The Sheridan Center's Digital Learning and Design Team is pleased to share the following important learning technology updates as you prepare for the Spring 2025 semester.
DLD Learning Technologies Canvas Support Options
[NEW] Canvas@Brown Site
We're excited to announce the launch of our new Canvas@Brown documentation site! This comprehensive resource provides students, faculty, and staff with streamlined access to guides, tutorials, and answers to frequently asked questions about Canvas. With our intuitive search function, step-by-step tutorials, and regularly updated content, Canvas support is now easier than ever to find.
Visit help.canvas.brown.edu to explore the new site!
Semester Start Canvas Checklist
Another tool newly created for Canvas users is our “Semester Start Canvas Checklist". This resource addresses the most frequently asked questions as the semester begins and serves as a quality check for your course as well. Whether you’re a first-time course builder or a seasoned pro, we hope you find this to-do checklist useful for preparing your Canvas site for the upcoming term.
Spring 2025 Canvas Office Hours
Would you prefer to talk to a person rather than read an article? DLD will again be offering our 15-minute Canvas Office Hours Zoom meetings. Please use this scheduler link to find and book your session.
If you have a more complex question, don’t forget we offer in depth consultations as well. Visit our Learning Technologies consultation page for options.
Updated Canvas Features
Discussion Checkpoints Feature Removed [1/22/25]
As of January 22nd, Instructure has rolled back the Discussion Checkpoint integration for all users citing UI issues impacting Speedgrader. This feature, we previously announced on 1/18, will be unavailable in Brown’s Canvas instance until further notice. Thank you for your understanding.
In the meantime if you were considering utilizing the Checkpoints feature in Canvas, you may find it beneficial to explore our integrated tool, Harmonize which offers a similar feature known as milestones.
If you have any questions about this rollback, Canvas Discussions or Harmonize, please do not hesitate email [email protected] or sign up for a 1.1 consultation with a member of the Learning Technologies team.
Canvas Inbox Setting Changes: Include Your Signature and Create an Auto-Reply Message
Instructors can add a signature and set up automatic replies in their Canvas Inbox settings, helping direct students to alternate communication channels or useful resources when unavailable.
To learn how to setup in your Canvas account, follow the instructions in this article.
Learning Technology Updates From Around Campus
Zoom AI Companion Features Available at Brown
As announced in Today@Brown, OIT has enabled Zoom AI's features to meet the community's growing demand for automated note-taking and to-do item summarization.
- To learn more about this feature, please review OIT’s help article, Zoom AI Companion Overview.
- To learn more about potential uses of AI summaries in course meetings, visit DLD's Faculty Guide.
- Reach out to the Help Desk via [email protected] for technical questions about Zoom AI Companion
Brown Library’s JoVE Subscription Content Available in Canvas
Instructors and students can now access Brown Library’s subscription to the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) through Canvas
- To learn more about JoVE at Brown, visit the library web page on the resource.
- For more on how to set pp JoVE Content with Canvas through LTI, view these instructions resources from the vendor.
Previous Learning Technology updates available on our DLD Learning Technology Updates and Release Notes page.