On December 6th, the Torus community gathered to preview the latest updates in Torus Version 29. Continuing its mission to revolutionize higher education through the science of learning, Version 29 delivers significant enhancements across the platform. With over 99 bug fixes, new features, and interface improvements, this update focuses on making Torus more intuitive, efficient, and impactful for users across all roles: students, instructors, and course authors.

Account Type Navigation

Version 29 enhances the user experience by introducing role-specific, color-coded login pages for students, course authors, and instructors. This update includes a dynamic role navbar, which displays the user’s current role and simplifies navigation. Additionally, admins benefit from quick access to their console, making permissions and tools more accessible.

Authoring Improvements

Authors will now benefit from powerful new tools for content creation and management. Assessments have been enhanced to support displaying one question per page for students, providing immediate feedback and locking answers after submission. Additionally, authors can save time by duplicating questions within the same activity or bank, making it easier to create variations or complex assessments. Improved breadcrumbs enhance navigation, helping authors visualize and move through course hierarchies effortlessly. Moreover, a streamlined publishing process featuring a sticky checkbox automates updates across all products and sections, significantly reducing repetitive tasks.

Instructor Enhancements

Instructors now have access to enhanced tools for course management and student progress tracking. Customizable section cover images improve readability and design consistency. The new Likert scale visualization provides clearer insights into student feedback. Additionally, proficiency graphics highlight areas needing improvement, enabling instructors to better support their students.

Student-Centric Features

The student interface has been refined to foster better learning experiences. The improved homepage features chronological agenda views for unscheduled courses, ensuring clear deadlines. Detailed “learn more” links and pages empower students to monitor their academic journey through comprehensive progress tracking. Additionally, a dedicated tab centralizes all scored activities for easier navigation. Students also benefit from focused assessments with immediate feedback and answer-locking functionality, enhancing the overall learning experience.

Bug Fixes and Performance Updates

Torus Version 29 addresses 99 bugs, improving stability and usability across the platform. Behind the scenes, significant upgrades to data warehousing enhance performance for large classes, ensuring a seamless experience for all users.

Looking Ahead

The updates in Version 29 reflect Torus’s commitment to evidence-based learning and user-centered design. These enhancements are a testament to the collaborative efforts of the Torus community, whose feedback shapes the platform’s evolution.

For a detailed look at the improvements in Version 29, check out the release notes and watch the demo recording.

Stay tuned for the release of Version 30, where even more transformative features await!