How do I build a Simple Canvas Course? - 1

How do I build a Simple Canvas Course?

NOTE: Go to http://bit.ly/simplecanvascourse to view the Freshman Writing Seminar. Click on the yellow link on the

home page to see this lesson and download sample materials.

This lesson is designed to accompany the Build a Simple Canvas Course video. Watch the video, browse through the

Freshman Writing Seminar, and then download sample materials. To build a Simple Canvas Course, you need five

things:

1. Syllabus text

2. Discussion prompt

3. Assignment prompt

4. OPTIONAL: Quiz (QTI .zip file)

5. Course files (.zip file)

1. Visit the Canvas Dashboard

Log in to Canvas. Click on the Start a New Course button in the Dashboard. If you do not have access to this button,

contact your Canvas administrator and request that they enable it for you or request that they provide you with a

course shell.

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2. Create a course shell

Enter "Simple Canvas Course" and a shorter reference code, such as "SCC 101" in Step 1 of the Course Setup Wizard

[1]. Skip to Step 3 to add example students [2], Click "Save & Skip the Rest" to save the course shell [3]. Once you

save the course, you will be taken to the Course Home Page.

3. Set course home page to Syllabus view

When you first enter the course shell, you will see a banner at the top of the page reminding you that the course is

still unpublished [1]. Click on the "Change Home Page Layout" link and select the final option in the dropdown menu

to enable the Syllabus view [2]. Click Update Layout [3]. Click on the small x at the bottom of the window to hide the

Course Setup Checklist [4].

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4. Edit Syllabus description

Click on the Edit Syllabus Description button in the Sidebar. Copy text from your syllabus and paste it in the editor

window. Then click Update Syllabus.

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5. Customize Course Navigation

Click on Settings in the Course Navigation. Click on the Navigation tab to customize the Course Navigation. Remove

the following links from the Course Navigation by dragging them to the bottom of the screen [1]:

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Syllabus

Collaborations

Conferences

Modules

Quizzes

Outcomes

Pages

Chat

Reorder the remaining links as follows [2]:

Home

Announcements

Discussions

Assignments

Grades

Files

People

Click Save.

6. Add three assignment shells to the Calendar

Add three assignment shells by clicking on a date, selecting the Assignments tab, and entering the assignment titles.

The titles should be Quiz [1], Paper [2], and Discussion [3].

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7. Create three assignment groups on the Assignments page

Click on Assignments in the Course Navigation to visit the Assignments page. Click the Add Assignment Group link in

the Sidebar to create two new assignment groups in addition to the default group [1].

Name the groups, respectively, "Papers", "Quizzes", and "Discussions". Drag the assignments into their respective

assignment groups [2].

Check the box at the top of the Assignments page to "Weight the final grade based on assignment groups" [3].

Then enter in percentages in the Sidebar: Papers should be worth 50%, Quizzes should be worth 25%, and

Assignments worth 25% [4].

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8. Edit assignment details for the paper

Click on the Paper assignment from the Assignments page. Click Edit Assignment in the Sidebar. Copy text from your

Assignment prompt and paste it in the editor window [1] Enter 100 in the Points field [2]. The due date field should

be populated. Select "Online Submission" from the Submission dropdown menu [3]. Select "Allow File Uploads" from

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the checklist [4]. Click Update Assignment [5].

9. Edit assignment details for the discussion

Click on the Discussion assignment from the Assignments page. Click Edit Assignment in the Sidebar. Copy text from

your Discussion prompt and paste it in the editor window [1]. Select "Discussion" as the assignment type [2]. Enter

100 in the Points field [3]. The due date field should be populated. Click Update Assignment [4].

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10. OPTIONAL: Import quiz (QTI .zip file)

Click on Settings in the Course Navigation. Click Import Content into this Course. Click on the "Import Quizzes" link.

Browse to QTI .zip file. Click Import Quiz, After import, click on Quizzes in the Course Navigation. Select the imported

quiz. Click Edit This Quiz in the Sidebar. Then click Publish Quiz in the Sidebar.

Return to the Assignments page to delete the original assignment shell for the quiz and drag and drop the imported

quiz into the correct assignment group.

Optional: Add a due date to the quiz by clicking on the icon pencil next to the imported quiz and editing the due

date field.

11. Upload course files

Click on Files in the Course Navigation. Click on the Import Zip File icon in the far right side of the Files browser

window. Browse to course files in .zip format. Click Upload File.

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Optional: Browse through uploaded files. Organize files into folders and practice locking files.

12. Create new announcement with Flickr image

Click on Announcements in the Course Navigation. Add a title to the Announcment [1]. Click on the tree icon to

search for "party balloons" in Flickr Creative Commons [2]. Click on an image to embed it in the content window. Add

text at the bottom of the content window [3]. Click Update Announcement [4].

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13. Publish course

Click on Home in the Course Navigation [1]. Click on the publish link in the banner at the top of the page [2]. Then

click on Publish Course in the Course Setup Checklist [3]. All of the example students will recieve an invitation to join

the course.

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14. Preview course with the Student View

Click on Settings in the Course Navigation [1]. Click on Student View in the Sidebar [2]. Now browse your Simple

Canvas Course through the eyes of a student.

You should browse through:

1. the Home/Syllabus page,

2. the Announcements page,

3. the Discussions page,

4. the Assignments page,

5. the Grades page,

6. Files, and

7. People.

Congratulations on successfully building a Simple Canvas Course!