Release Notes 2024

6 August 2024 - Feature

TBD

23 July June 2024 - Service

Change LO+Taxonomy live item (new version) - CR-22596

We introduce the ability to change Learning Objectives (LO) and Taxonomy for live items. Previously, this was not possible. Now, any changes made will create a new version of the item, which is crucial for maintaining accurate statistics.

This update enhances the flexibility and accuracy of managing live assessment items.

Bugfixes

• Unexpected visual changes in PIN - CR-23448
• Fixed an issue with the annotation tool CR-23674

11 July 2024 - Hotfix

We released an update on the 9th of July and identified issues that may significantly impact certain customers' processes. As a result, we are implementing a hotfix to address these issues promptly.

The release will address the following item(s):

• Fixed an issue in marking where the shortcut for navigating to the next and previous question had conflicting functions CR-23603
• Added a missing scroll bar to sections item type in marking CR-23604
• Fixed an issue with adding annotations in Firefox CR-23605

9 July 2024 - Feature

Scoring page Update

We are excited to announce the redesigned scoring page in the marking module, featuring numerous new functionalities and enhancements aimed at simplifying the scoring process for markers.

Key features include:

Key Features:
Quick Annotations Linked to Criteria: Provide more precise and relevant feedback. See article
Progress Overviews: Track scoring progress by question or candidate. See article
Improved Navigation and Keyboard Shortcuts: Increases marking efficiency. See article
Audio and Video Feedback Options: Offer richer, more personalized feedback. See article
Ability to Upload Annotated Files: Provide more detailed feedback. See article
Adjustable Criteria During Scoring: Adds flexibility to the scoring process. See article
View and Comment on Colleagues’ Scores and Annotations: Facilitates collaborative scoring. See article
Improved File Response and Office 365 View

We still have some more in store coming soon:

• Drawing annotations
• Redo/undo functionality
• Improved moderation tools

Important changes:
Apart from the visual changes we also like to address the following:

• CHANGE: Annotation strike-through option is removed and replaced with different color options. Existing strike-through annotations will be retained and visible.
• NEW: Scoring with two decimal places is now possible for more question types beyond criteria scoring.
• CHANGE: The "Save Score" button (score and go to the next item/candidate) has been removed. Navigation has been improved with new keyboard shortcuts.
• CHANGE: Candidate review sessions with detailed overviews have been updated.
• NEW: A 'Show Annotation' checkbox has been added to the assessment options.

Bugfixes

• [Invigilator overview> Schedule view] Sorting by status does not work - CR-23559
• Incorrect PDF export using sftp - CR-23542

25 June 2024 - Service

• Submission table: Add Assessor/Moderator score column - CR-23161

11 June 2024 - Service

Bugfixes

• Assessment > Question selection tab > filter by Section type doesn't work properly - CR-23144
• Test wizard > possible to set 0 for extra time - CR-22805
• Marking Submissions > Add search by label on View by Item - CR-22948

28 May 2024 - Service

Bugfixes

• Test wizard - GMT time automatically to two hours later. - CR-23073
• Change date on Login page - CR-23184
• In rare cases a Office365 link is not working in marking (no answers lost) - CR-23188

21 May 2024 - Hotfix

The release will address the following item(s):
When using our APIs to schedule exams, candidates receive a direct link to access their exam, bypassing the Cirrus dashboard to prevent viewing other possible exams.

In rare cases, candidates can be redirected to the dashboard after encountering an error when viewing detailed results. This poses a risk of prematurely viewing other exams in specific scenarios. - CR-23186

14 May 2024 - Service

Enhanced Security with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) - CR-20238

Introducing Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for an added layer of security during login. Administrators and Authors can now set up 2FA in their profile settings using authentication apps such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator. This 2FA support extends to both the login page and SAML authentication, ensuring a more secure login flow.

Refreshed Login Page Design - CR-20238

Experience our revamped login page with a fresh look and feel. We have redesigned the login interface to provide a more intuitive and visually appealing experience for our users.

