Useful Things on Canvas
Tips & Recommendations
Pro Tips for Canvas
Pro Tip #1: Manually Public Courses (1 Week before Quarter starts)
- VERY important to make sure your course section is Published
- (i.e., visible to students)
- At least Syllabus must show within Course Section 1 week before start of the quarter.
- Video (no audio, shows what to do): https://1513041.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Canvas+Publish+and+Unpublish/1_n56ci28k
- YouTube Video: How Do I Publish and Unpublish A CANVAS Course? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEpe-3vfVUM
Pro Tip #2: No EWS/Gateway; No Comcast Either
- CCI/SCI courses below CANNOT be in Canvas yet
- At least not in WI 26.
- Affected courses? Quarters may not matter.
- CCI/SCIS Undergrad: CI-101 (FALL), CI-102 (WINTER), CI-103 (SPRING), CS-164 (FALL, WINTER), CS-171 (WINTER/SPRING), CS-172 (SPRING), INFO-101 (FALL), INFO-102 (WINTER), INFO-103 (SPRING), INFO-151 (FALL), INFO-152 (WINTER), INFO-153 (Spring)
- CCI/SCIS Graduate: CS-501, CS-502, CS-503, CS-504, DSCI-501, DSCI-511, DSCI-521
- EWS = Early Warning System
Pro Tip #3: Check Course Copy/Export/Import Issues
- Enter course > click Import Existing Content > click VIEWISSUES.
- Click each "The importer couldn't determine the correct answers forthis question" msg
- Click & place arrow next to correct answers.
- CCI/SCIS: Do NOT attempt doing course copies without telling me.
- OBJECTIVELY the mess is your fault if I copy over/duplicate stuff.
- Course Export/Import BbLearn/Canvas How-to Video
- VIDEO LINK GOES HERE
- Other error messages?
- See Next Rule of Thumb. Or let me know if something else.
Pro Tip #4: Link Checking
- In Canvas course section:
- Click "Settings"
(bottom left nav). - Click "Validate Links in Content" (right nav).
- Click "Settings"
- QUICKLY helps you find & fix these links.
- Embedded files in the text of Bb Learn can break during transfer. Need to fix.
Pro Tip #5: Check Assignment Dates
In your Canvas course section:
- Click "Assignments" > ⋮ > "Edit Assignment Dates"
Pro Tip #6: Check Calendar Dates
In your Canvas course section:
- Click "Calendar" > the event > "Edit"
Pro Tip #7: Check Syllabus & Course Summary
- Updated *contact* & *dates* in Syllabus.
- AFTER using the other date checking methods above.
- Post a link to a PDF or Word doc…
- OR PASTE IN ALL THE CONTENT ON THE PAGE. :-)
- Lots of ways to convert PDFs online now.
- Check dates in the Course Summary
- Also on the Syllabus page (scroll down)...
Pro Tip #8: Check (& Move) Week 1 & 2 Modules
- START WITH Weeks 1-2
- Use Text Headers + indent to recreate nested structure
- And… HIDE future weeks
- Update remaining weeks when you can.
- Expect empty/extra/unexpected modules (next slide shows why)
- Delete empty ones
- Move content to other related Modules.
- Contact me for help if it is a real mess: I'm really good at it.
- How Bb Learn maps to Canvas:
- Bb Learn "weeks"/Content Areas > Canvas Modules
- Folders > Text Headers within modules OR separate modules (if nested)
- Examples:
- Single folder:
- Bb: Week 2 > Lectures > Week 2 Lecture.ppt
- Canvas: "Week 2" module with "Lectures" header + file
- Nested folders:
- Bb: Week 2 > Course Materials > Lecture > Week 2 Lecture.ppt
- Canvas: "Week 2" module with "Course Materials" header + separate "Lecture" module with file
- Single folder:
Pro Tip #9: Use Classic Quizzes (Not New Quizzes)
- Use Classic Quizzes (if you can).
- New Quiz icon: SOLID filled-in rocket ship.
- Classic Quiz icon: OUTLINE of a rocket ship.
- Green = published.
- Gray = unpublished.
- New Quizzes "Points" default to 0 no matter
what you set each question score to. - Must manually change.
Pro Tip #10: All Quizzes & Rubrics! Check Points Possible!
- MANUALLY check *ALL* Quizzes & Rubrics have proper TotalPoints…
- …in case you confuse "Classic" and "New Quizzes"
- …and because Rubrics in Canvas can not be set correctly EITHER!
- Too easily can have UNINTENDED points possible…
- …even if questions have point values.
- Can cause grading errors in overall grade if you do NOT check!
Other Issue with "New Quizzes"
- Requires instructor to share quiz with a new course
- Technically only if an "Item Bank," but SO easy for that to happen.
- Affects course copying
- A real problem with adjunct instructors.
- May not be able to reach adjuncts.
- Even if we can, adds time to everyone's plate for time and effort
- New Quizzes do have more question types -- ordering,categorization, stimulus, hot spot, etc.
- Only real advantage.
Pro Tip #11: Course Entry Point
- Recommend changing Entry Point to Modules for first thing students see.
