Teaching and Learning Resource Center

System Updates and Maintenance

Instructure, the vendor for Canvas, follows a continuous release production cycle. Every third week, an update is applied to the entire system. People who are interested in the details of each release may review the vendor's documentation.

During any given release you can expect to see bug fixes, browser updates, and minor changes to existing tools and features.

Major changes to tools and features are released in an inactive state. OTDI staff, in consultation with the university community, will evaluate when to make these major changes available. These changes will be accompanied by communications and training.

Instructure maintains an open feature request policy. Feature requests allow users to suggest ideas on ways to improve or enhance Canvas' functionality. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to engage in the Canvas Community by reviewing current feature requests, voting on requests, and creating new feature requests.

The Carmen landing page is maintained by OTDI to provide functionally specific to the Ohio State community. The landing page and connections between Carmen and other Ohio State systems will undergo maintenance and updates as needed. If planned work impacts end-users, advanced notice will be given.

System Integration / Sync with the Registrar's System

In general, user information from the Registrar's Student Information System (SIS) flows into Carmen, usually by the next day.

The People list in a Carmen course is based on the course rosters in SIS. However, if there is ever any question about who is in or out of a course, as student or instructor, the roster in the Faculty Center should be considered authoritative.

Final Grades are the only situation in which data moves from Carmen to the Faculty Center.