Below you'll find a list of changes in this new version that specifically impact students, grouped by tool.
List of FeaturesContent
DiscussionDropboxOtherContent ToolExpandable Content MenuThe Content tool now features an expandable left menu panel that lets you quickly navigate to any topic or module in the course, at any time. The panel also support swipe gestures on tablets so you can swipe left to expand and right to collapse the panel on both iPad and Android tablets.
Content Update Notifications for StudentsInstructors can choose to notify students of changes to course content. They can include a custom message with the notification and choose to reset completion tracking for students who have already completed the activity (these students will see the word "Updated" next to the completion marker to indicate they were reset.
Students will see the alert in the toolbar at the top of the screen (red dot). They can also choose to receive email or SMS notifications about updated content.
Expand and Collapse ImprovementsThe Table of Contents now remembers the expanded/collapsed state of modules from session to session, and includes options to expand all and collapse all with a single click.
Improved Handling of External Links and Unsupported File TypesExternal links now automatically open in a new tab or window, as well as a placeholder page in Content (opening in a new tab/window was optional before). This allows instructors to track whether the link was visited, and maintains consistent course navigation for the student.
For files that cannot be displayed in place, a placeholder page is provided that includes a visually prominent Download option.
Discussions ToolImproved, Simplified Discussions InterfacePreviously, the reading view of Discussions was a single list of threads and replies within a topic. The new, improved Discussions "reading" view is more compact and less cluttered. It allows you to quickly scan the columns to see which topics have unread or unapproved posts.
You used to have an option in your Discussion Settings to view the "reading" view or "grid" view as default. However, the grid view has been sunsetted, leaving just one view -- the "reading" view.
Subscribing to a forum or topic has gotten easier because it's been moved into the context menu, along with the rest of the options for that forum/topic
If you choose to turn off the Discussion "List" view (in your Discussion Settings), a new space-saving expandable menu allows you to easily navigate through all discussion forums and threads in the course
Discussions Integrated with ContentDiscussions can now be placed right into Content topics. This means that people can post to Discussions without needing to leave the Content area.
Improved Discussion Notifications
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