Canvas LMS For Dummies

Make digital learning effortless with Canvas 

The potential of digital learning is limitless. But implementing it in the real-world can sometimes be a challenge, especially when you have to learn the ins and outs of a new platform. So, why not choose a learning management system (LMS) that actually makes your life, and the lives of your students, easier? 

In Canvas For Dummies, a team of expert digital educators walks you through every important aspect of the hugely popular Canvas LMS. Written specifically for busy teachers hoping to make the most of the tools at their disposal, the book offers step-by-step instructions to design, build, and integrate a fully functional Canvas environment. From creating your first classroom home page to taking advantage of Canvas modules, you’ll learn how to use the platform to engage your students and improve their learning. 

Full of practical guidance and useful tips, this “how-to” handbook helps you: 

• Navigate the creation of a blended learning environment and take advantage of the benefits of both in-person and online learning 
• Manage collaborative environments and leverage Canvas modules to deliver a superior learning experience 
• Integrate your Canvas modules with pre-existing, in-person material to create an intuitive environment 

This book is an absolute necessity for any educator or parent hoping to improve student outcomes with the powerful tools included in the Canvas LMS. 

Marcus Painter and Eddie Small are both Senior Managers at Instructure, the parent company of Canvas LMS. Prior to joining Instructure, both worked as classroom educators, technology coordinators, and district leaders in Indiana. They are co-hosts of The Canvascasters, a podcast focused on conversations surrounding EdTech and leadership through the power of Canvas LMS.

