Canvas Course Setup (Backup, Navigate, Import, Blocks, Quickmail, Outcomes, Proctorio)

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What Is It?

How to setup your Canvas course.

Table of Contents

1. Signing into Canvas
   • Additional help for signing into Canvas
2. Accessing Course Administration
   • Allows instructors a large amount of control over the course.
3. Attendance Block
   • Allows instructors a way to keep track of students' attendance.
4. Backup Your Course In Canvas
   • A way to move all content of a Canvas course to a new location.
5. Course Completion Tracking
   • Monitor students' progress through your course, or allow students to track their own progress.
6. Course Layout
   • Composition of what makes a Canvas course.
7. Drag and Drop Files
   • How to drag and drop files into your Canvas course.
8. Groups
   • How to separate students into groups and assign them seperately.
9. Groupings
   • How to create parent groups to group your groups.
10. Using Groups with Activities/ Resources
    • How to use groups in Activities/Resources.
11. How to Hide/Show a Course
    • Choose whether students can see the course or not
12. How to Import Courses
    • How to copy the contents of one course into another.
13. Accessing Student View
    • How to see a student's view on your Canvas course.
14. Icons
    • Icons in Canvas and what they mean.
15. Managing Course Size
    • Different ways on how to limit how much you are uploading directly to Canvas.
16. Setting Up Forum Subscriptions to Email
    • Receive emails when a forum submission is made.
17. Navigation as an Instructor
    • How to navigate your Canvascourse as an instructor.

Signing into Canvas

Step 1:

In your web browser, navigate to your Canvas using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

And sign in with MT Tech. credentials

 

Accessing Course Administration

What Is It?

The Administration section allows instructors a large amount of control over the course.  It also contains many tools for instructors

Where Can I Access It?

From the Canvas homepage access Admin icon (Click to view full)

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Common Course Administration Tools

Settings: This takes you to the page that allows the user to edit the settings for the course (Change the Format, change the number of weeks or topics, and making the course available to students)

People: This collapsible sub-menu allows the instructor to view enrolled users and manage groups. Instructors can create groups and view all of a courses participants from here

Admin tools: Options for activity name auto-linking, emoticons, and algebraic notation

Grading: This option takes the user to the gradebook

Rubrics: This section allows to you import, export, reset, or restore the course you are teaching

Student View: This collapsible menu allows the user to view and operate Canvas from the perspective of another role. For example, if you switch your role to Student, hidden items will no longer display

Statistics: The reports section allows instructors to access every action that has occurred in the course.  It can be used to look up specific detailed information on any user, what they've looked at, done, and when

Question Banks: Instructors can import question banks from their previous classes. They can also create and apply them from here

 

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Attendance Block

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

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Step 2:

The external attendance tool must be set up in your course before you may take attendance using it

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Step 3:

Open the Attendance tab from Course navigation

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Step 4:

View Attendance 

   Roll Call = List View tab (1), which shows all students in a list format

   View class in seating chart format: click Class View tab (2)

If course includes sections, both views show a drop-down menu with the names of course section(s)

   View students in specific section, click the section drop-down menu (3)

Note that this menu displays even if your course only contains one section

Note:

 When a student is enrolled in multiple sections, any attendance that has been marked in one section does not display in all other section filters where the student is enrolled

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Step 5:

View Attendance Dates

   Roll Call will display the current date

   Edit attendance records for a different date by using the arrow icons next to the date / by clicking the Calendar icon

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Step 6:

Take Attendance in List View

   List View

Take attendance by selecting the correct mark next to each student's name

Click the attendance mark until you arrive at the desired mark

• To mark student as present and on time, click one time (green check mark icon)
• To mark student as not present, click two times (red X icon)
• To mark student as late, click three times (orange clock icon)
• To un-mark the attendance status, leave the button gray no symbol icon.

Un-marked attendance status also indicates excused absence

   You can also take attendance by clicking the Mark All Present button (2)

   If you need to start over or clear all attendance entries, click the Un-mark All button (3)

 

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Step 7: 

Take attendance in Class View

 Class View

  Select the correct mark next to each student's name (present, absent, or late) 

Or click Mark All Present button 

   To un-mark all student entries, click the Un-mark All button 

 

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Step 8:

Add Badges to Roll Call

   As part of the Entry

 View more options for the student and add the selected badge

 

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Backup Your Course in Canvas

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

 

REFER TO EXPORT / IMPORT Courses

 

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Course Completion Tracking

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

 

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Step 2:

Select the Course desired

 

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Step 3:

Open Progress in the drop down menu click progress link 

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Step 4:

Open Learner Progress
 

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Step 5:

And View progresses

   Learner progress shows in a table format and displays an overview of learner badges in a group.

