Prepare yourself to give students a positive experience in Canvas

Save your students from frustration with technology! Prepare yourself to give them a foundation for the best possible experience in Canvas.

Student Testimonials

Students like Canvas

Canvas system, loved it! Canvas A+

I LOVE the canvas module structure. Since this was my first time using it I was nervous, but I understood it immediately.

I love Canvas. I prefer it over Moodle.

I enjoyed using Canvas. I liked the way I could view my grades, have conversations with my instructor, or my classmates.

Students think Canvas is easy to use

At the beginning of this class I was nervous about using Canvas, because I had never used it before and was used to Moodle. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to navigate, and I do recommend using Canvas for all online classes.

The Canvas structure is phenomenal. It's easy to use and what I love about it is that you can keep a forum post on for hours without the page logging you out. I know Moodle would log you out if you didn't use it for a while so that's a major plus.

I thought that the setup of the Canvas page was VERY easy to follow and simple to use which is always nice when taking an online course. I liked the setup of the module and grades pages, these allowed me to stay on track with the assignments and my grade.

Students like the Canvas modules

I had never used Canvas before and found the whole set-up to be clear. I liked how easy the grade book was to access, and how the modules for each week were organized and separated.

I like how the modules are set up to easily go back if I needed to.

I was very pleased with the format of the class and with the Canvas modules structure. This was the first semester I've experienced it and in both the classes that have incorporated the system I've been able to easily navigate the course.

Canvas helps with student success

...and it's easy for instructors to organize courses

Using the Canvas module structure was very clear and easy to understand for me. The organization of the class materials was really well organized and must say that this class was the most organized online class I have ever taken. I have taken a few online classes before and always ended up dropping them because it was too difficult for me to see what the schedule was and what we needed to do. But this class was very well organized and really enjoyed taking it.

I appreciated the structure and format of this class. I have used Canvas before and I really like it especially because it effectively shows your grade.

I used the grade book link a great deal. I liked to check the comments and make sure I was on track with my work.

It was nice to be able to access Canvas from my phone and do a lot of the reading for the class when I was out so I didn’t have to be in front of a computer.

The Canvas set-up made it easy for us to achieve our objectives and very easy to use.

Basic checklist for introducing students to their Canvas course

Canvas Overview for Students (Video 7:42)
Encourage students to edit their Profile – How do I add a Profile picture? – Add photo of themselves instead of a pet or other image.
Help students set Notifications – How do I set my Notification preferences? – Many students prefer text notifications. – How do I add contact methods to receive notifications?
Remind students to navigate using Modules. ¬ What are modules for students? – This is the Canvas “table of contents” or “index.”
Show students how to access Help documents + 24/7 support line.— How do I get help with Canvas?
Consider providing a link to the Canvas Student Guide.
Tell students to install the Canvas app on their phone. – Will Canvas work on my mobile device? – Alert students that they might need to switch to browser mode for certain tasks such as taking quizzes.
Alert students that IE does not work well with Canvas. Use Chrome, Firefox, Safari.

Student FAQs

How do I know what homework I need to do?
How do I post to a discussion?
How do I view grades?

Review with students

Course navigation – Use Modules. – What are modules for students?
How to find homework – Look at the Module overview page, calendar, syllabus. – How do I navigate the Syllabus table and calendar?
Turning in assignments – Discussions, file uploads, text boxes.
Student view of grades – The Gradebook is in course navigation. – How do I view my grades in a current course?
Calendar – In global navigation – How do I use the calendar? – In global navigation.

Common pitfalls for students

Navigating with arrows instead of clicking on Modules—getting lost.

Bonus

e-Portfolio – What are e-portfolios for students? – e-Portfolios showcase work from a course or academic program. ePortfolios can be used to create a web presence. Students can access them semester to semester.

Canvas communication tools

Discussions – What are discussions for instructors? – Discussions allow both instructors and students to start and contribute to as many discussion topics as desired. They can be graded or ungraded.
Conferences – What are conferences for instructors? – Conferences are primarily used for virtual lectures, virtual office hours, and student groups.
Chat – What is Chat? – The Chat tool allows students and teachers to interact in real time.
Assignment submission (student) and feedback (instructor) comments – How do I reply to submission comments in Conversations? – Comments can be viewed in the Gradebook and SpeedGrader.