✔️New to Canvas?

A great place to start is the Educational Technology Services Linktree. You will find links to Canvas orientations as well as links to schedule a 1:1 appointment to learn Canvas.

✔️Want to combine multiple Canvas courses into one?

Some instructors who teach multiple sections of the same class like to merge their Canvas courses into one course. This is best done first while the courses are unpublished. Request to merge courses in Canvas

✔️Copy content from a previous Canvas course

In Canvas, it is easy to reuse parts or all of a past course. Instructions for copying content from one Canvas course to another

✔️Update assignment due dates

Did you know that there is a way to edit all of your assignment due dates in one place? See this Canvas guide for step-by-step instructions: How do I bulk update due dates and availability dates as an instructor?

✔️Run the link validator to check for broken links

Canvas has a handy link validator tool that will alert you to any links in your course that are not working. We highly recommend running the link validator after a course copy. How do I validate links in a course?

✔️ Upload your syllabus

Be sure to upload the latest version of your course syllabus. Instructions for uploading a syllabus in Canvas

✔️Simplify course navigation

Removing unnecessary links from your Canvas course navigation menu helps to reduce confusion and guide your students to the important areas of your course. How do I manage Course Navigation links?

✔️Set up your Gradebook and weighted grading

Be sure that you have created assignments/Gradebook columns for all assessments. In the Assignments area of your Canvas course, you can organize your assignments into groups and add percentage weights if needed. How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?

✔️Set a grading scheme

If you would like, you can turn on a grading scheme in your Canvas course that matches the grading scheme on your syllabus. How do I add a grading scheme in a course?

✔️Publish your modules, content, and activities

Be sure that you have published any modules, content, and learning activities that you would like your students to access.

Publishing a module in Canvas

✔️ Choose a course home page

The home page is the page that everyone sees first when they enter your Canvas course. You can choose what you would like the home page of your Canvas course to be: the Syllabus, the Course Modules, or a custom page that you have designed yourself. How do I change the Course Home Page?

✔️Course run-through in Student View

We recommend using the Student View feature to see your Canvas course from a student perspective. If you were a student, would you know how to get started? How do I view a course as a test student using Student View?

✔️Publish your course

Your students will not see your Canvas course on their Dashboard, have access to the course, or receive announcements until you publish the course. How do I publish a course?

✔️Post a welcome announcement

After publishing your course, we recommend posting a welcome announcement to introduce yourself and invite your students to check out the course. Welcome your students for the upcoming term prior to your first class

✔️Create Zoom meetings if needed

Are you planning to use Zoom? Perhaps to host virtual office hours or to record your lectures in the classroom? You can schedule Zoom meetings in your Canvas course to give your students easy access to join meetings and watch recordings. Create a Zoom meeting in Canvas

✔️Need to add a co-instructor or guest?

We have a form for that! Request to add a co-instructor, librarian, or guest to your Canvas course

✔️View your photo roster

Did you know that you can view pictures of your students to start matching faces to names? Check out the Photo Roster today!

✔️ Interested in taking attendance online?

Many instructors like to use Qwickly Attendance in Canvas. Learn more about Qwickly Attendance

✔️Get to know your classroom

View photos of your classroom, get oriented to the technology, and schedule an in-person classroom tech assist using the Online Classroom Inventory website.

Need support?

The Educational Technology Services team is here to help! Schedule a 1:1 consultation with an ETS team member or stop by during our virtual drop-in office hours.