Category: Canvas

This fall, Canvas has rolled out several updates. Here are some highlights:

Smart Search: You may have noticed “Smart Search” in the course navigation. This allows teachers and students to search the whole course and Canvas will present the most fitting results for that term. More info.

New Quizzes: Add Time to Existing Quiz Sessions: While a New Quiz attempt is ongoing, instructors can moderate a quiz and extend the time allotted for the quiz. Additionally, the student course-level accommodation modal link is moved to the Student column. Previously, this was linked in the Accommodations column.

New Quizzes: View Log now shows when and for how long a student navigated away from the quiz.

Coming Soon (11/16):

Multiple Due Dates (Checkpoints) in Discussion: When creating a graded discussion, instructors can set multiple due dates or checkpoints to accommodate different stages of the discussion process, such as the initial post and follow-up replies.—DELAYED as of 11/14

Speedgrader Experience: Faster load times and enhanced stability in Speedgrader. Additionally, there will be some interface updates:

• A streamlined interface for the Section drop-down menu
• A clearer and more prominent No Submission alert
• The Submission Status is updated to a drop-down menu
• Rubrics are automatically displayed in the traditional view
• Media attachments and submission comments are moved and the delete icon is changed.

Rubric Improvements: 

• You can import and export Canvas rubrics in a CSV or XML format.
• On the Rubrics page, instructors can copy rubrics from the current course to another course.

We’re excited to let you know that your Canvas courses will soon be visible and ready for action. Canvas is designed to simplify your teaching journey and provide you with a user-friendly platform to engage with your students, organize course materials, and foster a dynamic learning environment.

Course Template

To assist you in creating an engaging and effective online learning space, we’ve prepared comprehensive resources for the course template. These resources include step-by-step guides, video tutorials, and best practices for setting up your Canvas courses. Whether you’re a seasoned Canvas user or a first-timer, these tools will ensure that you’re making the most of Canvas’s features. Using the Canvas template ensure students and families have a more consistent experience in Canvas. We have also updated the template to reflect the move to Google Meet rather than Zoom, reduced the Course Navigation Menu options, and included an assignment template for easy duplication.

Locating Courses from Past Years

Looking for courses from previous years? Rest assured, they may not be on your dashboard, but they are still there. If you navigate to https://pccsk12.instructure.com/courses and scroll to the bottom of the page, you’ll see such courses under “Past Enrollments.” Past enrollments (such courses) are in read-only format. If you would like to make some edits and updates to your course(s) for current or future usage do the following. Click on the course under Past Enrollments, go to Settings on the Course Navigation Menu and click the “Copy this Course” button.

Import Previous Content

You can easily copy previous Canvas courses into your 25-25 course shell. However, if you have been keeping the same content from year to year, some unused content might be slowing you down. Last spring, we invited you to reflect on and revise your course instead of copying the whole thing over (linked post).  Below, you will find steps to import Canvas content into your new course shell (once generated automatically through the MiStar integration).

Getting Started with Canvas

Just getting started with Canvas or wanting to start anew? Check out this new Canvas Quick Start Guide. It might be helpful even if you plan to import previous content! It has links to crosslisting directions, template homepage information, button templates, and more!

Crosslisting Guide

When you have taken time to update the homepage and import previous content, you might not want to repeat those steps for multiple sections on the same course. If that is the case, take a look at the crosslisting guide. This will allow you to only update one course and the changes will be reflected in all sections.

Publish Your Course(s)

You must publish your course in order for it to be visible for students and families. Rest assured, students cannot view course content until the term starts (check this under the course settings). Avoid unnecessary emails from students and families and set yourself a reminder to publish!

If you need assistance with any of these steps, please submit a tech ticket.

In Canvas, instructors now have the flexibility to assign modules to individual students or specific sections (this could be specific hours in a cross-listed course).

Sections are created automatically in a cross-listed course (P2, P3, etc) but you can also manually-create sections of students.

This feature allows for personalized learning experiences and targeted instruction. Here’s how you can assign modules to individual students or sections:

1. Access the Module Settings: 

   – Navigate to the desired course in Canvas.

   – Click on the “Modules” tab in the course navigation menu.

   – Select the module you want to assign.

2. Choose the Assign To Option:

   – In module, click the Options icon (Tim Bits). Click “Assign to”

3. Assign to Individual or Sections

-By default, modules are assigned and visible to everyone in the course.

-Click the Individual or Section field to select a section or an individual student name.

-You can add multiple students and sections.

-Click Save

By utilizing the “Assign To” feature in Canvas, instructors can tailor their instructional materials to meet the unique needs of individual students or specific sections. This level of customization promotes targeted learning and enhances student engagement. See the Canvas guide for more information.

If you have been using Canvas for awhile (since 2021), you may have worked to build Pages in Canvas that had the plan for your day/week/month. They may also include links to other Canvas Assignments and resources. It may look something like this:

While this page made a lot of sense as you rushed to put together content for virtual days, you might consider making the shift to Modules. Over time, these pages have probably proved cumbersome to update and it can result in a clunky workflow for students. It may also feel like a double load of work if you also update some daily slide for the classroom. We’d suggest letting go of these Agenda pages in favor Modules organized by week or topic. Check out some examples below:

This set up may prove easier to update and blends nicely with the face-to-face learning environment, pointing students and families to exactly what they need to know.

Why Use Modules

1. Content Organization: Modules act like a table of contents, allowing instructors to organize various course elements such as Pages, Files, Discussion Boards, Quizzes, and Assignments. By grouping related content together, Modules create a coherent flow for students.
2. Interaction Requirements: Modules allow instructors to require student interaction with specific content before proceeding to assignments. For example, students might need to review a reading or watch a video before attempting a quiz.
3. Centralized Management: Instructors can manage all course materials within a single Module. This streamlines the course-building process and keeps everything organized in one place.
4. Flexible Structure: Instructors can structure Modules based on their natural course organization. Whether by unit, day, week, topic, or outcome, Modules adapt to the instructor’s preferred format.
5. Visual Flow: Using indentation, emojis, and text headers in Modules enhances visual flow, especially when dealing with a large amount of content. Headers help delineate different sections, and instructors can even use emojis for quick scanning.
6. Student Experience: By simplifying navigation (e.g., hiding unnecessary links), Modules create a better experience for students. Chunking content into digestible bits prevents overwhelming learners.