Canvas 101

Canvas 101 provides faculty with information and quick wins regarding the Canvas learning management system. This resource will introduce you to key Canvas features to meet the College for Creative Studies’ Canvas Minimum Usage Requirements.

Below are a list of topics covered in Canvas 101:

What is an Announcement?

Announcements are a built-in tool in Canvas that allows faculty to post information and updates to all students enrolled in the course. Students can set up their personal notification settings within Canvas to be notified about new announcements via e-mail.

Announcements can be posted right away or scheduled using the scheduler function.

Announcements can be used to update students about a course, send reminders, notify students when grades post, or provide information related to the coursework.

<strong><strong>How do I use the Announcements Index Page?</strong></strong>

00:07: How do I use the announcements index page? 00:12: In course, navigation, click the announcements link 00:16: The announcements index page is designed with global settings at the top of the page, 00:20: followed by the individual announcements. 00:24: To filter the announcement list to view all or only unread announcements, click 00:28: the drop-down menu. 00:31: To search for an announcement by words. In its title enter words phrases 00:35: or partial words in the search field. 00:39: To add a new announcement, click the add announcement button. 00:46: To mark all announcements as being read. Click the mark wall is read button. 00:51: To view external feeds for announcements click the external feeds link. 00:55: You can add an external feed or subscribe to the announcements RSS feed. 01:01: Announcements are listed in Reverse chronological order with the newest appearing first 01:05: and the older announcements appearing towards the bottom. 01:10: Each announcement includes the title of the announcement, the profile picture of 01:14: the user who posted the announcement 01:17: An unread indicator near unread announcements. 01:21: The announcement post date is listed for announcements. 01:25: Additionally, the number of unread, total replies in the announcement and 01:29: an options icon to manage individual announcement settings. 01:32: Displays 01:34: To apply a bulk action such as locking or deleting click the checkbox 01:38: next to the announcements. To close all selected announcements 01:42: to comments. Click the lock button. To delete all selected announcements. 01:47: Click the delete button. 01:50: To view an announcement, click the name of the announcement. 01:54: To open individual, announcement settings. 01:56: Click the options, icon to delete an announcement. 01:59: Click the delete link. If your course allows comments, you can 02:03: also allow or disallow comments. 02:07: To view the announcements index page. As a student. 02:09: Click the view as student button. 02:13: This guide covered how to use the announcements index page.

<strong><strong>How do I add an announcement in a course?</strong></strong>

What is a Weekly Module?

Modules are an organizational tool that allows faculty to structure course content by each week. Modules help simplify student navigation through a course.

With weekly modules, faculty can require interaction with course content before moving on to the next module by using requirements settings. Faculty can set module requirements and even lock modules which can be scheduled to open on a certain day and time.

Weekly modules are where students find course content including Overviews, To Do Lists, Assignments, Discussions, Lectures, Demonstration, Resources, etc.

