Canvas

=Canvas=

Why use Canvas?

 * Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) - a tool that provides opportunities for web-based collaboration and communication to enrich learning, engage students, and increase achievement.
 * It can provide opportunities to engage students in learning beyond actual class time.
 * It provides a way to incorporate all sorts of digital media into instruction and learning.
 * Having all teachers use Canvas as their class webpage provides and easy way for students to access and navigate information and resources for all of their courses.

1. Get Into Canvas - There are at least 4 ways for you to get to it:

 * 1) @http://graniteschools.instructure.com
 * 2) Use the Canvas link off of the Kearns High homepage.
 * 3) Use the Canvas link under Employees or Parents & Students off of the Granite School District web page.
 * 4) Use the Canvas link on the LANDesk LaunchPad.

2. Set your Default Home Page and Add Content

 * 1) Go into your course.
 * 2) Click on "Change Home Page Layout."
 * 3) Choose "a Page I'll Design Myself."
 * 4) Edit this page. Include the basic information about this course, your contact information, your class disclosure and syllabus, and a link to your wiki or other class webpage should you choose to use that.
 * To **add a link** to a content page, highlight the text you want to serve as your link. Click on the "Link to URL" icon (looks like a chain link) in the editing menu at the top of the page.
 * To **add a file** to a content page, make sure your cursor is where you want the file to be placed on the page. Click on the "Files" tab in the Page Tools menu on the right. Click on upload a new file. Click on Choose File and browse for the file you want to upload. Then click on upload file. The file should appear on the page where your cursor was flashing.
 * 1) Click on "Save" when you are finished adding your content.

3. Importing Your Course Content from Another Course
Instructure Guide: How do I import content from another Canvas course? media type="custom" key="20775742"
 * 1) Go into your new course or section.
 * 2) Click on "Settings" at the bottom of the navigation menu. You can also click on the "Course Setup Checklist."
 * 3) Click on "Import Content into this Course."
 * 4) Click on "Copy Content from Another Canvas Course."
 * 5) Choose or search for the course you would like to copy the content from.
 * 6) Make whatever adjustements you need to for that course.

4. Publish Your Courses
(Your course won't show up on your students' course list until you do this.) Instructure Guide: How do I publish my course?
 * 1) Go into the course.
 * 2) Click on the "Course Setup Checklist."
 * 3) Click on "Publish Course" from the setup checklist.
 * 4) Click on "Publish Course."

5. Edit Your Course Navigation Menu
Instructure Guide: How do I customize course navigation links? media type="custom" key="20775692"
 * 1) Click on "Settings" at the bottom of the navigation menu.
 * 2) Click on the "Navigation" tab.
 * 3) Drag items in the order you would like. Drag navigation items you do not want students to see to where it says "Drag items here to hide them from students."

Organizing Your Course Content
You can organize your course content in a couple of ways: modules and pages. Use one or both to add and organize course content.

Modules
Course modules let you organize your assignments, pages, files, links, etc. into smaller sections or units. Modules could be centered around a theme, focused on a specific topic, or even just grouped chronologically. To add modules, click on "Modules in the navigation menu and then click on "Add Module." media type="custom" key="20775950" Modules Example - AP Human Geography

Pages
Pages inside of a course are where you can put in content and educational resources. This is a place where you can include text and video as well as links to webpages or to your files. You can even make links to the other pages that you can create. These pages are essentially wiki pages. media type="custom" key="20775942"

Other Canvas Features:
Please note that not all of these features play well in our district. However, once you have the basics down please feel free to try them out.
 * **Announcements** - Create announcements for your class that will appear in their recent activity notifications and whatever notifications they are set to receive.
 * **Discussions** - Create class discussion that your students can respond to.
 * **Assignments** - Create assignments in Canvas. (There's even a Rubric tool.) Your students can submit them here and you can use SpeedGrader to grade them. NOTE: Canvas grades do not feed into Gradebook.
 * **Quizzes** - Create and have students take quizzes right in Canvas. No need to score them. NOTE: Canvas grades do not feed into Gradebook.
 * **Syllabus** - Assignments and quizzes are placed on your Syllabus.
 * **Grades** - Grades will only reflect grades for Canvas assignments and quizzes. They do not feed into Gradebook.

//We'll go over some of these during future Canvas work time sessions for those of you who are interested.//

Instructure Tutorials

 * How Do I Build a Simple Canvas Course? - Since your courses are already created, steps 1 and 2 are not necessary.
 * Canvas Instructor Guide - Tutorials on everything in Canvas, grouped by task.
 * Canvas Video Guide - Video tutorials on everything in Canvas, grouped by task.
 * Canvas Designer Guide - Provides examples of how to design Canvas pages.

Other Tutorials

 * USU FACT - Canvas

Canvas Work Time Sessions
Last Wednesday of each month from 2:30 to 3:30. We'll take a quick look at a feature of Canvas and you'll have some time to work on adding content to your Canvas page. I'll be available to answer questions and assist with problems.