Go here to see the newest updates to our learning technologies.
Canvas: Transitioning Google Apps to Google Assignments
The current Google integration with Canvas (Google Apps) will transition to a new Google integration (Google Assignments) that will take the place of Google Apps. Instructure, the company that provides Canvas, has changed its deadline to an undetermined date, as of March 2024. To learn about the differences between the two integrations, check out Google Apps to Google Assignments Transition: Spring 2024.
The new Google Assignments integration is already available to use. Procedures for transitioning materials from Google Apps to Google Assignments and archiving student work are being explored. As soon as these procedures are clear, we will communicate them to you. If you are worried about the burden of this transition given the quantity of your Google usage in Canvas, please reach out to us at Canvas@Cornell.edu for assistance.
In the meantime, we recommend utilizing Google Assignments (LTI 1.3) for any new uses of Google within Canvas. Below are details of how to ensure you are using the new integration.
Canvas: General Updates
Updates to Discussions/Announcements
Beginning July 20, 2024, Canvas will enforce the use of their Discussions/Announcements Redesign feature. In preparation for this, we have enabled this feature by default in all courses. To revert to the previous Discussions/Announcements experience, you can currently disable this feature option.
The Discussions/Announcements Redesign has not changed the Announcements experience much in Canvas (unless you allow students to reply to announcements). The Discussions tool has noticeable differences, including:
- the default order of replies being reversed (newest at top)
- new sorting options
- role labels (identifying posts by the Teacher, TA, or the discussion’s author
- multiple ways to view discussion threads
- highlighting of searched text
- reporting of abusive/inappropriate posts
- enforced allowing of discussion threads
- anonymous ungraded discussions
Improvements for Recurring Events on the Calendar
Recurring events on the Calendar can now be set in a wider array of recurrence patterns, as well as being able to be edited or deleted in bulk. Learn about creating a recurring event in the Calendar.
Points-based Grading Scheme Option
The Grading Scheme available in courses in Canvas have traditionally based on percentages. Users can now base letter grades off percentages or points. You can find out more at How do I add a grading scheme in a course?
Canvas: New Quizzes
Build on Last Attempt
In New Quizzes, instructors can now allow students to build on their last attempt of a quiz by reattempting incorrectly answered questions. When the build on last attempt feature is enabled, students can only view questions marked with incorrect answers, all other questions are hidden. This option is only available when allowing multiple attempts. See How do I manage settings for a quiz in New Quizzes? for more details.
Export New Quiz as a Portable File
This update allows instructors to export New Quizzes from the Build page and the new Export Page. See How do I export a New Quiz from a course? for more details.
Copy Item Banks
When a course is copied that includes New Quizzes using item banks, the item banks are shared with the new course automatically. This means less box checking when selecting specific content on course migration (which is the currently recommended method). See Item Banks Shared in Course Copy for more details.
Zoom Updates
Zoom Whiteboard Persistence
Zoom Whiteboards are now persistent and can be accessed outside of Zoom meetings, allowing participants to continue using a whiteboard for brainstorming and collaboration.
Participant Activity in Breakout Rooms
Meeting hosts/co-hosts can now view participants’ activity in breakout rooms. Find out more in Zoom’s documentation.
Book a Zoom Room from Zoom in Canvas
When creating a Zoom meeting through the Canvas integration, users can now schedule a specific Zoom Room available at Cornell.
FeedbackFruits Updates
Including Self Assessment Scores in Grades
Responding to the FeedbackFruits users’ common request, self-assessment scores in the Peer Review and Group Member Evaluation assignments can now be calculated towards the total assignment scores as of January, 2024. In the FeedbackFruits’ configurable grading section (at the bottom of the assignment settings), instructors have an option of including students’ self-assessments ratings as one of the configurable grading facets, along with the average ratings received from peers and other facets.
New Assignment Toolpicker Design
To improve the user experience and make their tools easier to use and understand, FeedbackFruits has updates their user interface. The full details of these changes can be found under Toolpicker redsign.
iClicker Updates
Retirement of iClicker Classic
As of December 18, 2023, iClicker began sunsetting the iClicker Classic instructor program and will only support the iClicker Cloud instructor program. Because of the features that have been disabled, including the Canvas integration, faculty will need to switch to iClicker Cloud.
NEW: Confidence Rating
iClicker recently released the Confidence setting. This setting allows your students to select their level of confidence when providing their answer for an iClicker question. Learn more about the iClicker Confidence feature.