<strong>How do I use the Modules Index Page?</strong>

00:07: How do I use the modules index page? 00:13: In course, navigation, click the modules link. 00:17: The modules index page is designed with global settings at the top of the page, followed 00:21: by individual modules. Course, content items are nested 00:25: within each module. 00:27: Global settings, include collapsing, or expanding all modules viewing. 00:31: A student’s progress in a module bulk publishing, and unpublishing modules, 00:35: and module items, and adding new modules. 00:40: In modules, you can view all the modules in your course. 00:43: Modules are organized by order of progression. 00:47: Modules house, the content items within each module, by default, modules 00:52: are expanded and show all items in the module. 00:55: To collapse the module, click the collapse Arrow. 00:59: Each module header contains the name of the module. 01:02: The header may also contain module, prerequisites, and module requirements. 01:08: The icons in the module, header control, the entire module. 01:16: To publish or unpublish a module, click the published status drop-down 01:20: menu. 01:22: To add a new content item, to the module, click the add icon. 01:27: In the options drop-down menu, you can edit a module. 01:30: Edit the module to rename the module lock, modules, set, prerequisites 01:35: and set modules requirements. In the options, drop-down 01:39: menu, you can also move module items, move the module 01:43: assign the module to students delete the module duplicate, 01:48: the module send the module to another instructor or copy, 01:52: the module to another course. 01:56: You can reorder a module by hovering over the drag handle, next, to the name of the module 02:00: and dragging the module to the desired location. 02:04: Modules can be filled with different types of content, each module item 02:08: also includes an icon with its type page, discussion quiz 02:12: assignment link or external tool and file 02:17: To manage an individual module, content item, click the options, drop-down 02:21: menu. Use the menu options to edit the content item, 02:25: open Speed grader assign the item to specific students, duplicate 02:30: the item if the item supports duplication move, the item indent 02:34: the item up to five levels or remove an indent. 02:37: Send a content to another user. 02:40: Copy content to another course, add Mastery paths 02:44: or remove the content item from the module. 02:48: You can also reorder a module item by hovering over the drag handle, next to the 02:52: name of the item and dragging the item to the desired location. 03:01: Each module contains module content items that may display. 03:04: The item name, the due date, the number of points, the module 03:08: requirement and the module items draft State status. 03:12: A module may also include non-graded items such as pages and non-graded 03:16: discussions. If a to-do date was added to a non-graded item, 03:20: the date displays next to the module item. 03:25: If you use Mastery pads in your course, you can view the modules page and tell, 03:29: which module items are set up for Mastery paths. 03:33: To view the modules index page as a student. 03:35: Click the view as student button. 03:39: This guide covered how to use the modules index page.

What is an Overview Page?

An Overview page is a page that lives in the weekly modules and provides students with a roadmap for the weekly course expectations. The Overview page can be used to provide contextual information or a brief introduction about the week’s theme or content, provide critical information about the week, provide weekly learning outcomes that tie back to larger course learning outcomes, and student To Do Lists.

What are Weekly Learning Outcomes?

Weekly learning outcomes are actions that students should demonstrate each week that will lead them to obtaining the larger course learning outcomes. Weekly outcomes keep the course content on track and provide sequencing for scaffolded learning.

It is best to keep 3-5 weekly learning outcomes in mind for each week’s course content.

What are Weekly To Do Lists?

Weekly To Do Lists provide students with a list of items to accomplish related to the course content for each week. To Do Lists help keep students on track and provide a one-stop area for finding the week’s requirements. To Do Lists should include all student tasks required for the week.

What is a Canvas Assignment?

A Canvas Assignment is a page that provides an assignment’s criteria or project brief, a description of the activity/task, an explanation to why the activity/task is taking place, assignment submission requirements, due date, point values, and a rubric.

Assignments should count as assessments towards the students’ final grade in a course, and relate back to the weekly learning outcomes and larger course learning outcomes.

Canvas assignment pages can be configured to have scheduled due dates, points, group work, and file uploads for student assignment submissions.

When published with point values and due dates, assignments populate in the Canvas Gradebook where grades are recorded.

