on Webex and Canvas to rethinking the possibilities of learning, teaching, and working with technology. Please visit the LTC’s calendar to see all sessions, descriptions, and dates.

Can’t join at scheduled times? No problem, email ltc@uww.edu to request a personal or department session. Links to previously recorded sessions are also often available.  

Don’t see a session on something you’d like to learn? Let us know! We look forward to meeting your needs as best we can — email ltc@uww.edu with your request. And, don’t forget, LinkedIn Learning offers on-demand classes on many topics!

Instructional Workshops:

Webex (follow links for dates and times):

Canvas (follow links for dates and times):

General Campus Technology (follow links for dates and times):

If you have any questions, please reach out to the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Canvas Update (07/17/2021)

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On Saturday, July 17, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

  • SpeedGrader – Comment Library: Comments can be added and saved for reuse within SpeedGrader, allowing individual users to save frequently used comments to be reused across assignments in multiple courses.
  • New Quizzes – Item Bank M​​​​​anagement: Item banks can now be shared with the entire account or individual users. When instructors share an item bank, the item bank supports a new View permission, which can be given to a user and provides access to the bank as read only. The user who shares an item bank can continue to specify editing access for other users.
  • Canvas – Maintenance Window: Instructure has moved their intermittent maintenance to twice monthly scheduled maintenance windows. Moving forward, maintenance will be performed on the first and third Thursdays of each month, beginning at 1:00am, and running no later than 3:00am. Canvas may be unavailable to users during these windows. All users are able to view maintenance window times through Account then Settings. For additional information, please refer to the Canvas Community discussion.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas Update (05/15/2021)

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On Saturday, May 15, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

  • Assignments – Student Annotated Submissions: Instructors can use annotated document assignment type to upload a document for students to annotate and submit directly in Canvas. This assignment type is included under the online assignment types so that instructors can select additional submission options for students unable to annotate onscreen.
  • New Quizzes – Save and Build Button Workflow: The New Quiz creation page includes both a Save and a Build button. When an instructor creates and enters details for a quiz, the page displays both a Save and a Build button. Previously the page only included the Save button, which counterintuitively launched in the New Quiz editor. 

UW-Whitewater Updates

Planned Data Center Outage, May 21: Due to a state-initiated project, a temporary power shut-off of the UW-W data center will be required to complete planned maintenance at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 21st, with a targeted return to full service by 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 22nd. During this maintenance window, all IT services, applications, and web pages will be unavailable so please plan accordingly.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas to WINS Final Grade Submission

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Each semester, grades need to be entered into WINS. While many instructors do this manually, Canvas can help automate some of the steps for you. The Learning Technology Center is providing training on the three steps needed to push grades from Canvas so they can be accepted in WINS.

  1. Finish grading (including entering 0s) and setting the Grade Scheme
  2. Export from Canvas
  3. Verify and accept grades in WINS

The Spring 2021 WINS Grades Roster will be open on May 10 and close at noon on May 18. We have scheduled 60 minute hands on training sessions if you are interested in receiving live support.

Date/TimeLocationRegister
Wednesday, May 12th
2:00pm – 3:00pm		WebexRegistration
Thursday, May 13th
3:00am – 4:00pm		WebexRegistration
Monday, May 17th
10:00am – 11:00am		WebexRegistration
Monday, May 17th
2:00pm – 3:00pm		WebexRegistration

If you have any questions or concerns about this update, please contact the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

[RESOLVED] Canvas Unplanned Outage (03/25/2021)

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RESOLVED: Between 7:40 AM and 9:12 AM on Thursday, March 25th users may have had issues accessing Canvas. For additional details see: Canvas Unplanned Outage. The issue has been resolved. Please reach out to Canvas 24/7 support for any additional issues.

Beginning at roughly 7:40AM on Thursday, March 25th users may have started receiving timeout and gateway errors when accessing Canvas. The vendor is aware of the issue and currently investigating.

We will update this post as more information is available.

Resolved: 9:12AM the issue has been resolved.

Update 8:07AM: The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.

Canvas Update (03/20/2021)

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On Saturday, March 20, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

  • Assignments – Webcam Submissions: File upload assignments that allow for the upload of a .png file will allow students to use their webcam to take a photo.
  • Course Settings – Course Availability Date Enhancements: When an instructor views the Participation section in the Course Settings page, the Participation section displays a menu that defaults to Term dates for new courses. This option sets student course participation to the start and end dates defined for the term.
  • Modules – New Quiz Support: When an instructor adds an item to a module and selects a quiz, the Create Quiz option displays both the New Quizzes and Classic Quizzes quiz engines. New Quizzes is the default, but instructors can switch to Classic Quizzes and create a name for the quiz.
  • Outcomes – Learning Mastery Gradebook Student Filters: The Learning Mastery Gradebook includes filters for inactive and concluded enrollments. This change allows instructors to view outcomes data in the Learning Mastery Gradebook for students who no longer have an active enrollment in their course.
  • Rich Content Editor – File Preview Enhancements: Files linked in the Rich Content Editor can be previewed in an overlay or inline. This change allows users to control the display of the file preview. Previously all file previews opened in a new browser tab.
  • SpeedGrader – Submission Reassignments: In SpeedGrader, instructors can reassign an assignment to an individual student and ask them to redo their submission, as long as the student has submissions remaining on the assignment.

UW-Whitewater Updates

  • Resolved Issue – Webex Meeting Password required: Students joining a Webex Meeting from Canvas using the web browser were being prompted for a meeting password. This issue has been resolved. For additional details, please see our post.
  • Additional Canvas Personal Pronoun Options – March 23rd. UW-System will be enabling additional personal pronouns inside of Canvas on Tuesday March 23rd. For additional details and the full list of pronouns, please see this announcement.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.