Canvas Production Release Notes: March 21, 2020

Canvas operates on a monthly release cycle through which features are added or updated. Courseware Support posts highlights from Canvas’s production release notes, a link to these notes, and other relevant content to the Canvas at Penn a few days before the production release, which usually occurs on Saturdays. Please contact Courseware Support at canvas@pobox.upenn.edu if you have any questions about an upcoming production release.

March 21, 2020 Production Release Highlights

Re-Upload Submissions Status Page in Assignments: The status of re-uploaded assignment files is managed in the background, no longer requiring the instructor to wait for the files confirmation page. After downloaded files are re-uploaded to Canvas via a zip file, a status page notifies the user that the files are processing.
Export Sort Order in Gradebook: The Gradebook export CSV file matches the order of assignments displayed in the Assignments page. The file sorts by the position (ascending) of the assignment group for an assignment, then by the assignment’s position within the group. Previously the Gradebook export arranged assignment groups by ID, followed by the assignment’s position within the group.
Plagiarism Icons in Gradebook: For plagiarism tools, updated plagiarism icons display in the Gradebook, SpeedGrader, and the student Grades page. Report types are indicated by the following icons:
- Error icon: the submission could not be submitted to the plagiarism service; resubmit from SpeedGrader
- Clock icon: the submission is being processed by the plagiarism service
- Green certified checkmark icon: the similarity score is between 0% and 20%
- Red half-filled circle icon: the similarity score is between 20% and 60%
- Solid red circle icon: the similarity score is higher than 60%
Course Summary Visibility in Syllabus: The Syllabus page includes an option to remove the Course Summary section. When instructors create a course summary, editing the syllabus displays a checkbox to make the course summary optional. This checkbox is selected by default. If the Course Summary option is not selected, all other viewers in the course will also not be able to view the course summary. The Syllabus is considered to be a course setting and is inherited in course copies. Additionally, any courses that are also a Blueprint Course must be synced for a Course Summary change to display in associated courses.