<strong>How do I use the Assignments Index Page?</strong>

00:07: How do I use the assignments index page? 00:10: In course, navigation, click the assignments link? 00:14: The assignments index page is designed with global settings at the top of the page. 00:20: Followed by the assignment groups. 00:22: Individual assignments are nested within each assignment group. 00:27: Global settings include searching for assignments. 00:30: Adding a new assignment group. 00:33: And adding a new assignment. 00:36: To wait, the final grade with assignment groups or both update due dates and 00:40: availability. Dates click the options icon. 00:44: When multiple grading periods are enabled, in a course, you can use the global 00:48: settings to sort and filter the assignments Page by grading period. 00:52: Assignments and assignment groups are validated against assignments in closed 00:56: grading periods. 00:59: The assignments page displays all assignments. 01:01: In the course. Each assignment type displays an icon, representing the assignment 01:05: type assignment. 01:08: Discussion. 01:10: Classic quiz. 01:12: Our new quiz discussions and quizzes also display in their respective index 01:16: pages in canvas. 01:19: If you are using the new quizzes LTI in your course, new quizzes are indicated 01:23: by the new quizzes icon. 01:26: Quizzes, created with the classic canvas quiz, tool or indicated, by the classic 01:30: quiz icon. Both quiz types can be used in the same course. 01:35: For help with new quizzes functionality, please see the new quizzes chapter 01:39: in the instructor guide. 01:42: Each assignment displays the assignment name. 01:45: Due date, if any 01:48: The number of points, the assignment is worth. 01:51: And assignment draft State status, whether it’s published, 01:55: Unpublished. You can also set varied due dates for an assignment, and 01:59: create due dates, according to course section. 02:02: Varied due dates appear as multiple dates. 02:06: If an assignment is associated with a module, the module name will appear on 02:10: the individual line, item of the assignment. 02:14: Assignments can also include availability, dates availability. 02:18: Dates can make an assignment available for only a specific period of time. 02:23: To view an assignment, click the assignment name. 02:27: You can also use the options drop-down, menu, to edit the assignment open 02:31: Speed grader, duplicate, the assignment manage assigned, 02:35: students, and dates for the assignment, delete the assignment move, 02:39: the assignment send the assignment to another instructor or copy the 02:43: assignment to another course. 02:46: You can also manually reorder an assignment by hovering over the drag handle, 02:50: next to the assignment, and dragging the assignment to the desired location. 02:55: If your institution has enabled a student information system, sis 02:59: integration, you can tell if an assignment is set up to be sent to your institutions 03:04: sis. Graded, assignments can be enabled directly by clicking 03:08: the Sync icon, next to an assignment. 03:11: Some sis Integrations, such as PowerSchool, allow you to import assignment 03:15: groups. Imported groups include an import icon to 03:19: identify them from manually created assignment groups in canvas. 03:24: If you need to disable sync for all assignments, in the course without managing them individually, 03:28: you can disable sync for all assignments at one time. 03:33: Click the options menu, then select the disable sync to Sis link, 03:38: All assignments, will be updated and disabled from the sis sink. 03:43: If you use Mastery pads in your course, you can tell which items are set up in 03:47: modules as Mastery paths or conditional content items. 03:52: If your course includes blueprint, icons, your course is associated with a 03:56: blueprint. Course Blueprint courses are courses, managed as a 04:00: template and may contain locked objects, managed by a canvas admin course 04:04: designer or other instructor. The course details tab. 04:08: In course, settings will tell you, if your course is a blueprint course, Most 04:12: commonly your course, will not be a blueprint course and you can only manage unlocked 04:16: content in your course. If your course is a blue, print course you 04:20: can lock and sink course content to Associated courses. 04:25: To view the assignments index page as a student. 04:27: Click the view as student button. 04:31: This guide covered how to use the assignments index page.

<strong>How do I create an assignment?</strong>

What are Assignment Groups?

Assignment Groups are a cluster of assignments that can be organized and weighted to determine the students’ basis for a final grade in a course.

Assignment Groups allow faculty the ability to cluster like assignments together and assign a percentage of the course total. For example, you can create an Assignment Group for discussions which make up 30% of the final grade in the course. Assignment groups allow this 30% to be assigned to the discussions group, and Canvas will run the math calculations in the Gradebook for the grade total for each student.

In order for Assignment Groups to calculate properly in the Canvas Gradebook, Assignment Groups must total 100%. See the example below.

Basis for Final Grade:

  • Discussions – 30%
  • Assignments – 40%
  • Final Project – 20%
  • Participation – 10%

<strong>How do I add an assignment group in a course?</strong>

00:07: How do I add an assignment group in a course? 00:10: In course, navigation, click the assignments link? 00:14: Click the add group button. 00:17: Type the assignment group name in the group name, field. 00:20: If you want to, wait the final grade for students using assignment groups, the percentage 00:25: will appear in percent of total grade field. 00:28: Click the save button. 00:31: View your assignment group. 00:33: To manage an assignment group, click the group’s options, drop down menu. 00:38: To edit the assignment group, click the edit link, you can edit the assignment 00:43: group name and the weighted percentage if applicable After 00:47: you’ve added assignments to your assignment group, you can also edit the assignment 00:51: group to set assignment group rules. 00:54: To delete the assignment group, click the delete link. 00:58: To move all content from an assignment group into another group. 01:01: Click the move contents link. 01:05: To move a reorder. An assignment group on the assignments page, click the move 01:09: groups, link, 01:11: If you want to delete an assignment group that has assignments in it, canvas 01:15: will ask you, if you want to delete the assignments, default or movie 01:20: assignments to another group. 01:22: When you are finished, click the delete group button. 01:26: This guide covered how to add an assignment group in a course.

