Outcome Groups API

API for accessing learning outcome group information.

Learning outcome groups organize outcomes within a context (or in the global "context" for global outcomes). Every outcome is created in a particular context (that context then becomes its "owning context") but may be linked multiple times in one or more related contexts. This allows different accounts or courses to organize commonly defined outcomes in ways appropriate to their pedagogy, including having the same outcome discoverable at different locations in the organizational hierarchy.

While an outcome can be linked into a context (such as a course) multiple times, it may only be linked into a particular group once.

An OutcomeGroup object looks like:

{
  // the ID of the outcome group
  "id": 1,

  // the URL for fetching/updating the outcome group. should be treated
  // as opaque
  "url": "/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1",

  // an abbreviated OutcomeGroup object representing the parent group of
  // this outcome group, if any. omitted in the abbreviated form.
  "parent_outcome_group": {
    "id": ...,
    "url": ...,
    "title": ...,
    "subgroups_url": ...,
    "outcomes_url": ...,
    "can_edit": ...
  },

  // the context owning the outcome group. may be null for global outcome
  // groups. omitted in the abbreviated form.
  "context_id": 1,
  "context_type": "Account",

  // title of the outcome group
  "title": "Outcome group title",

  // description of the outcome group. omitted in the abbreviated form.
  "description": "Outcome group description",

  // A custom GUID for the learning standard.
  "vendor_guid": "customid9000",

  // the URL for listing/creating subgroups under the outcome group.
  // should be treated as opaque
  "subgroups_url": "/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/subgroups",

  // the URL for listing/creating outcome links under the outcome group.
  // should be treated as opaque
  "outcomes_url": "/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/outcomes",

  // the URL for importing another group into this outcome group. should
  // be treated as opaque. omitted in the abbreviated form.
  "import_url": "/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/import",

  // whether the current user can update the outcome group
  "can_edit": true
}

An OutcomeLink object looks like:

{
  // the URL for fetching/updating the outcome link. should be treated as
  // opaque
  "url": "/api/v1/account/1/outcome_groups/1/outcomes/1",

  // the context owning the outcome link. will match the context owning
  // the outcome group containing the outcome link; included for
  // convenience. may be null for links in global outcome groups.
  "context_id": 1,
  "context_type": "Account",

  // an abbreviated OutcomeGroup object representing the group containing
  // the outcome link.
  "outcome_group": {
    "id": 1,
    "url": ...,
    "title": ...,
    "vendor_guid": ...,
    "subgroups_url": ...,
    "outcomes_url": ...,
    "can_edit": ...
  },

  // an abbreviated Outcome object representing the outcome linked into
  // the containing outcome group.
  "outcome": {
    "id": 1,
    "url": ...,
    "vendor_guid": ...,
    "context_id": ...,
    "context_type": ...,
    "title": ...,
    "can_edit": ...
  }
}

Redirect to root outcome group for context OutcomeGroupsApiController#redirect

GET /api/v1/global/root_outcome_group

GET /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/root_outcome_group

GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/root_outcome_group

Convenience redirect to find the root outcome group for a particular context. Will redirect to the appropriate outcome group's URL.

Show an outcome group OutcomeGroupsApiController#show

GET /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id

GET /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id

GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id

Update an outcome group OutcomeGroupsApiController#update

PUT /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id

PUT /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id

PUT /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id

Modify an existing outcome group. Fields not provided are left as is; unrecognized fields are ignored.

When changing the parent outcome group, the new parent group must belong to the same context as this outcome group, and must not be a descendant of this outcome group (i.e. no cycles allowed).

Request Parameters:

  • title
    Optional

    The new outcome group title.

  • description
    Optional

    The new outcome group description.

  • vendor_guid
    Optional

    A custom GUID for the learning standard.

  • parent_outcome_group_id
    Optional, Integer

    The id of the new parent outcome group.

Example Request:

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/2.json' \ 
     -X PUT \ 
     -F 'title=Outcome Group Title' \ 
     -F 'description=Outcome group description' \
     -F 'vendor_guid=customid9000' \
     -F 'parent_outcome_group_id=1' \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/2.json' \ 
     -X PUT \ 
     --data-binary '{
           "title": "Outcome Group Title",
           "description": "Outcome group description",
           "vendor_guid": "customid9000",
           "parent_outcome_group_id": 1
         }' \ 
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
Returns a OutcomeGroup

Delete an outcome group OutcomeGroupsApiController#destroy

DELETE /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id

DELETE /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id

DELETE /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id

Deleting an outcome group deletes descendant outcome groups and outcome links. The linked outcomes themselves are only deleted if all links to the outcome were deleted.

Aligned outcomes cannot be deleted; as such, if all remaining links to an aligned outcome are included in this group's descendants, the group deletion will fail.

Example Request:

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/2.json' \ 
     -X DELETE \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
Returns a OutcomeGroup

List linked outcomes OutcomeGroupsApiController#outcomes

GET /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes

GET /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes

GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes

List the immediate OutcomeLink children of the outcome group. Paginated.

