ol_openedx_feedback: Per-block learner feedback in learning MFE by zamanafzal · Pull Request #813 · mitodl/open-edx-plugins

zamanafzal · 2026-06-15T10:04:57Z

What are the relevant tickets?

Per-block content feedback — subtask mitodl/hq#11815 (RFC mitodl/hq#11812, parent mitodl/hq#11629).

Companion PRs:

mitodl/smoot-design#241 — feedback drawer UI bundle
mitodl/lehrer#83 — Learning MFE slot wiring
mitodl/mit-learn#3593 — backend endpoint + model

Description (What does it do?)

Adds ol_openedx_feedback, a lean trigger-only XBlockAside that renders a "Send feedback" megaphone on applicable blocks in the LMS student view. Feedback is not persisted in edx-platform — it is collected by the Learning MFE drawer and submitted to mit-learn.

Renders only for authenticated, non-author users; leaf blocks only (excludes course / chapter / sequential / vertical); gated per course by the ol_openedx_feedback.feedback_enabled CourseWaffleFlag.
On click it postMessages ol-feedback::drawer-open to the parent (Learning MFE) window with block context (courseId, blockUsageKey, blockType, blockDisplayName).
Trigger-only — no models, serializers, views, URLs, or migrations; apps.py is aside-only (plugin_app = {}). The MFE owns the submit URL and enriches the payload with course_name / unit_title / url.

Screenshot:

Audit Mode:

Staff Mode:

How can this be tested?

Install the plugin in the LMS and enable the ol_openedx_feedback.feedback_enabled CourseWaffleFlag (globally or per course).
Open a courseware unit as a signed-in learner → the "Send feedback" megaphone renders on leaf blocks (docked next to AskTIM when present); clicking it opens the feedback drawer in the Learning MFE.
Automated: pytest src/ol_openedx_feedback/tests — covers should_apply_to_block (waffle-flag gate + leaf-block filter + course-import branch) and student-view rendering (authenticated vs anonymous/author).

Additional Context

The drawer UI ships in smoot-design (#241), the MFE slot wiring in lehrer (#83), and submissions are stored by mit-learn (#3593). This PR is the LMS-side trigger only.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds a new ol_openedx_feedback Open edX plugin that registers an XBlockAside to render a per-block “Send feedback” trigger in LMS student view and forward block context to the Learning MFE via postMessage, gated by a course waffle flag.

Changes:

Introduces the FeedbackAside XBlockAside (plus waffle-flag compat helper) to gate and render a lightweight trigger-only UI on leaf blocks.
Adds frontend assets (HTML/CSS/JS) for the trigger and its interaction/placement behavior alongside AskTIM when present.
Adds pytest coverage and shared test utilities for applicability gating and student-view rendering behavior.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 15 out of 17 changed files in this pull request and generated 1 comment.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
src/ol_openedx_feedback/pyproject.toml	New plugin package metadata + entry points for the aside and Django app registration.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/README.rst	Documents trigger behavior, message contract, and waffle-flag enablement.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/setup.cfg	Plugin-local pytest/isort configuration mirroring other plugins.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/init.py	Initializes the Python package.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/apps.py	Declares an aside-only Django AppConfig (`plugin_app = {}`).
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/constants.py	Defines container block types excluded from applicability.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/utils.py	Adds helper to determine whether a block is eligible (leaf vs container).
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/compat.py	Encapsulates CourseWaffleFlag wiring for `ol_openedx_feedback.feedback_enabled`.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/block.py	Implements the `FeedbackAside` rendering + waffle-gated `should_apply_to_block`.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/static/html/student_view.html	Trigger markup (button + inline icon) with accessibility attributes.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/static/css/feedback.css	Styling for trigger placement and focus/hover states.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/ol_openedx_feedback/static/js/feedback.js	JS to emit `ol-feedback::drawer-open` and optionally dock beside AskTIM.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/tests/init.py	Marks tests as a package.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/tests/conftest.py	Adds logging-control pytest CLI options (consistent with other plugins).
src/ol_openedx_feedback/tests/utils.py	Shared ModuleStore-backed test base that builds a course tree + aside instances.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/tests/test_utils.py	Unit tests for leaf/container applicability helper.
src/ol_openedx_feedback/tests/test_aside.py	Tests for rendering gates and `should_apply_to_block` waffle/import behavior.

