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Software - reference overview

The software section of the Reference documentation provides a detailed reference to the interface and operation of the Canvas Learning Journal (CLJ) software. Since the CLJ software interface provides direct links to information within the software documentation. The software documentation is structured to match software interface.

CLJ is designed to run when instructors are accessing the People page in a Canvas course. On this page instructors are able to access information via two different types of tabs

  1. The Everyone tab.

    Information and functionality to search and filter data about the people enrolled in the course.

  2. Additional Groupset tabs.

    To create groups of users in Canvas you create groupsets. Each groupset contains multiple groups. THe People page will have a tab for each groupset within a course.

The CLJ interface is different on each of these two types of tabs. The software section of the reference documentation is divided into sub-sections to reflect this as summarised in the following table.

Sub-section Canvas tab Documentation
Everyone Everyone tab Explanation of the learning journal specific overviews of existing groupsets and the ability to create a new groupset provided by CLJ.
Groupsets Groupset tab Explanation of the CLJ functionality to create and manage learning journal activities.
Shared Both tabs Explanation of features shared between both tabs

Page purpose

Provide basic overview to software reference. Pointing to other sections.

Also including some higher level stuff, e.g. Loading

Loading

Before Canvas Learning Journal can display any information it was must retrieve information about the current course and its students, teaching staff, groupsets, and groups. Whilst retrieving data some functionality will be unavailable.

There are different stages to loading. Each stage happens at a different time and retrieves different types of data. The following table summarises those stages.

Stage When Data retrieved
1. Initial Whenever the CLJ is first loaded Initial course information, details of students and teachers, details of current groupsets and groups.
2. Groupset When a groupset is selected Detailed information about contributions to group discussion topics.