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Unpublished and Published Statuses
As an instructor, you have the ability to release content to your students at your pace. Unpublished Gray icons indicate unpublished content. Unpublished content exists in a “draft state” and is invisible to students. Publish...
Add Content in Canvas
Canvas content creation works similarly across all areas of the site where there is a rich content editor. Tip: to revert to a previous version of a page, visit our guide on Pages revision . Add content to your page Add Files Add...
Pages Revision
You can view the page history and see the date, time, and author of any changes made to the page. You can also roll back the page content to a previous version of the page. Step 1. Select "Pages" in the course navigation menu ...
Build Modules
Modules organize course content. Organize content by weeks, units, or a different organizational structure. Each module can contain files, discussions, assignments, quizzes, and other learning materials. Unpublished modules are invisible to st...
Canvas Files Preperation
Preparing for working on your Canvas site (recommended). This process greatly simplifies your file management on Canvas, especially if you have many documents. To upload individual files to Canvas, skip to step 4. On your Computer St...
Modify the Course Navigation Menu
The course navigation menu is a series of links on the left side of your course that help you and your students access different course areas or integrated external tools. Depending on the structure of your course, you can choose to reorder a...
Change the Course Home Page
The Course Home Page is the first view your students will see when they enter your course. You can change your Course Home Page to different layout options: the Recent Activity Dashboard, Pages Front Page, the Course Modules, or the Assignment List...
Canvas Layouts
For a new course site layout, choose one of the three below for your course site. Fill out a Canvas course site request and the layout you select will be applied to your course site. Remember: the three layouts just provide a basic foundation t...
View a Course as a Test Student Using Student View
Student View lets you experience your course the way that your students do. You will see only what you, as the instructor, allow your students to see. Notes: Each Canvas course has a separate Test Student account. Whenever you move to...
Manage Sections
Sections are a way to organize course users for communication and grading. Each section can have its own varied due dates for assignments, quizzes, and graded discussions. Examples of this feature include a course with sections that m...
Group Projects and Collaborations with Student Groups
Student groups can be used to set-up group projects. They also give groups of students a space of their own to collaborate outside of the central course site. Setting Up the Groups Manually Make Groups and Add Students Link Student...
Upload Microsoft Word Comments in Assignments
Canvas allows you to add comments and feedback to assignment submissions. You can only see and use this feature after the assignment has been published and submitted. Download Submissions Upload Submissions with Feedback Download Su...
Course Emailer
The Course Emailer can be used to send email to an entire class or a class section using your default email client (like Outlook) instead of the built-in messaging system in Canvas. The Course Emailer also displays the individual email addre...
Canvas Inbox
Easily, privately and securely correspond with your students with Canvas Inbox. * Note: You and your students should make sure Canvas notification preferences are set properly to receive a copy of the email to your personal email ad...
Content Link Error Notification
This setting alerts you when a student clicks a link to unpublished content, content with permission errors, or a broken link. Step 1. Click "Account on the global navigation menu and select "Notifications". Step 2. L...
Create and Manage Canvas Discussions
Canvas allows you to create discussion boards for class content and assignments. Create and Manage Discussions Set the discussion as an Assignment By default, you will automatically be subscribed to all discussion threads you crea...
Canvas Scheduler
Canvas Scheduler is part of the calendar and creates appointment groups (collection of individual appointments) that students can sign up for. You may use it to: create office hours schedule TA sessions assign presentation tim...
Office Hours
Easily host Zoom office hours within your Canvas course site. Create office hour sign-ups in Canvas. Visit our guide to using Canvas Scheduler . Step 1. Navigate to Zoom on the course navigation menu. Step 2. Click on ...
Zoom links on your Canvas course site
Don't post Zoom links anywhere Posting Zoom links on a Canvas Syllabus page (or inside of a syllabus) is prohibited for security reasons. More about Zoom Bombings . Zoom is in the Canvas navigation A link to Zoom meetings is provi...
Export a Canvas Course
You can export a Canvas course to: give to someone in another Canvas account upload to another institution's account at a later date create a copy as a backup on your local computer You can import an export file into C...
Import a Canvas Course Export Package
If you have a Canvas course export package from someone else that you want to use in Canvas, or you have previously exported a course , you can import the course as a Canvas course export package. An export package is imported as an IMSCC file. ...
Creating a Sandbox Site with a Basic Instructure Canvas Account
We cannot create course sites before the Extension and Summer Schools have set up the course catalog and registrar system. You can create a sandbox site yourself by setting up an outside Instructure Canvas account and build out things...