You can view and sort by

The learners name (1) 

Last badge earned (2)

Progress (3)

   To view a learner's completion status and pathway progress, click the Details link (4)

   To export the learner progress, click the Export as CSV button (5)

 

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Drag and Drop Files

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

 

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Step 2:

From Course navigation locate Pages

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Step 3:

   In the RCE (Rich Content Editor) you have 3 options to drag and drop from. 

Upload Image (from device)

Course Images

User Images

 From here, Drag and Drop or select what is desired and link

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Groups/Group Sets

 

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

 

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Step 2:

Locate the People tab from Course navigation

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Step 3: 

   At People, select + Group Set

 Within a Group Set, Create multiple groups where you may assign students to self sign up to groups

You have the option to also require certain students to be in certain groups

 

 

By default you are able to manually create groups

or have canvas automatically create,

You may add group number limitations

Leadership automatic option creates leaders for each group out of random

SAVE

 

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Step 4:

Once saved, return to the page at hand and you may view the newly added group

 

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Step 5:

From the options menu on group set you can

Message students not participating in a group

randomly assign students to groups

Edit group name, sign up, and leadership options

Copy the group

Delete the group

 

Group Set Notes

Within a Group set, you can have multiple groups, and move students to make a new group. 

e.g)  A class can have 20 people, and you can make as many groups as possible

i.e) 1 group set = 4 groups with 5 students each 

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Groupings

 

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

Locate People from navigation

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Step 2:

Add a Group to a Group Set by selecting +Group

   Enter a Group name (as well as a member limit)

   This section displays all groups in the section as well as students

   To manage options select the kebab

Visit homepage to view activity

Edit Group name and student limit

Or delete a Group

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Step 3: 

To manually bump a student to a Group drag and drop their name to a group on the right

Or 

you can select the + next to their name and select from there

You may search a student to find them from the bar

 

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Step 5:

   You can bump students from one group to a different group by dragging their name to it

OR by selecting the kabab and choosing Move To... and choose appropriate group

 

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Step 6:

   Select the kabob in the right corner of the page next to +Group and you have the selection of

Message all or any students not participating in Groups

Randomly assigning students to Groups

Editing Group Name, Student Leadership option, and Sign Up options

Copy the Group set

Delete Group

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Step 7: 

   Manually add Group to Group set by clicking +Group button

Enter name and member limit and save

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Step 8: 

   Group section lists all groups in set

   To manage select group options kebab on the right of the groups column

   You may

Visit a Groups home page and view activity

Edit Group a name and student limit 

Delete a Group

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Step 9:

   Manually assign student leader

select the kebab and choose the highlighted option 

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Step 10:

   Create Group Assignments and Discussions with Group Sets in a course (Assignments Details page)

Scroll down until you find the Group Assignment box

1. Select This is a Group Assignment 

2. If you want to Grade Individually, select the box that prompts that option

3. Group set drop down menu

4. Select a Group Set 

5. New Group Category means you can create a new group set from within the assignment page

   (Click to View Full)

 

 

Note:

Once students submit to a group assignment, Group Settings can not be changed

 

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How to Hide/ Show a Course

Step 1:

   On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

 

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Step 2:

   Locate Admin from your Navigation Bar

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Step 3:

   Click User Name drop down menu

Select Admin

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Step 4: 

   Select Catalogs tab 

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Step 5:

   Select desired catalog (name of the root catalog)

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Step 6:

  View Catalog Info

   In the Account Navigation menu, the Catalog Info tab displays by default

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Step 7:

   ​​​​​​

To show Canvas-enrolled courses from Student Dashboard click the Show Canvas-enrolled Courses on Dashboard toggle on.

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Step 8:

Save

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How to Import Courses

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

 

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Step 2:

Locate and select Import Existing Content from course navigation homepage

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Step 3:

 

Content Type drop down menu: Select the type you want to import

   You can import content

directly from another Canvas course by selecting the Copy a Canvas Course option

You can also import course content packages from Canvas, Unzip Course Content Files,

And upload course content files from another LMS, or upload a QTI file

 

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Step 4:

   Copy content from another Canvas course

Select a course drop-down menu or type the name of a course in the Course name search field   

   Include concluded courses in your search

Click the Include completed courses check box

   

   Automatically adjust event and due dates in the import

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Step 5:

To begin the content import, click the Import button

To select specific content for your import

    click the Select Content button

 

 

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Accessing Student View

Step 1:

On your web browser, navigate to your Canvas homepage using the following link:

https://mtech.instructure.com

 

Note: If you are having any issues accessing Canvas please navigate to the Login section.

