CSUEB Online Tools Help

Familiarize yourself with working in Canvas

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Watch the video below to understand the various elements in your Canvas course template and how to customize and publish your chosen content. Detailed instructions follow the video showing you step by step how to get started curating your content to your students with Canvas. 


1. Editing the Announcement view in your Homepage

Click your [1] Dashboard, then click [2] the Canvas Course you want to edit .

This is an image of the Canvas Dashboard

Your Home page will automatically show the first three announcements in your course, and comes with a template announcement.

Your Home page will automatically show the first three announcements in your course, and comes with a template announcement.

To Edit your Home Page Announcement view, [1] click settings in the Global Navigation menu, then [2] more options.

To Edit your Home Page Announcement view, [1] click settings in the Global Navigation menu, then [2] more options.
Click more options to select the number of announcements you would like to display.

Un-check  [3] "Show recent Announcements" or [4] select the number of announcements you want to display. [5] Click "Update Course Details to save your settings.

[4] select the number of announcements you want to display. [5] Click "Update Course Details to save your settings.

2. Understanding the Quick Access Section of the Homepage.

The four Default buttons on the Home Page in the Quick Access section are linked to the Course Syllabus page, Modules area, University Resources, and a Q & A Discussion Board.

The four Default buttons on the Home Page in the Quick Access section are linked to the Course Syllabus page, Modules area, University Resources, and a Q & A Discussion Board

3. How to View All Pages in Canvas and find alternate Homepages.

[1] Click the Pages icon in the Global Navigation Menu, then select [2] All Pages from the top of the page.

[1] Click the Pages icon in the Global Navigation Menu, then select [2] All Pages from the top of the page.
select [2] All Pages from the top of the page.

Scroll down to find [3] alternate homepages included in the course template.

Scroll down to find [3] alternate homepages included in the course template

4. The Basics of Editing your Canvas Homepage.

Click the Edit button on the top right of your Canvas Homepage.

Click the Edit button on the top right of your Canvas Homepage.

Enter your Course Title by clicking into the "Course Title Here" text.

Enter your Course Title by clicking into the "Course Title Here" text.

[1] Scroll down and [2] edit your Welcome message and  [3] Navigation Tips text to reflect how you want your students to interact with your Canvas course.

[1] Scroll down and [2] edit your Welcome message and  [3] Navigation Tips text to reflect how you want your students to interact with your Canvas course.

[1] Scroll down a little more to change where the buttons link in the Quick Access area. Click the [2] syllabus image and the [3] Remove Link option.

Looking at the image below, click the [4] v beside the link icon, then choose [5], the Course Links option.

Looking at the image below, click the [4] v beside the link icon, then choose [5], the Course Links option.

Selecting the Course Links option from above will open the [6] Add window on the right hand side of your screen. Click on a section [7] to link to content to a specific area of your course. [8] All pages created within the Pages section of your course will display in the blank area for you to choose a linking destination. Click outside of the Add window to exit. Click Save in the bottom right hand corner to update your settings

the [6] Add window on the right hand side of your screen. Click on a section [7] to link to content to a specific area of your course. [8] All pages created within the Pages section of your course will display in the blank area for you to choose a linking destination. Click outside of the Add window to exit. Click Save in the bottom right hand corner to update your settings

5. Choose your Homepage for your Canvas Course.

To choose your homepage, Click on the home link in the Global Navigation Menu on the upper left-hand side in your Canvas course.

To choose your homepage, Click on the home link in the Global Navigation Menu on the upper left-hand side in your Canvas course.

Click on the Choose Home Page button on the upper right-hand side of your Canvas Homepage.

Click on the Choose Home Page button on the upper right-hand side of your Canvas Homepage.

Five Course Home Page options pop up and are available to display as your home page

Five Course Home Page options pop up and are available to display as your home page

Below is a description of what each of these five choices are, followed by a screenshot of how each option looks when chosen as your Homepage. The list of five Home Page options and screenshots are supplemental and are not discussed in the CSUEB Canvas Course Template Overview video. To continue on with the video instructions click 6 to advance to the next section.

  1. Course Activity Stream - The course activity stream shows you important activities from a single course including announcements, and discussions. 
  2. Pages Front Page Home Page [Change] - Clicking [Change] will take you to the Pages repository in Canvas  where you can choose from other home page designs you created and saved, or from the three default options provided. 
  3. Course Modules - selecting this option places your course modules into the Home Page area of your Canvas course.
  4. Assignment List - selecting this option will display your Home Page with the Assignment Groups you can set up in the Assignment area of Canvas. 
  5. Syllabus - This option allows you to set your Home Page to display your syllabus as the first information your students will see upon entering your course.
Course Activity Stream - The course activity stream shows you important activities from a single course including announcements, and discussions.
Pages Front Page Home Page [Change] - Clicking [Change] will take you to the Pages repository in Canvas  where you can choose from other home page
Course Modules - selecting this option places your course modules into the Home Page area of your Canvas course.

Looking at the image above, you can publish a module by clicking the circle with a line through it on the right. It will change to a green circle denoting the module is published and will publish all content contained within that module.

Assignment List - selecting this option will display your Home Page with the Assignment Groups you can set up in the Assignment area of Canvas. 

Note that the five collapsed Assignment Groups displayed above: Exams, Quizzes, Essays, Assignments, and Discussions are editable within the Assignment area of your Canvas course and are accessible via "Assignments" in the Global Navigation Menu. Click this article to read how to set up and weight assignment groups.

Syllabus - This option allows you to set your Home Page to display your syllabus as the first information your students will see upon entering your course.

Note in screenshot 5 above, the course syllabus is embedded inside the Syllabus page, which is now set as the Home Page.  Click this article to learn how to embed your syllabus into the syllabus page so it will open as soon as students select Syllabus in the Global Navigation Menu on the left. The upper right hand corner of pages has a student view button. Clicking this button allows faculty to demo what students will see when accessing your courses in Canvas.

6. How to customize any images, banners, buttons, course cards, or icons.

Click on [1] Modules in the Global Navigation Menu, then read through the [2] Instructor Module page called [3] Template: Introduction & How-to Customize.

Click on [1] Modules in the Global Navigation Menu, then read through the [2] Instructor Module page called [3] Template: Introduction & How-to Customize.

Click on and read through Instructor, Welcome, and Learning Module pages to edit and [4] Publish pages when ready.

Click on and read through Instructor, Welcome, and Learning Module pages to edit and [4] Publish pages when ready.

Make sure to [5] Publish the entire module when ready by clicking on the circle with a line through it to the far right of the Module name. Publishing content at the module level makes all content within the module accessible to students when they are actively enrolled in your course.

Make sure to [5] Publish the entire module when ready by clicking on the circle with a line through it to the far right of the Module name. Publishing content at the module level makes all content within the module accessible to students when they are actively enrolled in your course.

You can click the [6] three dot menu on the far right side of the module name to [7] Duplicate it to have consistent layout for each of your modules in the course.

You can click the [6] three dot menu on the far right side of the module name to [7] Duplicate it to have consistent layout for each of your modules in the course.

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