Posted Feedback: New Features & Updates
This article documents new features, fixes for issues, and updates in the Posted Feedback tool.
The most recent changes and updates will be displayed at the top, with previous updates in collapsed sections below. You can open a section for an older date to find the information posted on that date.
May 21, 2024 - General Usability Improvements and Bug Fixes
The tool has improved usability in the following area:
- Previously, the timestamps for activities in the Posted Feedback tool, including the Last Modified dates of feedback files and the dates when students Last Checked or Last Viewed feedback files, would always display in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Now, timestamps show in the time zone set in the viewer's Canvas account. Note: You can change your time zone by following the steps in How do I set a time zone in my user account as an instructor? (opens new window). (The steps are the same for students.)
The following bug was fixed:
- If someone had been manually added to the course site, but they had not yet accepted the "invitation" to the course, the template spreadsheet for a feedback file would not download and an error would display.
The following back-end technical improvements were made:
- The tool was upgraded to the LTI 1.3 spec for improved security.
- Error logging was added for failed spreadsheet uploads so the Learning Technology Services (LTS) team can better assist an instructor who encounters an issue uploading a file.
A Student View option has been added for instructors to preview an individual student's view of a feedback file.
The tool has improved usability in the following areas:
- Students now have a View button for files. Previously, students needed to select an Actions menu for a file to access its View link.
- The Actions menu for instructors now includes its text. Previously, a smaller down arrow button to the right of the text Actions was used to open the menu.
- Success and error messages have been made unique and descriptive. For example, when a file has been uploaded, a message will display with the name of the file, e.g., "Paper Feedback.csv successfully uploaded." This replaces the previous generic message of "Success!"
The following bugs were fixed:
- Students could not scroll to the right to see all the columns of a large feedback file.
- When a student hovered their mouse over a header in a table displaying their feedback, a highlight appeared as if the table was sortable.
Fixes were applied for keyboard and screen reader accessibility issues:
- The Choose File button and indicator of a file selected for upload was replaced with an accessible file picker.
- Keyboard focus indicators on buttons, links, and menus are more visible.
- Success and error messages are now tagged with role="alert" so they can be read more easily with a screen reader.
- Color contrast between text and background color was improved on multiple buttons and menus.
- Sortable tables and pagination options in the tool are now accessible with a keyboard and screen reader.
When an instructor using NVDA screen reader selects the Actions menu for a file, then View, they may have difficulty navigating the table contents on the following page.
If you encounter an issue accessing this table, we recommend following the steps to download the file (opens new window) and reading it in a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel. The downloaded file includes the same information as the table presented on the View page.
Note: If you encounter an issue using Posted Feedback with NVDA or another screen reader, please contact the Learning Technology Services (LTS) Team. In your email, please include the screen reader you are using and a description of the issue, so we can try to investigate and address it.