<strong>How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?</strong>

What is a Canvas Discussion?

A Canvas Discussion is a native tool within the Learning Management System that is available for all Canvas courses. Faculty can create focused and threaded discussions to promote student interaction, and the exchanges of ideas or critiques in an online format.

Discussions can be configured to have scheduled due dates, points, group work, be graded, and provide feedback to students from the faculty or from student peers.

Discussions can be graded. When published with point values and due dates, discussions populate in the Canvas Gradebook where grades are recorded.

<strong>How do I use the Discussions Index Page?</strong>

00:07: How do I use the discussion index page? 00:12: In course, navigation, click the discussions link. 00:16: The discussions index page is designed with global settings at the top of the page, 00:20: followed by the discussion groups. Individual discussions 00:24: are nested within each Discussion Group. 00:27: Global settings include a drop-down menu to filter all or unread discussions 00:31: and a search field for searching discussions by title or discussion author. 00:35: You can also add a new discussion and edit discussion settings. 00:40: Discussion groups can be expanded and collapsed by clicking the arrow next to the 00:44: name. Discussions are organized into three main areas. 00:52: Pinned discussions. These are discussions that you want your students to see at 00:56: the top of their page. Pinned discussions can be arranged in any order. 01:00: Students will only see this section heading. 01:02: If there are discussions within this section, 01:06: Discussions. These are current discussions within the course. 01:09: Discussions can remain open indefinitely Or you can specify a 01:13: date range as designated by the available from until date. 01:17: Discussions with replies are ordered by most recent activity, discussions 01:22: with no replies are ordered by creation date. 01:24: Students will only see this section heading if there are discussions within this section, 01:30: Closed for comments. These discussions have been manually closed for comments 01:34: or the discussion is past the available from until date. 01:38: These are discussions that are only available in a read-only state. 01:42: Closed for comments. Discussions are also ordered by most, recent activity. 01:46: Students will always see this section heading, even if there are no discussions 01:50: within this section, 01:53: Each discussion displays whether or not it is a graded discussion. 01:56: The name of the discussion the date on which the last discussion reply 02:00: was posted. 02:02: Additionally, you can view the number of unread total posts in the discussion, 02:06: the discussion State published or unpublished. 02:08: And whether or not you are subscribed to the discussion. 02:13: You can also view availability dates for graded and ungraded discussions. 02:18: The unread icon next to a discussion indicates an unread discussion. 02:23: The number of unread total posts is not included for group discussions and discussions 02:27: that have no discussion replies. 02:31: The peer-review icon. Also displays, if a graded discussion has been assigned 02:35: peer reviews, 02:37: Discussions can also include availability dates availability. 02:40: Dates can make a discussion available for only a specific period of time. 02:46: To manage an individual discussion, click the options icon. 02:50: From the options drop-down menu, you can edit the discussion close the discussion 02:55: for comments, assigned to discussion pin, or unpin the discussion. 02:59: Open Speed grader duplicate, that discussion, send 03:03: a discussion to another instructor copy, the discussion to another course, 03:07: add the discussion to a Mastery path or delete the discussion. 03:13: To view discussion, details and replies, click the name of the discussion. 03:18: If you use Mastery pads in your course, you can tell which items are set up in 03:22: modules as Mastery paths or conditional content items. 03:27: To view the discussions index page as a student. 03:29: Click the view as student button. 03:33: This guide covered how to use the discussions index page.

What is the Canvas Gradebook?

The Canvas Gradebook helps faculty easily view and enter grades for students. Depending on the grade display type, grades can be viewed as points, percentage, complete or incomplete, GPA scale or a letter grade.