 

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Step 2:

On the homepage you can locate the Admin navigation tab and select people. Choose which member you would like to masquerade as

and select the mask on the right of their row

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Step 2:

Locate Course navigation and see the "View as Student" Button in the upper right corner of the page

 

Back to Table of Contents

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Icons

A list of icons on Canvas and their meanings

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Assignments

 

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Attachment/Paper 

 

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Discussion Icon

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Page Icon

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Quiz Icon

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Visibility Icon

 

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Warning Icon

 

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Managing Course Size

What Is It?

Canvas has a maximum upload size of 500MB. If your course backup is over that size, it will take significantly longer for the I.T. department to restore your course. Here are ways you can keep your course under the limit while keeping all the functionality and content.

OneDrive

With your Office365 account, 1TB of space is available for you to upload larger files such as videos, audio files, or large PowerPoint presentations. Once files are uploaded to the OneDrive get a link with the share button and include that link to the file in the course.

Learn more about the OneDrive

Legacy Files

Every time you upload a file to a course on Canvas , it is saved to the main Canvas database. Even after you delete the file from the course, it will be in that database. These files are "Legacy" and get backed up and carried over every time a course is backed up. These files should be cleared out regularly.

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Show/Hide Content and Reports to a specific tool category in the Impact Dashboard

How do I show or hide content and reports related ... - Instructure Community - 496701 (canvaslms.com)

 

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Navigation as an Instructor

Canvas has several built in methods of navigation:

• Breadcrumbs 
• Course Navigation Tabs  

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Course Navigation Tabs

Note:

 Configured external (LTI
) tools may create additional Course Navigation links.

However, these links do not display the visibility icon. You can disable Course Navigation links for LTI Tools in course settings, and the link will no longer display in the Course Navigation menu for you or your students.

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Bread crumbs

"Bread crumbs" are the links at the top left of the window in canvas that direct you to your current location on the page

See image 

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For example the breadcrumbs highlighted above read:

1) course name: 12345

2) Assignments navigation

3)Assignment name

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Outcomes

NOTE 

Outcomes and outcome sets for the non-legacy outcomes MUST be added by the I.T. Help Desk. To add a new outcome please contact the Help Desk by submitting a ticket on our website with what set you would like the outcomes in (including whether it is a new set or not), the names of the outcomes, any documentation numbers or identification numbers it should be listed under, and a description of each outcome.

   Outcomes enables the faculty to track student progress as measured by pedagogical goals or desired outcomes

   Assessments created to test student knowledge or to require students to demonstrate a specific skill resulting from a learning activity = learning outcomes (which can be used for grading simultaneously)

   Grading student work automatically compiles data on student progress for Outcomes. 

This approach reduces work required to implement Learning Outcomes through the reuse of assessment in the grading process   (Data is available for reporting to support teaching improvement, identify at-risk students, and support the accreditation process)  

 

   Use Outcomes to:

• Focus student attention important key skills and activities in your course (find existing outcomes/create new ones)
• Align Quizzes and Assignments to different mastery's
• Run reports at account-level about student artifacts of learning mastery
• Assess student progress through calculation methods
• Track student progress - learning outcome or overall in the Learning Mastery Gradebook
• Align accreditation/other core standards to programs of study, courses, or student assessments

   Calculation methods:

Users create outcome, users can set one of four calculation methods used for student mastery: Weighted Average, Decaying Average, n Number of Times, Most Recent Score / Highest Score. Calculation methods are used in conjunction within the Learning Mastery Gradebook.

   Default: Canvas weighted average is set at 65/35, meaning the current item is weighted at 65%, and the average of all other user scores is weighted at 35%.   However, users can specify between 1% and 99% for the current percentage, and prior scores are weighted against the percentage difference. Note that the average is rounded to the next two decimals. If there is only one result, then the single score will be displayed.

   Decaying Average calculation uses a formula to determine proficiency based on students' average scores, giving more weight to the most recent scored. To determine the weight given to the most recent score, the formula uses a decay rate. The higher the formula's decay rate, the more heavily the most recent assessment is weighted. By default, the decay weight is set at 65%. However, you can adjust the rate to any percentage between 50% and 99%.

   Most Recent Score calculation always selects the most recent score for all assessment items

   Highest Score calculation always selects the highest score for all assessment items

   If the Account and Course Level Outcome Mastery Scales feature option is enabled for your account, you can set mastery scales for the entire account

https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Admin-Guide/How-do-I-manage-outcome-mastery-scales-in-an-account/ta-p/429017

   

   If Account and Course Level Outcome Mastery Scales feature option and the Improved Outcomes Management feature option are enabled for your account, the Outcomes page displays an improved interface for viewing and managing outcomes. How do I use the outcomes page in an account in Im... - Instructure Community - 486333 (canvaslms.com)

 

 

What are Outcomes? - Instructure Community - 75 (canvaslms.com)

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