Copy Content from another Canvas Site
We strongly encourage you to submit a Canvas course site request to have a prior term's Canvas course site materials copied for you by Instructional Technology. If you elect to copy over the course site materials on your own...
DCE Accessibility Resources
Accommodations For Students Accessibility Services Office (ASO) - approves and coordinates services for students with disabilities Refer students to the Accessibility Services Office or directions on the web site to request an accommodation Pl...
Accessibility in Canvas
Canvas Accessibility Checker Using Canvas image options Alt text and decorative images Link text Heading tags Emphasis in text Color contrast Lists- Bullet Points & Numbering Formatting tables PDFs and documents A...
Enter and Post Grades in Canvas
Canvas offers built-in grading features Gradebook enter grades in a Canvas spread sheet include a comment SpeedGrader view each student's complete submission annotate student work assign a grade download and upload all submiss...
Calculate Final Grades
Organize assignments and set assignment weights for final grade calculations. This option assigns a weight to each assignment group, not the assignments themselves. Important - you must enter in "0 points" for any missing student...
Set a Course Grading Policy
In the New Gradebook, you can apply a selected grade posting policy for all course assignments. Posting policies can be set to automatic or manual. Set a Course Grading Policy Post Grades for Students to View Set a Course Grading Pol...
Change An Individual Assignment's Grade Posting Policy
To release grades and comment immediately after , you need to select a "automatic" grade posting policy per individual assignment (only needed if course posting policy is set to manual). To hide grades while grading , you need to selec...
Filter and Sort in Gradebook
You can filter and sort columns in the Gradebook according to your preference. The option to filter columns affects all assignments within the filter. You can also have a preset arrangement or manually arrange columns. Filter ...
Set a Late Submission Policy
The late Submission policy allows you to automatically deduct points on all late submissions. A submission is labeled late when it has been submitted past the due date. Only assignments with a status of Late will be affected by the po...
Set a Missing Submission Policy
This is a course-wide policy and exceptions can only be made manually student by student. A submission is labeled missing when the due date has passed and it has not been submitted. Only submissions with a status of Missing will be affected...
Canvas Essentials
Communication Use Canvas Announcements to get class-wide information in front of your students in a myriad of ways. Announcements will appear on your course site, and in the student dashboard, notify students via their personal emails and ...
Linking HOLLIS resources to Canvas
Leverage the Harvard Library resources for your students and respect copyright policy. Link to individual Harvard-licensed resources in Canvas modules, pages, assignments and discussions . It is the safest and best route because Harvard has already ...
Tips for Organizing Your Course Site
Organizing your Site Empowers You & Your Students. Consistency is KEY! Setting expectations and keeping to it. Communicating effectively Delete old files Create folders Use Canvas Pages for assigned reading and non-term boun...
How Simple Syllabus Impacts your Canvas Course Site
All January and Spring 2023 Extension School courses (except cross-listed Harvard College courses) are required to use Simple Syllabus as the platform for their syllabi. There are several things to be aware of during Extension and Summer Schools...
TA: Getting Started with Canvas
What link should I bookmark to find this and other great resources? https://teach.extension.harvard.edu/packets-itg/ta Please do not share this link with students. This link, and other links in this document, are for faculty only. I ca...
Canvas Admin Onboarding
Adding People to Course Sites DO NOT add anyone to the course site in an admin role. Direct requests to FEAA or reach out to ITG . TAs requesting access to course sites should be direct to FEAA . Teaching staff are automatically...
Instructional Technology Group- Instructor Development Event Resources
Spring 2023 Session: Implement Active Learning Design with Feedback Fruits Download Spring 2023 IDW Slides Fall 2022 Session: Turn Students Into Instructors & Curators: Improve Group Work with Interactive Tools Downlo...
T&L Canvas Term Start-Up FAQs
Copy a Course Site Install Ed, OpenCast Social Admin Dashboard, Proctorio, etc Piazza Requests Cross-listing Courses Adding TAs and Course Staff Canvas Help Guides Welcome Videos Simple Syllabus Help Simple Syllabus not pos...
Add a Welcome Video to Canvas
Simple Syllabus Canvas Modules Canvas Pages Simple Syllabus **Preferred and ONLY public option** Post a link in their syllabus. The video will be available to public during shopping period. Direct teaching staff to ...
News in Canvas
February 2024 Rich Content Editor When viewing course files with long and similar names in the Rich Content Editor (RCE), users can hover over the file name to view the full name . Modules Option to unpublish a module only. This op...