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 2

Beyond the Book 3

Where to Go from Here 3

Part 1: Getting Started with Canvas LMS 5

Chapter 1: The Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Canvas 7

Who Uses Canvas? 8

Educators 8

Administrators 9

School staff 10

Students 10

What Is an LMS? 11

When Should You Use Canvas? 12

Traditional learning 12

Hybrid and online learning 13

Where Is Canvas Used? 13

K-12: Panda Cubs 13

Higher Education: Panda Pupils 14

Career and technical education: Panda Professionals 14

Why Do Folks Use Canvas? 15

The importance of blended learning 15

The flexibility of efficient educators 16

Chapter 2: Shifting Your Mindset 19

The Pandemic That Reinvented Education 20

Synchronous learning 20

Asynchronous learning 22

It’s Go Time! 24

Helping Learners in the Digital Space 26

Incorporate the basic elements of instructional design 27

Create a visual experience 28

Leveraging Canvas for All Learning Styles 29

Part 2: Welcome to the Jungle 31

Chapter 3: The Panda Primer 33

The Lowdown on Logging In 33

Getting Comfortable with the Canvas Dashboard 36

The Global Navigation Menu 37

Account 37

Courses 42

Calendar 43

Inbox 43

History 43

Help 44

Using the Three Dots, er, Options Menu 44

To the Right: The Sidebar 46

To Do 46

Coming Up 47

Chapter 4: Where the Magic Happens: Setting Up a Course 49

Creating Your First Course 50

Getting Creative with Course Tiles 53

Updating Course Settings 58

Sections tab 58

Navigation tab 58

Apps tab 59

Feature Previews tab 60

Looking at Learning in the Student View 61

Validating Your Links 62

Checking for Accessibility, Usability, and Learnability 64

Accessibility Checker 65

Immersive Reader 66

Chapter 5: Rolling in the RCE 69

Exploring the RCE 70

Accessing the RCE 70

Finding your way around 72

Mastering the toolbar buttons 75

Creating a Visual Learning Experience 76

Adding images to your course 76

Including image attributes 77

Resizing images 80

You’re the Star! Using the Media Recorder 81

Practicing with an Announcement 83

Less Is More: Aesthetics and Logical Learning 85

Chapter 6: You’ve Got Mail in Canvas Inbox 89

Exploring the Canvas Inbox 89

Filtering 90

Address Book 92

Conversations 92

Composing a Message 94

Considerations Regarding Communication 97

Should You Delete or Archive? 98

Implementing a Deliberate Communication Plan 99

Your Secret Weapon: Using the Media Recorder 102

Chapter 7: Using the Canvas Calendar 105

Exploring the Canvas Calendar 106

Adjusting Calendar Views 108

Selecting calendars and changing course colors 108

Choosing week, month, or agenda views 109

Adding Events 111

Adding Assignments 114

Change Dates Here, Sync Everywhere 115

Integrating the Canvas Calendar with Other Calendars 117

The Power of the Calendar to Teach Life Skills 118

Part 3: Living That Panda Life 121

Chapter 8: Communicating the Canvas Way 123

Creating Canvas Announcements 124

Multiple courses, same announcement 127

Timing and scope of announcements 129

Media Recorder: Letting Students Hear Your Voice 132

Building Compassion and Relationships 133

Elevating Communication with the Mobile App 134

Chapter 9: Grazing through a Forest of Modules 135

The Backbone of Self-Contained Learning 136

Creating Modules 139

Adding Content to Modules 142

Organizing with text headers 144

Deciphering the icons 146

Editing Modules 147

Pace Yourselves! Using Requirements and Prerequisites 149

Setting requirements 150

Setting prerequisites 151

Gamifying Your Course with Badges 152

Chapter 10: Climbing the Deliverables Tree 155

Creating and Editing Pages 156

Building Meaningful Discussions 160

Designing Assignments 164

Creating an assignment group 165

Creating an assignment 166

Selecting submission types and entry options 170

Launching Quizzes and Question Banks 174

Quizzes 174

Question banks 179

Chapter 11: Grading Efficiency for Panda Naps 181

Navigating the Gradebook 182

Opening the Gradebook and filtering your view 182

What do all these colors mean? 186

Viewing assignment details 187

Messaging “Students Who” 188

The Low-Down on Canvas SpeedGrader 190

The menu bar 191

The preview window 193

The sidebar 193

Targeting Feedback with Laser-Focused Communication 195

Creating Rubrics and Outcomes 197

Rubrics 197

Outcomes 200

Part 4: Collaborating with Your Panda Pals 205

Chapter 12: Running Wild: How to Own Student Ownership 207

Impactful Integrations 208

Canvas LTIs 208

Canvas Studio 209

Canvas ePortfolios 212

MasteryConnect 214

Extending Learning Beyond the Ordinary 216

Project-based learning 216

Skills-based learning 217

Chapter 13: Collaborating with Fellow Pandas 219

Finding Inspiration in Canvas Commons 220

Searching for content 222

Vetting content 223

Sharing Content in Canvas Commons 227

Leveraging the Power of Blueprint Courses 230

Chapter 14: Joining the Canvas User Family 233

Exploring the Canvas Community Website 234

The Canvas tab 237

The Additional Products tab 238

The Roadmap tab 239

The Interest Groups tab 240

The Events tab 240

Becoming a Canvas Certified Educator 241

Connecting with Fellow Pandas 242

Twitter 242

Facebook and Instagram 243

The Canvascasters Podcast 245

Part 5: The Part of Tens 249

Chapter 15: Ten Canvas Facts and Figures 251

The Canvas Community Is Huge 251

Canvas Is Updated Frequently 252

Canvas Uptime Is 99.99% 253

Canvas Is Cloud-Based 254

Canvas Is Brought to You by Instructure 254

Canvas Has Been Adopted in 13 States 255

Canvas Is Worldwide 256

Canvas Is the Number One Choice in Higher Ed 256

Canvas Offers Three Mobile Apps 256

Canvas Loves Pandas 257

Chapter 16: Ten Favorite Canvas Add-Ons 259

Canvas Studio 259

MasteryConnect 260

Google Assignments LTI 261

Flipgrid LTI 262

Redirect Tool 263

YouTube 265

InSpace 266

ClassCraft 267

ePortfolios 268

Impact by Instructure 268

Chapter 17: Ten Productive Ways to Use the Canvas Mobile App 271

Shift Your Mindset 272

Set a Profile Pic 272

Help Students Set Up Notifications 273

Take Attendance 273

Keep Calendar Events Up to Date 274

Add Audio and Video Comments 274

Send Messages 275

Access Student View 275

Add Files Directly to Your Course 276

Join the Canvas Mobile Users Hub 276

Index 277

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.