Introducing the News Section - CR-20238

• Stay informed and connected with the new News Section. Administrators can now post news and important information directly on the login page. This feature enables seamless communication with platform users, keeping them updated on announcements, updates, and relevant information.

How to Set Up and Manage News Section:

• Access the News Management Section through the Admin Panel:
  • Navigate to Admin > Overview > News Management.
• Here, you can update the news section or edit older versions, ensuring that users receive the latest and most relevant information upon login.

Bugfixes

• Assessment > Question selection: Fixed an issue with Collection filter not working properly - CR-23074
• Resolved an issue enabling the addition of invigilators to a schedule after the schedule window has closed - CR-23141
• Fixed Issue with Question Order Changes When Creating Assessment Copies - CR-23182

2 May 2024 - Hotfix

The release will address the following item(s):
Resolved an issue where admins lacking "Manage hierarchy" permission were logged out when trying to add new users to the platform. - CR-23158

30 April 2024 - Feature

Archiving Hierarchies - CR-20238

Due to popular demand, we now offer the ability to archive hierarchies. Archived hierarchies will be hidden in most platform overviews for a cleaner interface. Simply click the eye icon on a hierarchy to toggle between archived and unarchived states.

Additional Enhancements:

• Active Hierarchies Filter: Added a filter to view only active/all hierarchies.
• Search Functionality Improvement:
• API Updates:
  • Get Groups: added new node: "IsArchived": ,
  • Update Groups: added new node: "IsArchived": ,

Flexible Sections - CR-22877

Building on our April 16 release, which introduced more flexible management of sections, we are now reintroducing flexible sections at the assessment form (fixed form) level. This enhancement is made possible by the addition of checkboxes at the question level within each section, allowing for the inclusion or exclusion of specific questions.

You can create a section in the library as a pool of questions and then select a subset of these questions for a specific assessment form. For instance, if a section contains 20 questions, you can choose to include only 10 in the form using the new checkboxes. This flexibility allows you to adapt and update the assessment later with the remaining questions.

Enable 'Add Labels' by Default for New Questions - CR-22868

Labels (A, B, C, etc.) are now enabled by default for new questions. This applies to the following question types:

• Multiple Choice
• Either/Or
• Multiple Response

Impact: This update will not have any affect on already created questions/assessment/schedule, only on newly created Item.

Bugfixes:

• Set options is strikethrough when no results option is selected - CR-23025
• Questions > impossible to exclude item if use filter - CR-22001
• Resolved an issue where Extra Time was only displayed 5 minutes before the scheduled start time CR-21788

16 April 2024 - Service

Improvements
Enhanced Flexibility in Section Management in Library - CR-22598

We've upgraded our section management within the library for greater flexibility. Even after a section has been utilized in assessments, you can now make significant changes, seamlessly generating a new version of the question. These modifications will require an update to the assessment itself. Key enhancements include the ability to change the following settings for live sections:

• Adding/Removing question from a live section
• Section timer
• Show section introduction page
• Hide detailed information
• Navigation options
• Number of questions to answer

Bugfixes:

• Review session tab > ToDo is incorrect when create new review session - CR-22942
• Error message when adding candidates to a shared schedule - CR-22939
• Publish button in assessments is not updated immediately in Form - CR-22997

02 April 2024 - Service

Marking Submissions improvements - CR-21776

Our enhancements to the Marking Submissions page are set to significantly improve the assessment review process. This crucial component of our platform, where candidate submissions and their statuses are reviewed, is receiving both functional and aesthetic upgrades. These improvements are designed to make the marking workflow more intuitive and effective.

Key features:

• Improved Filtering: Advanced filtering options make it easier to find specific data.
• Table Component: Users can now customize columns as per their needs, enabling a tailored view of the dashboard.
  • Removed column: Final score
  • new column: Manual Score (assessor #), (Manual score Moderator #)
• New progress bar
• In 'item' view labels of items are shown
• Splitt scores for manual vs automatic scoring
• New Export option
  

Marking Assess tab improvements- CR-22313

A complete overhaul of the 'marking assess tab'. This update is designed to ensure a consistent user interface throughout the application, enhancing usability and coherence.