Returns a list of OutcomeLinks

Create/link an outcome OutcomeGroupsApiController#link

POST /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes

PUT /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes/:outcome_id

POST /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes

PUT /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes/:outcome_id

POST /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes

PUT /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes/:outcome_id

Link an outcome into the outcome group. The outcome to link can either be specified by a PUT to the link URL for a specific outcome (the outcome_id in the PUT URLs) or by supplying the information for a new outcome (title, description, ratings, mastery_points) in a POST to the collection.

If linking an existing outcome, the outcome_id must identify an outcome available to this context; i.e. an outcome owned by this group's context, an outcome owned by an associated account, or a global outcome. With outcome_id present, any other parameters are ignored.

If defining a new outcome, the outcome is created in the outcome group's context using the provided title, description, ratings, and mastery points; the title is required but all other fields are optional. The new outcome is then linked into the outcome group.

If ratings are provided when creating a new outcome, an embedded rubric criterion is included in the new outcome. This criterion's mastery_points default to the maximum points in the highest rating if not specified in the mastery_points parameter. Any ratings lacking a description are given a default of "No description". Any ratings lacking a point value are given a default of 0. If no ratings are provided, the mastery_points parameter is ignored.

Request Parameters:

  • outcome_id
    Optional, Integer

    The ID of the existing outcome to link.

  • title
    Optional

    The title of the new outcome. Required if outcome_id is absent.

  • description
    Optional

    The description of the new outcome.

  • vendor_guid
    Optional

    A custom GUID for the learning standard.

  • mastery_points
    Optional, Integer

    The mastery threshold for the embedded rubric criterion.

  • ratings[][description]
    Optional

    The description of a rating level for the embedded rubric criterion.

  • ratings[][points]
    Optional, Integer

    The points corresponding to a rating level for the embedded rubric criterion.

Example Request:

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/outcomes/1.json' \ 
     -X PUT \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/outcomes.json' \ 
     -X POST \ 
     -F 'title=Outcome Title' \ 
     -F 'description=Outcome description' \
     -F 'vendor_guid=customid9000' \
     -F 'mastery_points=3' \ 
     -F 'ratings[][description]=Exceeds Expectations' \ 
     -F 'ratings[][points]=5' \ 
     -F 'ratings[][description]=Meets Expectations' \ 
     -F 'ratings[][points]=3' \ 
     -F 'ratings[][description]=Does Not Meet Expectations' \ 
     -F 'ratings[][points]=0' \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/outcomes.json' \ 
     -X POST \ 
     --data-binary '{
           "title": "Outcome Title",
           "description": "Outcome description",
           "vendor_guid": "customid9000",
           "mastery_points": 3,
           "ratings": [
             { "description": "Exceeds Expectations", "points": 5 },
             { "description": "Meets Expectations", "points": 3 },
             { "description": "Does Not Meet Expectations", "points": 0 }
           ]
         }' \ 
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
Returns a OutcomeLink

Unlink an outcome OutcomeGroupsApiController#unlink

DELETE /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes/:outcome_id

DELETE /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes/:outcome_id

DELETE /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id/outcomes/:outcome_id

Unlinking an outcome only deletes the outcome itself if this was the last link to the outcome in any group in any context. Aligned outcomes cannot be deleted; as such, if this is the last link to an aligned outcome, the unlinking will fail.

Example Request:

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/outcomes/1.json' \ 
     -X DELETE \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
Returns a OutcomeLink

List subgroups OutcomeGroupsApiController#subgroups

GET /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id/subgroups

GET /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id/subgroups

GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id/subgroups

List the immediate OutcomeGroup children of the outcome group. Paginated.

Returns a list of OutcomeGroups

Create a subgroup OutcomeGroupsApiController#create

POST /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id/subgroups

POST /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id/subgroups

POST /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id/subgroups

Creates a new empty subgroup under the outcome group with the given title and description.

Request Parameters:

  • title
    Required

    The title of the new outcome group.

  • description
    Optional

    The description of the new outcome group.

  • vendor_guid
    Optional

    A custom GUID for the learning standard

Example Request:

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/subgroups.json' \ 
     -X POST \ 
     -F 'title=Outcome Group Title' \ 
     -F 'description=Outcome group description' \
     -F 'vendor_guid=customid9000' \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/1/outcome_groups/1/subgroups.json' \ 
     -X POST \ 
     --data-binary '{
           "title": "Outcome Group Title",
           "description": "Outcome group description",
           "vendor_guid": "customid9000"
         }' \ 
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
Returns a OutcomeGroup

Import an outcome group OutcomeGroupsApiController#import

POST /api/v1/global/outcome_groups/:id/import

POST /api/v1/accounts/:account_id/outcome_groups/:id/import

POST /api/v1/courses/:course_id/outcome_groups/:id/import

Creates a new subgroup of the outcome group with the same title and description as the source group, then creates links in that new subgroup to the same outcomes that are linked in the source group. Recurses on the subgroups of the source group, importing them each in turn into the new subgroup.

Allows you to copy organizational structure, but does not create copies of the outcomes themselves, only new links.

The source group must be either global, from the same context as this outcome group, or from an associated account. The source group cannot be the root outcome group of its context.

Request Parameters:

  • source_outcome_group_id
    Required, Integer

    The ID of the source outcome group.

Example Request:

curl 'http://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/2/outcome_groups/3/import.json' \ 
     -X POST \ 
     -F 'source_outcome_group_id=2' \ 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"
Returns a OutcomeGroup