Canvas Discussion Forums Experience Significant Performance Degradation
Users of Instructure's Canvas learning management system are reporting severe performance issues with the discussion forums, describing them as "intolerably slow." Instructors and students are experiencing significant delays, sometimes up to a full minute, after clicking 'reply' or attempting to type text. This slowdown is particularly pronounced in courses that utilize mathematical symbols or LaTeX, a problem exacerbated by the increasing use of GPT-generated content which often outputs in LaTeX format. Users have noted that the issue has worsened each semester and is not resolved by collapsing threads, using faster machines, disabling browser extensions, or improving internet connectivity. The core functionality of discussion forums, a critical component of Canvas, is being significantly hampered, leading to frustration among the user base.