- Video: https://1513041.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Canvas+Course+Entry+Point/1_w7wt358f
Total Column In Canvas is Always Running
- Canvas Total column is a Running Total column
Pro Tip #12: Enter 0 If a Student Does Not Submit!
- SUPER SUPER SUPER IMPORTANT TO ENTER a 0,
- …not just leave a box blank, if a student does NOT submit!
- Canvas, Bb Learn, Moodle – often default to running totals.
- Instructors often do not enter 0's.
- No blanks. No --. No hyphens. No empty boxes.
OTHERWISE: Grade Miscalculation!
Pro Tip #13: Public & Set Available Dates
- If you wish to use "Available From/Until" (Or "Lock Until")…
- …the Module item or Assignment/Quiz/Discussion MUST ALSObe Published, if you ever want it visible.
- Only the item's title (and a due date, if it has one), will beaccessible to the student if you do this, though.
Pro Tip #14: Check Dates For Assignments
- Check & set Due Date & "Available Until" dates?
- PICTURE HERE
Pro Tip #15: Classic Quiz & Keeping Matching Answers
- On Classic Quizzes, if you have Matching Questions…
- …keep the answer options fitting in the provided box.
- If it doesn't fit in the answer box, it will NOT display to students.
Extra: What are Weighted Totals?
- Many instructors make sure all their assignments and gradeactivities add up to 100 points.
- e.g. Assignment 1 (20pts), Assignment 2 (20pts), Assignment 3 (20pts),Participation (10pts), Midterm (15pts), Final (15pts).
- Points add up to 100.
- But you with Weighted Totals, you can do something like this:
- e.g. Assignments 1-9 (5 pts each, but 30% of the grade), Participation (100pts, but 10% of the grade), Midterm (135 pts, but 30% of the grade), Final(72 pts, but 30% of the grade).
- Points add up to (45+100+135+72) or 352. But percents add up to 100%!!
- Thanks to backend math (just ratios/fractions).
- This is just one example. You can drop highest/lowest grade too.
Extra: Weighted Totals Explained
EXAMPLE:
- Say quizzes are 15%, midterm 20%, final 20%, and participation 15%.
- That's 70%.
- And Assignments are 30%.
- Say I have 9 Assignments, 5 points each.
- 9 * 5 = 45 points
- But I need it out of 30 points, not outof 45.
- Because 30/100 is like 30% out of 100%.
Canvas does something like this equation:
- x / 30 = 38 / 45. Solve for x.
- Student gets 39 points on allAssignments.
- x = (38/45) * 30 = 25.33333
- x/30 = 25.33333/30 =0.844444
- And 38/45 = 0.844444.Checks out.
- So Canvas uses 25.3333/30.
These tips are less important but still recommended.
Course Entry Point
- Recommend changing Entry Point to Modules for first thing students see.
- CCI Video: https://1513041.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Canvas+Course+Entry+Point/1_w7wt358f
Modules: The New "Weekly" Course Sub-Sections
- After a Bb Learn course migration, your "WEEK" and OTHER CONTENT AREAS (lecture materials) will be in the Modules area.
- Modules divide up each week or lesson (each module) of a course.
- IMPORTANT!!! Check if Modules (and what's inside them) is Published!
- Just click the 🚫 to make it ✅. ✅ means Published).
Modules: Adding Content TIP: Auto-Collapse Modules
IMPORTANT!
- Click + sign > Add drop-down menu.
- CCI Video (Modules): https://1513041.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Canvas+Add+Module/1_49daelpk
- Probably want Page or File…if not Assignment or Quiz or Discussion. Or Text Header (text headings). Or External URL (external website)
- Add Assignment to Module
- CCI Video: https://1513041.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Canvas+Adding+Assignment+to+Module/1_kk31r9ei
- MORE on Assignments FURTHER BELOW
- Adding Page
CCI Video: https://1513041.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Canvas+Pages+Adding+and+Text+Editor/1_4n1buvpo - Adding File
Tip: Auto-Collapse Modules
- Modules > module 3-dot menu (⋮) > Collapse Module
- No collapse-all option. Need to do this for each Module.
- Stays collapsed for everyone until expanded
- Students can still expand published modules
- For access control, use Module Prerequisites or Lock Until dates
IMPORTANT
Do not use both a "Lock until" Date & Prerequisites on the same module.
- Users report that when the "Lock until" date passes, Canvas often unlocks the module for all students, ignoring the prerequisite.
NOTES on Module Prerequisites
- Sometimes students finish all requirements & still cannot go on.
- Usually due to instructor changing Module Pre-Reqs AFTER students start progressing.
- Fix #1: Go to Module > 3-dot menu (⋮) > Edit > make NO changes > click Update. Forces a refresh (often) and lets students proceed (often).
- Fix #2: Instructor might also mess up order of what is required and cause issues.
- RECOMMEND: Prefer explicit requirements (e.g., "Mark as done," "Score at least X," "Submit") over "View" alone.
Reminder: Publish Both Modules and Items Within:
- For students to see anything, both the Module container and the item inside it (Page, Assignment, etc.) must have the green "published" checkmark.