Key features:

• Improved Filtering: Advanced filtering options make it easier to find specific data.
• Old filtering option via hamburger icon is removed
• Table Component: Users can now customize columns as per their needs, enabling a tailored view of the dashboard.
• New progress bar
• New columns
  • Hierarchie
  • Progress
  • Assessment title
  • Marking workflow
  • Scheduler
  • Integration id
  • Archived
• New Export option
  

Turnitin Cross checking candidates - CR-21783

Added new improvement on the turnitin integration, now it's also possible to Cross check candidates within the same schedule.

Bugfixes

• Addressed an issue where sending PDF reports was not functioning correctly - CR-22759
• Fixed a bug in the extended blueprint feature related to form creation - CR-22946
• Review session tab > ToDo is incorrect when create new review session - CR-22942
• Error message when adding candidates to a shared schedule - CR-22939

19 March 2024 - Service

Bugfixes

• Various minor Test wizard bug fixes - CR-22810
• Assessment duration is not saved in test wizard - CR-22839
• Candidate Result tab overview> Incorrect percentage is shown with decimals - CR-21287

5 March 2024 - Feature

Test wizard - CR-21764

The Cirrus credo has always been “Simple for beginners, advanced for experienced users”. This is perfectly embodied by our new Test Wizard. It is designed to simplify the creation and scheduling of exams, reducing complexities and streamlining the process.

Scheduling and Creating Assessments All in One Go
The Test Wizard is designed with a clear objective: to make your life easier. Creating and scheduling assessments is a critical task, yet it can often be bogged down by numerous steps and complex navigation. One of the hallmark features of the Test Wizard is its all-in-one approach. You can set both assessment options and scheduling details simultaneously, eliminating the need to navigate multiple sections. Meaning you’ll spend less time on procedural tasks and more time on crafting high-quality assessments.

Direct Access from Collections
Another standout feature of the Test Wizard is its accessibility. Authors can launch it directly from their collections, integrating easily into their existing workflow. This direct access eliminates the need to navigate through multiple menus or interfaces, saving time and reducing the likelihood of errors. Whether you’re planning a new assessment or modifying an existing one, the Test Wizard is just a few clicks away, integrated within the familiar environment of your Cirrus platform.

Saving and Publishing
Cirrus understands the importance of flexibility. If you cancel without saving, all changes are discarded, and you will return to your starting point in the collections. A thoughtful warning appears if you attempt to navigate away, ensuring no changes are unintentionally lost.

Post-publishing, you retain the ability to modify the exam or schedule. Whether it’s updating security settings or adding invigilators, adjustments are just a few clicks away. Standard protocols for changing assessments, like creating a new version, still apply, ensuring a balance between flexibility and structure.

More information can be found via our Knowledge base article about the test wizard

Bugfixes

• Collection > Statistics tab > If change Angoff value version of item is not updating immediately - CR-21998
• Marking > Result tab > table overview] Incorrect percentage is shown - CR-21287
• Unexpected results of ' registration form' answers - CR-22752

20 Februari 2024 - Service

Bugfixes

• Add yellow warning when assessment duration time less than sum of time per question - CR-21745
• sections > yellow warning is not shown when using duration- CR-21746
• [Archived schedule] Impossible to add candidates - CR-21796
• Collection > Statistics tab > should be impossible to change angoff value for prev version - CR-21990

6 Februari 2024 - Feature

Reasonable Adjustments (extra time) - CR-19051
Cirrus is dedicated to providing flexible and comprehensive solutions for all candidates, especially those requiring special accommodations. Building on our existing feature of fixed extra time allocation, we are excited to introduce an enhanced functionality that allows for percentage-based extra time allocations. This update is particularly beneficial for meeting diverse needs, ensuring fairness and flexibility in assessment timing.

We've not changed anything for users using our existing 'extra time' feature, we simply added an extra option to have more flexibililty.
Now, extra time can be assigned as a percentage of the total assessment time, customized at the user level.
Examples: This means candidates can receive varied extra time, such as 15%, 25%, or 50%, depending on their individual requirements. Which also works for sections.
Setting Up: This option is available under Admin > Users. Select a user and assign a specific extra time percentage in their profile.
Assessment Level Choice: When setting up an assessment, you can now choose between using a fixed extra time or the new percentage-based method.

