Training Registrations, Canvas shells, support, partner requests
Checklist – Before the Start of Term
Make changes before the new semester begins, so your students have the most accurate and effective content!
GETTING READY
Verify And Organize Your Course List
Confirm that your courses are available in Canvas. Go to Courses > All Courses from the sidebar menu to indicate which courses should be available on your Dashboard.
Have your most used courses available on the Dashboard and Courses list, and keep others out of sight but still easy to get to when needed. The secret is the star.
If you teach multiple sections of your Course and you want all students to access the same content, you can request to combine or cross-list sections before the semester begins.
Copy Content From An Older Course
You reuse content from a previous semester, a development shell, or another instructor’s course. If it is a course taught by someone else, that instructor will have to give you access to that course.
Make any updates and corrections to the course syllabus as necessary. Confirm dates, grading policy, links to Academic Integrity and Attendance documents provided by the District.
Review Modules and Content
Take the time to look over the materials and links in your Canvas course. Did you use everything in it? Are there any new items to add? Typos to fix or clarifications needed?
Review Content Items
Examine module contents and make any necessary edits to item titles, remove unused items, add new materials.
Review Course Accessibility There are several important elements all instructors should consider to ensure maximum access to course content, so every student is able to succeed, regardless of ability.
Some of the most important features of an accessible course include:
converting most PDF files into Canvas Pages
adding ALT text to images
captioning video
Module Settings
Check Lock Until dates and Publish status. Incomplete modules may be locked or unpublished to prevent student access.
If used, ensure module requirements and prerequisites are set properly.
Publish Course Content Items Review all course content items (Pages, Assignments, Modules, etc.) to confirm Publish status. Only content that is Published can be seen by students.
Update Course Navigation
Confirm the Course Menu contains the appropriate items in the desired order. Only necessary items should be visible to students to avoid confusion.
Examine all gradable activities in the course, update instructions and details as needed. Check all relevant settings for assignments, discussions and quizzes:
directions
submission type
point value
number of quiz attempts
availability date
due date
Gradebook
Confirm grading policy, points possible, and grade displays in Gradebook. If using Assignment groups for weighted grading, ensure the assignment weights align with the information provided in the course syllabus.
Make adjustments to assignment due dates, availability dates, module lock dates, and any other time sensitive information. Double check the calendar and syllabus to be sure your course events and due dates are set correctly.
Check Announcements
Announcements from the previous course will be copied when content is imported from another course. Review content for accuracy, delete unwanted announcements, and adjust delay dates to reflect the new semester.
Be sure to examine your course using Student View (found in the right hand navigation bar on the Settings link) to preview the course from the student perspective. Ensure that all modules/items are published, available and updated.
You may submit assignments or quizzes while in Student View to verify everything is working properly. NOTE: Any assignments or quizzes submitted in Student View will appear in the Test Student row in the Gradebook. See: How do I view a course using a test student?
MAKE IT AVAILABLE
Publish The Course
Students should have access to courses beginning on the first day of a semester. However, instructors must Publish a course to make it visible and available to students. Students only see Published courses. Click the Publish button under Home when you are ready.
Welcome your students
Once your course is published, you can send an announcement or private message to your students welcoming them to your course. Introduce how you are using Canvas (e.g. Modules or Files, Assignment submissions, Discussions, Quizzes, Calendar, etc.). Indicate how you will communicate with students and how they should communicate with you (e.g. Inbox, Q & Q forum). Keep the welcome message short. Direct students to the Syllabus for information on the course schedule and policies.
Be sure to compare your Canvas course roster (under People) with your MyDelta roster. Student enrollments in Canvas are updated every hour to reflect enrollments in MyDelta.
Password: same of the password of your Delta email account
*Note: If the above doesn’t work, please try first initial + last name (i.e. jsmith) for the userid.
Canvas Lite & Users Group
Canvas Lite & Users Group
All Delta faculty are members of the Canvas Lite & Users Group.
This lite self-paced courselet* on Canvas basics includes the most essential information help you get started with Canvas to support your face-to-face classes and communicate with students outside of the scheduled meeting times.
Going through Canvas Lite is optional. You’ll find it an easier way to get started than going through countless user guides. The information in this shell has been broken down into a few short units.
In Discussions, you’ll be able ask Canvas and pedagogy questions of your colleagues who have online teaching experience.
Go through all the modules at your own pace and earn 12 Flex credits.
Join us there to ask questions of experts and your colleagues! Let’s build a community of best practices.
*This is not a substitute for the certification that is required for teaching hybrid and fully online classes.
Confirm that your courses are available in Canvas. Go to Courses > All Courses from the sidebar menu to indicate which courses should be available on your Dashboard.
