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Canvas Tutorials

Canvas tutorials for instructors

Syllabus

You can add a syllabus to your course by uploading a file or creating one from scratch using the built-in editor.


Canvas Instructor Guide: Syllabus


Via Upload

To upload a syllabus, click the Syllabus link in the course navigation menu, click "Edit" in the upper right of the page, select the "Upload document" option in the content editor, and choose the file you want to upload. Click "Save."


Via Rich Content Editor

To create a new syllabus from scratch, click the "Syllabus" link in the course navigation menu, and then click the "Edit" button to start editing in the rich content editor field.

Canvas syllabus page

Now that you have clicked "Edit," you will be taken to a page where you can create or edit content. 

Paste or type the material you want to appear in the text box provided. There are styling tools available, and you can insert links, images, media, tables, and so on. We will cover those options in more depth in other tutorials. 

Screenshot showing how to edit a syllabus in Canvas

For my syllabus, I wanted to include a downloadable version of the syllabus for students, and I wanted to add an image to create an interesting landing page when students first accessed the class. 

I had previously uploaded my file and image, so I clicked on the "Insert" dropdown menu and selected the appropriate category. The "Image," "Media," and "Document" options ultimately route you into the same system, so for if some reason one selection doesn't work, you will still be able to look for your file within the side menu that opens.

Selecting the Insert dropdown menu on Canvas

The "Insert" dropdown opens a side screen selection system called "Add" on the right of your screen. I looked for the image and file that I wanted to find. In this case, I had saved both files in my "Course Files" folder on Canvas, so I was able to find them by selecting "Course Files" in the top field and "Images" in the dropdown below that. 

I will show you how to upload and find files in Canvas in another tutorial on this site.

Searching for a file in the Add sidebar on Canvas

To save new content or save an edit on any Canvas page, look for the red button below the text box. Because this sample is a syllabus, the button says "Update Syllabus." Other pages will have a button that says something like "Save." It will be located in the same place on the screen. 

Clicking the Update Syllabus or Save button


 

00:06: How do I use the syllabus as an instructor? 00:09: Navigate to the Syllabus page by selecting Syllabus in the course navigation. 00:14: There are three sections of the Syllabus page: the Syllabus Description, the Course Summary, and the sidebar. 00:21: The syllabus description is where you can post your course description, class guidelines, and other important information. Click the Edit button to edit its content. 00:31: The Course Summary is automatically generated for the course and contains a list of course assignments and calendar events. Changes to dated items will be automatically updated in the Course Summary. 00:42: The sidebar section displays information about course events and grading. 00:47: A gray background on the mini-calendar indicates a date with events or assignment due dates . To view associated items in Course Summary, click the date. 00:57: If your course includes weighted assignment groups, the sidebar also shows the percentages of each group. 01:04: This guide covered how to use the syllabus as an instructor.

Home Page

The course home page is the first page your students will see when they enter your course. It can be edited to provide an overview of the course content and activities.

Canvas Instructor Guide: Home Page


How to Edit the Home Page

You can edit any page in Canvas by clicking the Edit button in the top-right corner of the page.


Selecting a Home Page

You can customize the pre-existing home page or choose one of the following pages: Course Activity Stream, Pages Front Page, Course Modules, Assignments List, Syllabus. If you would prefer a different page for your course home page, you can change it at any time. Select the "Choose Home Page" button from the menu at the right of the screen.

Selecting the Choose Home Page button in a course

This opens a pop up with a list of page that you can choose from. Select the new home page that you want to set and click the "Save" button.

Pop up allowing selection of a course home page


 

00:07: How do I use the course homepage as an instructor? 00:12: The course, homepage involves course, navigation, the content area and 00:16: the sidebar. 00:18: To view the course, homepage as a student, click the view as student button. 00:23: The course, homepage is viewed from the course navigation, Homelink. 00:27: Course, navigation includes links that help you in your students, get to specific locations 00:31: in the course. As an instructor you can customize, what links 00:36: are shown in your course. Learn more about the course navigation, menu. 00:41: To expand or collapse, the course navigation, menu, click the menu icon. 00:46: When you choose to expand or collapse, the global navigation menu, your 00:50: preference is applied to all of your courses. 00:53: Homepage content and all canvas content is displayed in the content 00:57: area. The content can be a page. 01:00: The syllabus discussions announcements quizzes 01:04: or imported content is set by your course homepage layout. 01:08: Your homepage can also be set to display recent announcements at the top of the page. 01:13: The content can also show the course activity stream. 01:17: The homepage content also defines what sections display in the sidebar. 01:23: Breadcrumbs appear above the course content area. 01:26: As you view course, content from your homepage, the breadcrumbs, leave a 01:30: trail to show where you are inside the course. You can follow these links backward 01:34: to visit prior course content. 01:38: The sidebar functions the same as the dashboard sidebar but only shows content 01:42: for the specific course and includes additional options. 01:46: In the course, tools section of the sidebar, you can manage your course. 01:49: Homepage in addition to viewing other helpful buttons for your course, importing 01:53: existing content, choose homepage view course, stream 01:57: course, setup. Checklist new announcement view course, 02:02: analytics. And view course notifications 02:06: The sidebar always shows that to do section which shows all items that require 02:10: grading in canvas regardless of due date. 02:13: Each item in the to-do list displays the assignment name, the number of points, 02:17: and the due date for the assignment. Some assignments, May 02:21: display multiple due dates items. 02:23: Remain in this section for four weeks. However, assignments that are 02:27: not graded or do not require an online submission, only display until the due 02:32: date. 02:34: The sidebar can also include a variety of other sections, depending on the 02:38: layout of your course homepage. Additional sidebar, options include 02:42: coming up or the assignment list calendar, and assignment groups and 02:46: recent feedback. 03:01: Each section item indicates how many items need to be graded? If 03:05: a section contains more items than are listed, a link will appear under the list 03:09: that you can use to view additional items. 03:13: If there are more than 100 items in the to do section, you must remove items 03:17: before you can view any new items. To remove a to-do item, click 03:21: the remove icon. 03:24: The guide covered how to use the course, homepage as an instructor.

Tech support: For technical assistance, start a ticket with WITS 

Brainstorming: For ideas on how to use tools in your course, contact the DLS

Willamette University

Willamette University Libraries

Mark O. Hatfield Library
900 State Street.
Salem Oregon 97301
Pacific Northwest College of Art Library
511 NW Broadway.
Portland Oregon 97209