User creation in Cirrus via Creatio overwrites username - CR-21158
Allows Creatio users an option to not overwrite the usernames.

Bugfixes

• Various minor Library bugs related to release of 9 Jan: improved Library- CR-22445
• PDF Report generation fails - CR-22510
• Anonymous links not showing the results - CR-22587
• Assessment creation Options: when to show feedback not saving - CR-22592
• checkbox "Essay" always unchecks in Assessment Blueprint settings after switching to forms. - CR-22594

24 January 2024 Hotfix

We're committed to providing a seamless experience on Cirrus. Following the recent release, we've promptly identified and addressed several key issues. A hotfix will be applied to resolve the following:

• Issue with Unlimited Attempts: Exams created post-release with 'Unlimited Attempts' setting were not generating attempts correctly -CR-22582
• Export Reports Functionality: A bug preventing the export of reports in the reports overview has been rectified - CR-22583
• Horizontal Scrollbar in Extended Blueprint: The issue with the non-functional horizontal scrollbar in the extended blueprint view is now fixed - CR-22584
• Review Session - Mass Actions: The malfunction in mass actions during review sessions has been corrected - CR-22588

We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience caused. Your experience with our platform is our top priority.

23 January 2024 - Feature

Single Sign-On / SAML 2.0 Upgrade - CR-19143

As part of this release we have upgraded our Single Sign-On / SAML 2.0 module. For increased security the certificate Cirrus uses will also be renewed.

If after our reminders in November and December 2023 you have not started to use the "metadata URL" beforehand, see Step 2. Setup your Identity Provider (IdP) [at customer].), you must either do that now or update your copied metadata manually after this release.

LTI Library Upgrade - CR-21826

As part of this release we have upgraded our LTI 1.3 / LTI Advantage module.
This should be fully backward compatible and thus, apart from further improved performance and stability, not impact and users or customers.

Performance Improvements / API Library Upgrade - CR-21826

As part of this release we have upgraded the libraries for our external and internal APIs. This should be fully backward compatible and thus, apart from further improved performance and stability, not impact and users or customers.

Enhanced Manual Question Selection

Upcoming releases will also bring improvements to manual question selection when creating an assessment, giving users greater control and precision. More info

Whats new:

• Improved Filtering: Advanced filtering options make it easier to find specific data.

• Table Component: Users can now customize columns as per their needs, enabling a tailored view of the dashboard.

  • New column: Topics: Similar to the Learning objectives the topics will now be available
  • New column: Difficulty: showing the difficulty level of an item
  • New column: Timer: showing the max time is set for the item

• Show blueprint: an read-only overview of the question used an in which categories these belong (LO, Taxonomy, topics)

• A part of this was also updating of the assessment options tab

  • Including auto-saving
  • New ordering fields with slighty different naming, but same functionalities
  • Removed notifications
    More info

Bugfixes

• [Assessment > Blueprint] Setting of blueprint > question types are duplicated - CR-22446
• [Admin > Collection tab] Content management broken - CR-22459
• [Performance] DB CPU is loaded when customer opens blueprint creation dialog - CR-22473
• [Print] Page is down when click on print > Summary/Details - CR-22500

19 January 2024 Hotfix

The release will address the following item(s):
We've identified a potential data vulnerability. In line with our ISO compliance obligations, we are promptly rolling out a hot fix to resolve this issue - CR-22505

09 January 2024 - Service

Improved Library - CR-21448

A complete overhaul of the tables managing Collections, Items, and Media elements is on the horizon. This update is designed to ensure a consistent user interface throughout the application, enhancing usability and coherence.

Key features library:

• Improved filtering (replace the old filter via the hamburger button
• Improved sorting
• Consistent lay-out
• Applicable on tabs:
  • Collections
  • Items
  • Media elements

Bugfixes

• Section timer continue counting when exam on pause - CR-18589