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asadali145

We should add the plugin metadata in AGENTS.md. Also, I have a few suggestions.

asadali145 · 2026-07-15T12:41:25Z

+        if getattr(self.runtime, "is_author_mode", False):
+            return fragment
+        if not getattr(self.runtime, "user_id", None):
+            return fragment


Suggested change

if getattr(self.runtime, "is_author_mode", False):

return fragment

if not getattr(self.runtime, "user_id", None):

return fragment

if getattr(self.runtime, "is_author_mode", False) or not getattr(self.runtime, "user_id", None):

return fragment

asadali145 · 2026-07-15T12:45:48Z

+        if isinstance(block.runtime, XMLImportingModuleStoreRuntime):
+            return is_aside_applicable_to_block(block)


We don't need this check in this Aside, it was required for ol_openedx_chat because of the checks it applied in is_aside_applicable_to_block.

asadali145 · 2026-07-15T12:47:20Z

+def test_leaf_blocks_are_applicable():
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block("video")) is True
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block("problem")) is True
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block("html")) is True
+
+
+def test_container_blocks_are_excluded():
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block("vertical")) is False
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block("sequential")) is False
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block("chapter")) is False
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block("course")) is False
+
+
+def test_missing_category_is_not_applicable():
+    assert is_aside_applicable_to_block(_block(None)) is False


Can be a single parametrized test with the block name and expected output.

asadali145 · 2026-07-15T12:50:42Z

+    return Template(_resource(path)).render(Context(context))
+
+
+class FeedbackAside(XBlockAside):


We can't disable feedback for a block from the authoring MFE, and also, we cannot disable it for a block type like text block, etc.

I think we should add the ability to disable feedback for a block from authoring and convert the constant to a setting to be able to disable it for a block type.

We intentionally left this out as per the direction on the parent issue. Feedback should be "enabled for all blocks"

asadali145 · 2026-07-15T12:55:37Z

We need to add setup/installation steps.

asadali145

Looks good overall in testing, we should update the screenshot in PR. Also, an issue that we discussed over call is that staff debug button is hidden when we enable the feedback and chat aside at a time.

zamanafzal · 2026-07-21T11:37:58Z

@asadali145 I've made the changes. Please take a look.

- Style the trigger as a button (border + background) whether standalone or docked next to AskTIM, with a full-cover grey + red border on click - Mask the problem-block "saved/submit" notification line across the gap to the AskTIM button (JS flags problem blocks via payload.blockType)

Reinstate the XMLImportingModuleStoreRuntime guard so should_apply_to_block skips the waffle-flag / context_key lookup during course import (when the block has no resolvable course context) and gates on block type only. Restore the import-path test cases. Addresses the Sentry review finding.

The feedback trigger renders only in the learner (student) view, so the plugin does not need to load in Studio/CMS. Drop the cms.djangoapp entry point and the ProjectType.CMS settings registration; the aside still evaluates during course import via the xblock_asides.v1 entry point (guarded), and the excluded-block- types setting falls back to its default there.

Handle the AskTIM chat container's whitesmoke box-shadow that covers the platform "Staff Debug Info" link on video blocks within feedback.css, so the fix holds independent of the installed ol_openedx_chat version. Give the staff-info row its own stacking context and matching background, scoped to video blocks only. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>

asadali145

Looks like there is some issue with problem block styles now.

We should check why we didn't need the changes to make staff debug visible in chat aside.

asadali145 · 2026-07-21T12:37:37Z

Can you please add a step in installation guide to enable the asides from LMS admin?

The docked line-mask box-shadow projected 12px of white but the gap to the AskTIM button is only 10px, so it painted over the button's left border. Match the offset to the gap so the mask fills it without overlap. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Asides only render when XBlockAsidesConfig is enabled (off by default), so document enabling it and checking the disabled_blocks list as part of installation. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>

asadali145

LGTM!

There is a slight room for improvement for Mobile and tablet design but we can revisit it later. Also, we will create an issue to do R&D to improve/ease styling of asides.

zamanafzal changed the title ~~refactor(ol_openedx_feedback): strip to aside-only (data -> learn-ai)~~ ol_openedx_feedback: Per-block learner feedback in learning MFE Jun 15, 2026

zamanafzal mentioned this pull request Jun 15, 2026

feat(mfe-slots): per-unit content feedback mitodl/ol-infrastructure#4776

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feat(learning): per-block content feedback slot wiring mitodl/lehrer#83

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zamanafzal force-pushed the zafzal/11629-block-feedback branch from 69914af to 9ec8f0c Compare July 8, 2026 10:34

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feat: add ol_openedx_feedback per-block feedback trigger

1a9172c

refactor: address review feedback on ol_openedx_feedback

0259e35

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docs: add step to enable XBlock asides in LMS admin

ecb3ad8

Asides only render when XBlockAsidesConfig is enabled (off by default), so document enabling it and checking the disabled_blocks list as part of installation. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>

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zamanafzal merged commit c296b4a into main Jul 22, 2026
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zamanafzal deleted the zafzal/11629-block-feedback branch July 22, 2026 07:34

		if isinstance(block.runtime, XMLImportingModuleStoreRuntime):
		return is_aside_applicable_to_block(block)

		return Template(_resource(path)).render(Context(context))


		class FeedbackAside(XBlockAside):

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zamanafzal commented Jun 15, 2026 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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