This post was originally published on the Canvas Camp website.
Since we missed our final session of Canvas Camp, I’ve recorded a video as an overview of our session. At times, I move through some of the content quickly, so feel free to pause and watch at your own pace:
Additionally, I encourage you to refer to the other materials on the Canvas Camp website as needed. Here are a few items I want to highlight, in particular:
Goals
Complete your Canvas Course – Finish adding and organizing all the contents and assignments of your course in the Modules section. Ideally, all course content appears in at least one Module. Additionally, make sure to complete the Syllabus, double check all due dates in the Calendar, and review your course materials are correct.
Add TAs to the course – In the People section of your course, add your TAs.
Publish the course! – The final step! Make sure all of your content is in the “Published” status by referring to the green, check-marked clouds next to each of your materials in the Modules section. All content that has a gray, x-marked cloud is currently in the “Unpublished” draft form and not visible to students. Lastly, on the home page, change the Course Status from “Unpublished” to “Published.”
S’more ( Abbreviated, refer to day 4 page for full list)
Grades – The Canvas Gradebook is automatically generated from the Assignments in a course. First, checkout this overview video:
Then read through this guide to see how to interact with the Canvas Gradebook. You can set default grades (i.e. zeros for missing work), curve grades, and message students who make certain grades from the Gradebook. Additionally, I recommend muting assignments while grading if you prefer to release all grades and feedback to students all at once. Otherwise, students will receive notifications as you make changes at your grading pace. Lastly, you are able to download and upload scores to the Canvas Gradebook using CSV files if you prefer.
Use Speedgrader – The easiest way to grade assignments in Canvas is the Speedgrader. This video introduces its power when grading in Canvas:
The Speedgrader supports documents (.doc/.docx), slides (.ppt/.pptx), and PDF files, media recordings, website URLs, and more. This guide demonstrates the specifics of using Speedgrader, including how to enable anonymous grading, leave feedback for students, and use a rubric in Speedgrader. Additionally, you can grade Canvas assignments from the Speedgrader app on a tablet if desired.
Submitting your Grades – Our University aims to make submitting grades through Canvas simple. Checkout either the video guide or the text guide to learn how to complete this task at the conclusion of your semester.
Messaging students using the Canvas Inbox – You can communicate with your all of your students through Conversations in the Canvas Inbox. This feature allows you to message individual students, your TAs, or the entire class. This video guide is a great place to start learning how to use this tool in Canvas.
Publishing Content – In the Modules section of Canvas, you can use the published state of contents to hide materials from students as needed. Unpublished materials are in a draft state and will not be accessible to students. Before you finalize your course, make sure all the content you want visible to students is marked as Published with the checkmark/green cloud icon.
Crosslisting in Canvas – You can combine sections from multiple courses into a single course. Before you do this, read this entire guide and view the cross-listing video because you want to make sure you understand how this works. I recommend experimenting and practicing with nonofficial Canvas courses first.
Get Canvas Assistance – The first place I go to get Canvas help are the Canvas Guides, in particular using the search bar on this page. The broader Canvas Community is a great place to get ideas and interact with other Canvas Users from across the world. Our University has its own Canvas Group on the Community website if you’d like to join us. Finally, there are more materials available for instructors on our campus ranging from OU’s Canvas Tutorials, to the resources on the Center for Teaching Excellence’s website.
If you’re hoping to get feedback on your Canvas course, I recommend asking the students in your courses and being open with them about trying new things. Students will be able to give you great feedback on how Modules are setup, etc. At the end of the day, we are all in this Canvas learning process together.
Happy course building, campers!