Kate Rojas Canvas Updates

Canvas Production Release Notes: July 18, 2026

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.

July 18, 2026 Production Release Highlights

Feature Options

Notebook- Student With this feature option enabled, students can highlight text on Pages directly within their course content. They can mark content as Unclear or Important, add notes, and manage their entries from a dedicated Notebook page in Course Navigation. Notes will only be accessible to the student as long as they have access to the course, and they cannot be exported. The feature is only available on Pages and will not work on embedded content such as PDFs or Word documents.

For more details, please see the release notes. This feature will be enforced for all users on August 15, 2026.

The feature above is currently opt-in. Local Service Providers (LSPs) should contact canvas@pobox.upenn.edu to enable this feature in their subaccounts. Instructors should contact their LSP to see if the feature is available for their courses.

For a complete production release update, please see:

Canvas Production Release Notes: July 18, 2026

Kate Rojas Bugs & Maintenance

RESOLVED: Roll Call Attendance (7/14/26)

UPDATE: Roll Call is accessible again. Please report any continuing issues to canvas@pobox.upenn.edu.

Canvas users may be receiving a message that the “Instructure Attendance Tool is currently down for maintenance” when trying to access the Roll Call Attendance tool.

Instructure has identified the issue, and a fix is being implemented. We will provide an update once the issue is resolved.

Canvas and all other integrated tools are unaffected by this bug.

Please direct any questions or concerns to canvas@pobox.upenn.edu.

Kate Rojas Bugs & Maintenance

Turnitin, Gradescope, and iThenticate Maintenance – 7/18

All Turnitin products will be having scheduled maintenance on Saturday, July 18, from 11am-5pm Eastern. During this time, Turnitin, Gradescope, and iThenticate may experience intermittent availability.

  • To avoid issues, instructors are encouraged to set due dates for Turnitin and Gradescope assignments outside of the scheduled maintenance window.
  • Students are encouraged to submit Turnitin and Gradescope assignments in advance of affected due dates.

Canvas and all other integrated tools will be available and unaffected by this maintenance.

Please direct any questions or concerns to canvas@pobox.upenn.edu.

Kate Rojas Canvas Features, Canvas Updates

Performance and Usability Upgrades for SpeedGrader are Here!

We have now enabled Performance and Usability Upgrades for SpeedGrader, as mentioned in our blog post from June 16.

The new enhancements include an updated drop down menu for sections, refreshed states for “No Submission” and “Empty Course,” alignment with the grade status selector, consistency with rubric display, and improved comment attachment workflow.

Please review Using SpeedGrader for guidance that includes these changes.

Questions? Email canvas@pobox.upenn.edu.

Kate Rojas Canvas Features, Canvas Updates

Performance and Usability Upgrades for SpeedGrader are Coming on July 2!

Performance and Usability Upgrades for SpeedGrader will be enabled at Penn on July 2.

Most of the changes are minor, with minimal tweaks to grading workflow and the look and feel of the feature.

These enhancements include:

  • Updated drop down menu for sections
  • Refreshed states for “No Submission” and “Empty Course”
  • The grade status selector will match recent design patterns
  • Rubrics in SpeedGrader will always display in the enhanced traditional grid view for consistency
  • Improved comment attachment workflow (easier updates, clearer delete icon)

On July 2, our Using SpeedGrader guide will be updated. For more details, please read the vendor’s documentation. We will post again when the feature goes live.

If you have any questions, please email us at canvas@pobox.upenn.edu.

Kate Rojas Bugs & Maintenance, Canvas Updates

RESOLVED Outage – Canvas Down (5/7/26)

UPDATE: As of 8am Penn Canvas is accessible again. Please report any continuing issues to canvas@pobox.upenn.edu

UPDATE: As of 7:14 am Penn Canvas is still inaccessible this morning due to problems with authentication. We are working with ISC and Instructure to resolve this as soon as soon as possible. 

UPDATE – This issue is still ongoing as of 12am on Friday May 8. We will provide an update once service is restored.

Canvas is currently down across many institutions. This issue is not limited to Penn.

Our team has notified the Canvas vendor, Instructure, and they are working to restore functionality.

Please visit CETLI’s Resources for Teaching During a Canvas Disruption for solutions to continue teaching during this time.

We will let you know once service is restored, and we apologize for the inconvenience. To check for updates, visit https://status.instructure.com/.

Kate Rojas Support

Canvas Workshops in June 2026 (On Zoom!)

Register using the links below the flyer. Workshops will be recorded and sent to all registered participants.

Assignment & Quiz Basics

Tuesday, June 2 from 12:00-12:45 PM Eastern – Register

This workshop will focus on using Assignments and Quizzes in Canvas. Topics covered include creating assignments with various submission types, creating quizzes with multiple question types, configuring quiz and assignment settings, and using Assignment Groups.

Setting Up Your Gradebook

Friday, June 5 from 12:00-12:45 PM Eastern – Register

This workshop will provide step-by-step guidance on how to set up the Canvas Gradebook. Faculty and staff will learn how to configure a grade posting policy, select late policies, apply a grading scheme, and weigh their gradebook by points or by percentages using Assignment Groups.

Canvas Office Hours

Visit our LibCal calendar to register for a 30-minute session.

Kate Rojas Start/End of Term

Take a Virtual Study Break with Penn Libraries!

Staying up late studying? Performing last-minute research? Then, it’s time for a study break! Taking breaks can help reduce stress and improve your ability to focus on a task. 

Visit the Virtual Study Break Canvas site for a collection of stress-relieving activities from Penn Libraries leading up to and during Reading Days and Finals. Activities include games, puzzles, coloring, and more! Discover free in-person events hosted by Penn Libraries. There are also resources to help with research, studying, and stress management. 

Enjoy some mindful downtime so you can return to studying feeling refreshed, focused, and energized. Whether you have been studying for five minutes or five hours, Penn Libraries has you covered. 

Questions, concerns, or difficulties? Email canvas@pobox.upenn.edu. 

Kate Rojas Support

Canvas Workshops in May 2026 (On Zoom!)

Register using the links below the flyer. Workshops will be recorded and sent to all registered participants.

Canvas 101 for Faculty & Staff

Monday, May 11 from 12:00-12:45 PM Eastern – Register
Thursday, May 21 from 12:00-12:45 PM Eastern – Register

This workshop will introduce basic Canvas functions that will allow participants to do the following: set profile and notifications; navigate the Canvas interface; create content for a Canvas site; and post files, images, and videos.

Canvas Office Hours

Visit our LibCal calendar to register for a 30-minute session.