When Assignment Groups are leveraged, assignments in the Gradebook can be weighted to emphasize the importance of one project or group of assignments. When using Assignment Groups, Canvas will automatically calculate grade totals for students.

Note: Grades that appear as “-” in the Gradebook do not count towards a student’s final grade in the course. If a student is missing work or the faculty does not accept late work, assignment grades should be entered as “0” or “F” in order for that missed/late assignment to count towards the student’s final grade.

<strong>How do I use the Gradebook?</strong>

00:06: How do I use the Gradebook? 00:09: In Course Navigation, click the Grades link. 00:12: The Gradebook includes global sorting options and settings you can use to organize your grade book, student data, and assignment data. The Gradebook supports keyboard shortcuts. To view the Keyboard Shortcuts menu, click the Keyboard icon or press the Shift+Question Mark keys simultaneously. 00:30: The Traditional Gradebook allows you to see all students, assignments, and grades. In the Gradebook menu, you also switch between several options as available. 00:40: Learning Mastery Gradebook displays the Learning Mastery Gradebook, which assesses outcome standards being used in Canvas courses. This gradebook is a course-level feature option. 00:51: Individual Gradebook allows you to assess one student and one assignment at a time and is fully accessible for screen readers. Individual View currently does not support settings and options from the Gradebook. 01:03: Gradebook History displays the Gradebook History page, which logs recent grade changes in the course according to student, grader, assignment, and date. 01:13: The Search Students field allows multiple student names to be filtered at the same time. 01:18: The Search Assignments field allows multiple assignment names to be filtered at the same time. 01:23: The Gradebook Settings allow you to apply Late Policies, a Grade Posting Policy, a Final Grade Override, and View Options in your course gradebook. 01:32: The Late Policies tab allows you to apply late policies in your course. 01:36: The Grade Posting Policy tab allows you to change grade posting policies for your course. 01:41: The View Options tab allows you to filter and sort the Gradebook according to several viewing options: arrange by, show, view ungraded as zero, and status color. 01:52: In the Apply Filters menu, you can create and manage filter presets or filter columns by type. 01:58: To bulk manage student grades in the Gradebook, you can also import grades and export grades. 02:04: The Student Name column displays each student’s name and may also include a student’s secondary ID, if enabled. 02:11: Each column in the Gradebook represents a published assignment in the Assignments page. Each column displays the assignment title, total points, and each student’s grade. 02:22: To enter grades, type the grade as supported by assignment type directly in the Gradebook cell. You can also enter grades and change the submission status by clicking the Grade Detail Tray icon. 02:33: The Grade Detail Tray allows you to enter or edit grades, change the status of a submission, and leave comments for the student. 02:41: The assignment groups shown in the Gradebook match the assignment groups created in the Assignments page. If your assignment groups are weighted, the weighted grade displays below the group title. Grade totals from assignment groups are calculated in the Total column of the Gradebook. 02:56: This guide covered how to use the Gradebook.

<strong><strong>How do I arrange columns in the Gradebook?</strong></strong>
<strong>How do I filter columns and rows in the Gradebook?</strong>
<strong>How do I create and manage filters in the Gradebook?</strong>
<strong>How do I use SpeedGrader?</strong>

What is a Rubric?

A Rubric is a way to set up an outcome-based or custom assessment criteria for scoring/grading. Rubrics are typically tied to weekly outcomes or course learning outcomes and can help align assignments and assessments in your course.

Rubrics can also facilitate the grading process, make assignment criteria clear and known to students, and clarify expectations and communication with students regarding their coursework.

Faculty can create and attach a rubric to an assignment in Canvas for quick and easy grading in the Canvas SpeedGrader. When attached to an assignment, the rubrics are visible to students on the course assignment pages, so there is no confusion as to the expectations of an assignment.

Tab 1

What is a Weekly Wrap Up Page?

A Weekly Wrap Up page is a page that is used to reiterate concepts, themes, or topics that were covered during that week of the course. A Wrap Up provides a conclusion to the week and ties up any loose ends for students.

Wrap Up pages are also a great place to include information about what’s to come for the following week.