Major page layout problem on iPad Pro 10.5” – Canvas Teacher Review

While I really like some things about the Canvas Teacher app (v 1.3.4111), the page layout in the grader is severely disappointing on my 10.5” iPad Pro. First, a positive: using the Apple Pencil is much easier and faster than using the Canvas grader in a browser on my Mac. It’s what prompted me to get an iPad Pro. Now the gripes: (1) the Teacher app on an iPad Pro 10.5 takes up nearly half the screen for the comments and grade entry window, and THIS WINDOW CANNOT BE MINIMIZED. In portrait mode, it is simply unusable because the available space for the assignment to grade is so small. I can reorient the iPad horizontally and do some manual resizing which at least makes the assignment text large enough to work with. But it’s still frustrating to have such a small space available. Ironically, my wife’s iPad mini is able to minimize the comment/grade window, so she actually has more space to use than I do on a 10.5” iPad Pro. It’s also strange that a colleague, who has a 9.7” iPad Pro is also able to minimize the comment/grade window. However, for some reason, my 10.5 inch iPad Pro does not make this possible. (2) The Apple Pencil makes it convenient and quick to draw lines and make highlights in different colors. I love this about the Canvas Teacher app. However, if you highlight text and want to make a comment about it, it now pulls up a comment window that takes up ENTIRE SCREEN, most of which is not being used for anything. The biggest frustration is that this makes it impossible to have any simultaneous visual reference to the student assignment. (2b) And, after making the comment and entering it with the little triangle, the comment is not then editable. Numerous times I have had to lose my comment just to go back to the student assignment window to see what I was commenting on, or I have had to trash my comment after it was inserted because it was not accurate due to the fact that I could not see the student text I was commenting on. While I am using my iPad Pro to grade, Canvas Teacher has a long way to go, and this particular issue with the 10.5” iPad Pro is extremely frustrating, especially since I recently bought the iPad Pro 10.5 to use for grading in Canvas. My low one-star rating specifically pertains to this page layout issue. This is not a comprehensive review of Canvas Teacher.
Review by WV Prof on Canvas Teacher.