Notable changes to Canvas @ Yale environment, last updated 05/22/2025.
Also check out Canvas Updates for Summer 2025
Table of Contents
This article will address the following information:
Canvas Updates
Canvas's core functionality is continuously updated throughout the year. Here are some of the more notable changes you should be aware of.
- In New Quizzes, a Student Analysis Report is available. Instructors can view this report by exporting the CSV file. In the Student Analysis Report, instructors can access a range of student data, including:
- Time Elapsed
- Submission Attempts
- Item Type
- Student Response
- Points Earned
- Number of Correct
- Number of Incorrect
- No Response
- Overall Score
- Instructors can migrate Classic Quiz question banks to New Quiz item banks by using the Convert content to New Quizzes checkbox, previously labeled Import existing quizzes on the Course Copy and Import Course Content pages. Additionally, the Tool tip text is updated.
- When course sections are cross-listed, the original section remains visible but is set to read-only in the original course. Furthermore, cross-listed courses indicate their originating course. Previously, the cross-listed section was removed from view.
- The Import Content page is updated to the latest version of InstUI, Instructure's internal design language. The import button text is updated to Add Import to Queue and when an instructor's timezone differs from the course timezone, both the local and course time zones are displayed.
- Over the coming months, a series of updates will be introduced to enhance Canvas's accessibility, intuitiveness, and equity, with a focus on improving usability for assistive technology users. These updates will include changes in the following areas: Enhanced Structural Clarity and Improved Error Feedback
- In New Quizzes, the Student Analysis report includes all quiz attempts.
- When creating or editing a discussion, instructors can configure the default view settings, including thread collapse/expansion and sorting options for students, with the ability to lock these preferences if needed. This feature allows instructors to structure discussions in a way that aligns with their teaching approach, guiding student engagement and interaction.
Discontinuing Attachment Button in Discussion and Announcement
To streamline the user experience and create consistency across all Canvas features, the dedicated “attach” button in Discussions and Announcements will be removed on July 19th, 2025. Users can continue to upload images, videos, and files via the RCE toolbar.
To learn more about this update, please review Instructure's community blog on the topic.
Redesigned Files Page
On June 21, 2025, the Files page will be updated to a new redesigned interface. For the time being, users can select to revert back to the old Files page interface by clicking the "Switch to Old Files Page" button at the top of the page.
To learn more about this update, please check out Instructure's deploy notes on this topic.
Canvas External Application Updates
External Tool Depreciation: FeedbackFruits
After extensive review of community adoption and feedback, access to create and use all FeedbackFruits tools will be removed at the end of the Fall 2025 semester in December in our Canvas @ Yale instance for all users. If you are currently using a FeedbackFruits tool, please use the Fall 2025 semester to begin migrating your content out of FeedbackFruits to a different tool we have integrated with Canvas.
For more details about this tool depreciation and resources on alternative tools to migrate your activities to, please reference our Canvas @ Yale news article: FeedbackFruits Tool Removal at End of Fall 2025 Semester
Configurable Custom AI Agents in Ed Discussion
Ed Discussion, available in Canvas, supports the addition of custom AI agents which faculty can use in their Ed Discussion space using Ed Discussion's Bots++ functionality. These custom agents can be given custom system prompts as well as specific course material content to inform responses to students.
For more details about Bots++ and how to configure it for your Ed Discussion space, please review our support article, Ed Discussions: Adding an AI Chatbot with Bots++
Clarity Platform Redirect Link
Instructors can enable a redirect link to the Clarity Platform, Yale's secure chatbot, in their Canvas course navigation for all Fall 2025 course sites. To learn more, please review our support article, Enabling the Clarity Platform Link in Your Canvas Course Site.
At this time, the Clarity Platform is not integrated directly with Canvas @ Yale for deeper interaction or functionality. Enabling the redirect link in your Course Navigation does not:
- Pass your Canvas course roster to Clarity
- Create a custom chatbot agent that you can configure
- Read or have access to any of your Canvas course content to reference
- Provide you insights or logs to what your students may be using Clarity for in your class
The Clarity Platform redirect link in the Course Navigation just provides a more convenient place for faculty and students to get to Clarity.
Educational Technology Pilot: PressBooks
PressBooks is currently in a 3-year pilot. This is a joint pilot shared between the Center for Language Studies (CLS), University Library, and Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. CLS faculty are working to create Open Educational Resources in Pressbooks, which they can then embed directly into Canvas @ Yale with the Pressbooks LTI tool.
While the focus for support on PressBooks is focused on CLS faculty, there are a limited number of book licenses that can be applied to other users who want to use or create open educational resources.
For more information about using PressBooks, please check out our resources: