feat: sync Last Attended Date with Canvas via API

[Sneakers82]

Sync Last Attended Date with Canvas via API

Many institutions, including mine, are required to track the Last Attended Date for reasons such as Census reporting, Financial Aid compliance, and tracking withdrawals or drops. Currently, the only way to retrieve this information from Roll Call is by generating a report.

This update automates the process by allowing the Last Attended Date field in Canvas to be updated in real-time via the API as instructors record attendance in the Roll Call Attendance app.

Changes Include:

• Updated StudentCourseStats to calculate the last attended date and include it in the stats method.
  • Added last_attended_date method to calculate the last attended date.
• Updated StatusesController to sync the Last Attended Date with Canvas automatically when attendance is recorded:
  • Added handle_last_attended_date method to process attendance status changes and determine when updates are required.
  • Added update_last_attended_date method to calculate and submit the most recent attendance date.
  • Added submit_last_attended_date method to make a Canvas API call and update the Last Attended Date field.

This enhancement allows institutions using the Roll Call Attendance app to automate the retrieval of the Last Attended Date using the Canvas API (GET /api/v1/courses/:course_id/enrollments).

Benefits:

• Eliminates extra steps for faculty and administrators by removing the need to manually generate reports, download CSV files, and sift through data.
• Improves data accuracy by reducing manual entry errors—attendance data is automatically synced and available via the Canvas API.
• Makes the Last Date of Attendance easier to access for institutions that need the Last Attended Date for financial aid, census reporting, and student retention tracking.

Testing:

• Tested by recording attendance and verifying that the Last Attended Date was updated correctly in Canvas via the API.
• Verified that existing attendance functionality remains unchanged.

As a Canvas LMS Administrator and wannabe web developer, I see this as a valuable enhancement for schools looking to automate attendance tracking. This is my first-ever pull request, so I'm happy to make any adjustments based on feedback!