IT Department Blog

A recent Canvas update caused some inconsistencies in discussion settings, where certain discussions may have had threading disabled unintentionally. If you created a discussion intending to allow threaded replies but found this option disabled, you can correct it by unchecking the "Disallow Threaded Replies" setting when editing your discussion.

Recent updates to Canvas include enhancements focused on usability and readability for FSCJ faculty. Key improvements include the option to disallow threaded replies in discussions, visual separators between discussion posts for better clarity, and a generative AI-powered discussion summarization tool. Additionally, the Smart Search feature enhances search functionality, while updates to SpeedGrader and the Gradebook improve grading efficiency with features like draft indicators for comments and streamlined messaging options.

As you embrace and begin the transition to Simple Syllabus, here is a high level view of the top 5 steps to get you started.

Here are the top questions and answers to common questions posed as we transition to Simple Syllabus at FSCJ.

Users now have two options for screen recording in Canvas, the traditional Screencast-o-matic that you may already by used to and Studio Capture. Canvas Studio Capture for Chrome and Edge browsers is a new option for integrated screen capture available in Canvas. Studio Capture integrates with your existing webcam and eliminates the need to download a separate screen capture product.

Are you confident your Canvas page, assignment, or quiz meets our accessibility standards? Do you know how to easily extend time if a student requests more attempts or additional time for a quiz? How about extending a due date for a student who needs just a few more days to submit? And, while in BigBlueButton, do you know where to customize your experience?

Join Brandi and Jeniah as we discuss simple solutions to each of these common requests.

Turnitin has just announced the upcoming launch of our AI paraphrasing detection capability. It aims to help educators identify potential AI misconduct and advance student learning by providing updated data and insights on the use of AI in student submissions. This capability is an extension of their AI writing detection feature and will become available from July 16, 2024.

The new Webex Suite meeting platform was recently enabled for all FSCJ users, bringing new features and an improved user interface. This new platform merges the Webex App with Webex Meetings into a single, unified application while introducing improvements to your experience.

This update relocates the menu options to make them more contextual, better management of panels for easier access, and choose the ability to choose what to share on your screen.

IT’s Digital Media Productions team is partnering with the AI Advisory Council to produce a new series of podcasts looking at the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on higher ed.

Have you ever been on Teams and had an emoji thumbs up or thumbs down appear, leaving you wondering what you did to trigger it? We discovered how these reactions work, how you can use them intentionally, and how to disable them if needed. Read on to learn more!

Artificial intelligence – AI – seems to be popping up everywhere we turn these days. To help you learn more about AI and the Academic Experience, we’re starting a series of interviews with college faculty and staff about how they’re using the technology. On the first episode, we ask Professor Scott Cason - one of the faculty members at the forefront of AI at FSCJ - how he got started with AI.

The IT team turned out in force to help out at this year’s Commencement. This big day is important for not only our terrific, accomplished graduates, but also for FSCJ’s faculty and staff; everyone coming together to celebrate our students.

The time has come to say goodbye to the Blue Wave Online Syllabus Builder and step into the future of syllabus creation with Simple Syllabus. This new system will provide a consistent experience for our students, an easy to use creation tool for our instructors, and a robust search and reporting feature for supervisors and administration - all while enabling us to meet the requirements of the state.

The EdTech team is excited to announce something new, informational, and even a little fun! We will be activating a New User Tutorial in Canvas, specifically tailored for our new users and those who may need tips for using various pages in Canvas. This new feature is part of our commitment to ensuring that you have the best possible experience and support as you navigate and utilize Canvas for your teaching needs.

As we approach the five-year mark of transitioning to Canvas, the Education Technology team would like to introduce the Canvas Course Archival Plan. This initiative will begin the process of streamlining course archives, ensuring that our digital learning environment remains both efficient and secure. The plan outlined below provides a clear timeline for the archiving and eventual deletion of courses, as well as what you should do to prepare for this project.