Canvas Learning Path
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, we’ve curated a list of actions and resources to help you learn the elements of Canvas and make it easier to build your course and interact with students.
Explore our suggested plan featuring live training events, short videos, valuable links, and access to WSU personnel who can provide guidance as you navigate Canvas. Feel free to jump in wherever you feel most comfortable.
Become familiar with Canvas and the student experience.
- Access Canvas.
- View Navigating the Course as a student.
- View Navigating your Canvas Course as an Instructor.
- Check out a Canvas Demo Course.
- If you are interested in a safe place to test ideas and play around in Canvas, you can request a Canvas Sandbox (an empty course shell).
- Learn about your Canvas Dashboard and how to customize your course dashboard list.
Whether you’re building in your semester course space, or in your course sandbox, we suggest beginning with a few basic structural elements when getting started. In addition, we also have a recommended course template to help as you begin to build.
Note: For Global Campus courses, you will have an instructional designer to support your course design.
Suggested Actions
- Build a home page (or fill out template).
- Build an instructor introduction page (or fill out template).
- Create Assignment Groups on the Assignments Index Page to match the grading table in your syllabus.
- All gradable items will appear on the Assignments Index Page including Quizzes and Discussions.
- This page determines what is in the gradebook.
- Build a course schedule (or fill out template).
- Decide and implement how the Modules Index Page will be organized (by Unit, by Week, etc.) and create Modules.
- Students should access course content by selecting Modules. What experience do you want them to have when accessing this page?
To merge sections into a single course space, contact your department course scheduler or campus course scheduler. We suggest taking this action prior to building content into the course space.
Canvas Components
Suggested AOI Resources
Once you have decided on the structure of your course, you are ready to start adding content!
Review how to minimize Digital Content in your Canvas space.
Suggested Actions
- Write a student to-do list based on the structure you decided for Modules (by week, unit, et).
- Build content in Canvas.
- Build content on a page – words, links, images, videos, etc.
- Upload a file.
- Add links to the to-do list and/or the Modules.
- Build a simple assignment.
- Include detailed instructions.
- Use a due date.
- Create and attach a
- View assignments and turn them in from student view.
- Build a Classic Quiz.
- Build a Discussion.
- Ensure that all gradable items are in the correct assignment group on the Assignments Index Page.
Canvas Components
Suggested AOI Resources
- Tips on creating accessible materials
- It is suggested for accessibility and storage reasons to create non-video content directly into Canvas whenever possible.
- Low-Stakes Formative Assessments
- Engaging Discussions
- Survey Students at beginning of the semester
- You can tailor to an in-person class.
- Authentic Assessment
Once your course is published, you can start interacting with students.
Suggested Actions
- Create a Welcome Announcement and use announcements throughout the term.
- Grade an assignment, discussion, or quiz using the SpeedGrader.
- View your course as your students will see it using Student View.
- Connect instantly with your students using Chat.
- Create transparency of any changes or upcoming events using
- Inform your students of any missing, or late work using the Message Students Who function in the Gradebook.
Canvas Components
Component | Relevant Links |
---|---|
Announcements | What are Announcements? How do I add an announcement in a course? |
SpeedGrader | What is SpeedGrader? How do I use SpeedGrader? How do I grade a file upload? How do I add annotated comments? |
Student View | How do I view my course as a test student? |
Chat | What is Chat? |
Message Students Who... | How to Message Students Who... |
New Analytics | New Analytics in the Instructor Guide |
Suggested AOI Resources
Tools Already Integrated with Canvas
- Panopto
- Perusall
- Zoom
- Collaborations
- Review other integrations.
Training
Interested in learning more about Canvas or educational technology tools that integrate with it?
- Register for a Canvas or Educational Technology Tools training.
- Review recordings of Canvas and Educational Technology Tools trainings.
Important Resources
- Visit Instructor Support for teaching & learning and technical support.
- Canvas Integration Information: ITS Canvas 3rd Party Integrations.