Canvas is generally considered intuitive and user friendly, but the fact is that any learning management system is highly sophisticated software with a wide variety of tools, settings, options, and possibilities.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, “How do I use Canvas?”
But there are some good places to start.
Where to begin?
First, do you have the skills? Find out if you are well prepared to use Canvas:
After that, the best place for faculty to learn how to use Canvas is with training from TMI.
But if you’re just anxious to dive right in, here are a few tips to point you in the right direction…
How To Access Canvas
A link to Canvas is also available on this site at the top of the sidebar on the right.
Overview Of Canvas Interface
This video provides an overview of all the components in the Canvas interface, and is a good introduction for instructors new to Canvas..
The Dashboard
The Dashboard is the first thing you see when accessing Canvas. It serves as an entry point to your courses, provides a selection of updates on activities occurring within the courses, and includes an option to make new courses for your own experimentation and development.
See the Canvas Guide:
Customize Your Course List
IMPORTANT!
Know how to show/hide your courses on the Dashboard, and Courses menu!
Be sure to put the courses you use most in the Courses menu for easy access.
See the Canvas Guide:
Add Your Syllabus
One of the most fundamental elements of a course is the syllabus. This is a good starting point for faculty just learning Canvas, and an essential asset for students.
Instructors may add the course syllabus as:
text pasted directly into Canvas (e.g. from a Word document)
OR
as a link to a file (e.g. a PDF document)
Per the Academic Senate, all faculty are strongly encouraged to post their syllabi in the District learning management system (Canvas).
See the Canvas Guide:
Import Content From Another Course (course copy)
If you have already developed content in a “sandbox” course, you will need to copy the content into a official course for use with students. This process is also used when copying content from one semester to the next.
Students are only enrolled into official Butte College courses, which are created automatically. Do not attempt to add students to a development course.
See: Preparing For A New Semester: Copy Course Content
See the Canvas Guide:
“Publish” Your Course
A course can either be “Published” or “Unpublished,” as determined by the instructor.
ONLY PUBLISHED COURSES ARE VISIBLE TO STUDENTS.
Courses are not published automatically. You must publish your course to make it available!
See the Canvas Guide:
Explore The Canvas Guides
The complete list of fundamental Canvas Guides for teachers.
Other critical information for new users:
