Discover the latest improvements in Canvas designed to streamline your teaching and grading experience. Updates this month include new options for managing discussion due dates, enhancements to the student submission workflow, faster performance in SpeedGrader, and the ability to schedule grade and comment release when using a manual grade posting policy.
Discussion Checkpoints
Discussion Checkpoints allow instructors to set separate due dates for the initial post and the required replies, helping students participate more consistently and on time.
Teacher View in Module
Student View in Module
Key Behaviors
- Instructors can set two due dates: one for the initial post and one for replies.
- Both dates appear in Modules and in the student's To Do list.
- Checkpoint settings cannot be enabled or disabled after a student submits.
- Rubrics display normally, but do not push scores into checkpoint scoring fields.
- Checkpoint dates cannot be bulk‑edited from the Assignments page. Each discussion must be edited individually.
Assignment Enhancements
The updated assignment interface introduces small improvements to the student submission workflow, and there were no Help Desk cases about it over Winterim. Students adjusted smoothly without needing any support.
Key Improvements
- OneDrive compatibility: Students can submit OneDrive files even when file type restrictions are enabled.
- Improved annotation tools: Instructors and students experience smoother and more reliable annotations in the submission preview.
- Access to previous versions: Students can view prior submission attempts, including earlier uploads and feedback.
Tip for Instructors
- Use Student View: Switch to Student View to see exactly how the updated submission workflow appears to students.
- Assign To: Group assignments now support assigning due dates by group.
SpeedGrader
The updated SpeedGrader interface includes a few minor visual changes. The most important improvement is that documents load significantly faster, especially in larger courses.
Key Improvements
- Faster document loading: Files open more quickly, which reduces grading time.
- Minor interface updates: Layout and labels have been adjusted slightly, but workflows remain familiar.
- Access to Old SpeedGrader: Instructors can switch to the old SpeedGrader by selecting Options (the gear icon) in the top right corner.
Gradebook Changes
Canvas made changes in settings and the grade posting policy.
Settings
There are two new options in Grades → Gear icon → View Options.
- View hidden grades indicator
Adds an indicator (orange dot) next to any grade that has not yet been posted to students. - View status for colorblindness
Adds text labels next to status icons (e.g., missing, excused, or late) to improve clarity for users with color‑vision difficulties.
Scheduled Feedback
If you use a manual Grade Posting Policy, you now have the following options:
- Ability to schedule when grades are posted.
- Option to hold feedback until after a due date
- Release comments separately from scores.