- Videos? Use Kaltura or Drexel Streams
External Tools (Modules: Adding Content > External Tools)
- Kaltura: Use Modules > + > External Tool > Kaltura Embed. Use for all videos.
- Zoom: Works like Bb Learn.
- LockDown Browser: Works like Bb Learn.
- Microsoft Education: Not recommended. It's basically OneDrive; other MS assignment tools not enabled. Office 365 tool not approved by CCI IT.
- Echo Video (Echo360): Enabled in all Canvas sections. Nothing you need to do. Mike Galloway can add if needed.
- Echo Video has an improved chat!!!
IMPORTANT! Use & Check Dates for Assignments
- Set the Due Date and the "Available Until" date when new submissions are not allowed.
- Avoids all sorts of issues.
- NOTE: Assignments area shows ANYTHING GRADED
- Including Quizzes, Graded Discussion Boards, and External Tools that have gradable activities/assignments in Bb Learn.
Videos: USE KALTURA
- Individual video & audio uploads IN CANVAS probably have a 500 MB limit. No such limit in Kaltura
- All KALTURA will be auto-captioned now (not ADA-compliant)
(RCE) (a.k.a. WYSIWYG, a.a.k.a. the Text-Editor box or toolbar):
- An online editing text box & toolbar for creating content. Includes a menu bar, toolbar, content space, and other features that allow you to create content containing formatted text, hyperlinks, images, media, mathematical formulas, embedded objects, tables, and more.
- Watch Canvas Video & Read More: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-is-the-Rich-Content-Editor-RCE/ta-p/12
(Above explains all the little icons too!)
Discussion Board / Forum Creation & Editing
- Create graded or ungraded forums for all students or specific groups.
- Watch Canvas Video & Read More: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-Discussions/ta-p
Other Useful Things on Canvas
Other Useful Links on Canvas
Meridian Community College Canvas Cheat Sheet:
A 1 page that may help you quickly learn how to do most things.
Canvas Cheat Sheet: Announcements & Inbox messaging
Files Canvas Video:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Video-Shorts/Video-What-are-Files/ta-p/650880
Modules Canvas Video:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Video-Shorts/Video-What-are-Modules/ta-p/650887
Pages Canvas Video:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Video-Shorts/Video-What-are-Pages/ta-p/650889
Peer Review Canvas Video:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Video-Shorts/Video-What-are-Peer-Reviews/ta-p/650890
Canvas Video Shorts:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Video-Shorts/tkb-p/canvas_video_shorts
Canvas Instructor Guide:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/tkb-p/Instructor
Canvas Basics Guide:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/tkb-p/basics
Canvas Status and Information from Drexel ITG:
https://drexel0.sharepoint.com/sites/IT-ITGBlog/SitePages/canvas-status.aspx
Canvas BBB (Big Blue Button):
BBB is not something enabled in Drexel's instance. It's a video conferencing tool, and Drexel already has Zoom and Teams pro accounts for all faculty, staff, and students.
Course Navigation Links: MUST HIDE
- Files
Course Navigation Links: MUST SHOW!
Minimal Canvas Navigation Links (Nothing Broken)
- Home
- Modules
- Assignments
- Discussions
- Grades
Course Navigation Links: Recommended to Show
- Announcements
- Attendance (really useful)
- Syllabus
- Echo360 (On-campus or XLIST. TELL me MIKE GALLOWAY if not using)
- People
We've had the roster show before in Bb Learn under Course Tools.
Can more easily use Groups.
Course Navigation Links: Show if Using, Hide if Not
- Zoom Course Meetings
- Gradescope
Course Navigation Links: AUTO-HIDDEN TO STUDENTS
Still Recommend Moving to Bottom of Navigation, or Disabling. Still visible to you.
- Ally Course Accessibility Report
- Lockdown Browser
- Rubrics
- Settings
Course Navigation Links: Recommended to *HIDE*
- Pages: Redundant with Modules. Hide to reduce clutter.
- Chat: Legacy and confusing; Zoom/Echo360 already cover chat. Hide.
- Course Gallery Drexel - Canvas (Kaltura):
- Shows videos only if inserted via RCE with "Publish to Media Gallery." Module > External Tool does not publish. Show only if you CONSCIOUSLY & CAREFULLY use Media Gallery; otherwise hide.
- Outcomes: Not set up at Drexel. Hide.
- Course Analytics: Instructor-only. Hide from students.
- Collaborations: 365/OneDrive not reliable yet. Hide.
- Item Banks: Not recommended "New Quizzes" question storage (instructor-only). Hide.
- Office 365: Doesn't work yet. Hide.
- Annoto Dashboard: Not ready at Drexel; Kaltura already supports video quizzes. Hide for now.
- Lucid (Whiteboard): No license. Use Microsoft Whiteboard (web) or Zoom whiteboard instead. Hide.
- SCORM: Legacy more or less. Prefer LTI tools (Gradescope, Kaltura, Zoom). Hide.
- Microsoft Education: Just a quirky OneDrive link for now. Hide.
- Access Pearson: No license. Hide.
- Wiley Course Resources: No license. Hide.
- McGraw Hill Integration: No license. Hide.
Tags:
Canvas