March 2025

Canvas Course Site Hall of Fame student nominations are underway

The inaugural launch of the Canvas Course Site Hall of Fame Awards is underway. These student-nominated awards aim to honor faculty and instructors who create innovative and engaging Canvas learning environments. Canvas course site design plays a crucial role in student success and significantly influences students’ approach to learning. While we understand that course design and teaching are closely linked, this initiative focuses on celebrating excellence in Canvas site design. 

Instructors whose courses have been nominated have received an email (sent from: “Canvas Course Site Hall of Fame Awards: [email protected]”) informing them of their nomination and asking permission for the nomination to proceed. The email outlines steps needed for instructor consent and it includes information about student data protections. Be sure to respond to this email by March 21.

Canvas Updates 

Course Sections page updated display

Cross-listed sections display what course they went to or what course they came from. These markers help reduce confusion and assist users in tracking down wayward sections.

Update to New Quizzes multiple choice questions

In New Quizzes, instructors can remove one answer choice from multiple-choice questions with four or more options. This reduces cognitive load and supports accessibility for students with learning differences or test anxiety.

FeedbackFruits Updates

New “Review as a Group” Feature in Peer Review and Group Member Evaluation

Groups can collectively review the work of other groups within Peer Review and Group Member Evaluation. With this update, a single student can submit feedback on behalf of the entire group, eliminating the need for each member to do so individually. This highly-requested feature addresses feedback from FeedbackFruits users.

Enhanced Toolpicker Experience

Two key improvements have been made to the Toolpicker:

1. Easier Navigation: Previously, clicking a template in the Toolpicker would immediately create and save a copy, opening it in edit mode—often leading to a frustrating experience if this was unintentional. Now, a trashcan icon in the top-left corner of the dialog allows users to delete the copy and return to the Toolpicker effortlessly.
2. Activity Previews: Users can now preview all activities before selecting them. This new feature allows you to explore the steps involved in each activity, helping you make more informed decisions.

Zoom Updates

Reminder about use of third-party AI tools within Zoom

Have you ever been in a Zoom meeting with a participant box labeled Otter.ai or Firefly.ai? These are third-party tools or services that may obtain private information during a Zoom meeting when appropriate security controls are not in place. For these reasons, use of unapproved AI assistants or tools in any UMN environment is prohibited. As a meeting host, you can remove the AI assistant in the same way you would remove a meeting participant. 

Many people do not realize that a third-party tool has access to their Zoom account. If the participant box has a meeting participant's name associated with the AI tool, do not assume they know it is connected to their account. 

If you have granted third-party AI app access to your Google Account, follow these steps to remove access:

1. Go to Google Account Settings.
2. Select Security on the Left Hand toolbar.
3. Scroll down to find Your connections to third-party apps & services.
4. Select any third-party AI tools (Otter.ai, Firefly.ai, etc.) and select Delete all connections you have with [AI Tool name].

The Zoom AI Companion is an approved, secure tool to use in place of these third-party tools. 

Remind students to avoid using mobile devices for submitting Canvas assignments and quizzes 

Students today have grown up using mobile devices. Thus, it is important they realize the limitations of engaging 

with Canvas course sites on a mobile device either with the Canvas mobile app or on a web browser. 

• While students can technically submit assignments from their mobile device it is not recommended for file uploads. Successful submissions to assignments are inconsistent. Students might receive verification that the assignment was successfully submitted, but instructors do not see the submission.
• High stakes quizzes should not be taken in the Student App or in a web browser on a mobile device; it is not a reliable environment for Classic or New Quizzes. 

Call for volunteers: Spring 2025 instructor focus groups

On April 2–3, 2025 the Usability Services and ATSS teams are looking for volunteer instructors to discuss generative AI and its use in their classes. The one-hour sessions will take place over Zoom. All participation is strictly confidential, and no one is personally identified in any results. Interested in participating? View focus group details and share your availability. Thank you in advance for your interest!

Emerging Technologies Faculty Fellows share their experiences

In the final semester of the 18-month Emerging Technologies Faculty Fellowship Program, cohort participants are refining and implementing their projects and sharing their experience with colleagues and the broader UMN community. Each month during this final semester of the program, interviews featuring faculty fellows will be posted on Extra Points as part of a Gen AI Explorations series. This month features the following faculty fellows:

• Fernando Burga, Assistant Professor of Urban & Regional Planning at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, engages his students in what he calls “a hybrid loop,” moving between human intelligence and artificial intelligence as they seek new solutions to design challenges.
• Ezgi Tiryaki, Professor of Neurology in the Medical School, takes a systematic approach to exploring generative AI tools that expand her ability to create content used for faculty development.
• Darren LaScotte, Teaching Specialist with the Minnesota English Language Program in the College of Continuing & Professional Studies, explores with students how to use generative AI to promote language learning.

Starting small, starting now

Digital accessibility is a collective responsibility of all University members. By removing outdated or unused digital content, we can eliminate extra work that would be needed to make this content accessible. By revising your existing Canvas course materials and other digital content, you can help University students have a more accessible course experience. Consider adopting media content that is closed captioned and materials that are natively digital. It’s the right thing to do—and it’s easier than you might think.

Don’t wait. Start now. You don’t have to revise your courses all at once—break the work into manageable steps, such as:

• Focus on one of the 3Rs at a time: 3Rs: Remove, Revise, and Right First.
• Take on one of the 7 core accessibility skills at a time—for example, fix heading issues first, then address color contrast issues, etc.
• Ensure all new content is accessible from the start.

Not sure where to start? Contact your unit’s digital accessibility liaison or web and email digital accessibility coordinator for support. 

Visit the Office for Digital Accessibility (ODA) website to access resources, request a consultation, or schedule a training session for your unit. 

Together, we can make a big difference by starting small, starting now.

Creating Accessible Documents: Google Accessibility Checker & ADA Compliance Explained

March 18; 9–10:30 a.m.

Learn about GrackleDocs, a tool the Office of Information Technology has purchased, that will enable you to easily check your Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets for digital accessibility issues. We will also hear about the impact of recent updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and pending updates to University policy related to Digital Accessibility. Registration for this event is required.