Designing in Canvas
- Template Overview
St. Kate’s is strongly encouraging the use of course templates as faculty design and build their Canvas course sites. This is a benefit to both students and faculty for a few reasons:
Helps ensure that Canvas courses adhere to quality standards and good design practices.
Provides consistency in both appearance and structure.
Provides a starting point and framework for instructors aiming to make effective use of Canvas.
Academic Technology has designed a general master template applicable across the university, and several program-specific templates. All templates can be accessed and imported into course shells via the Canvas Commons.
Please contact Academic Technology for guidance in developing a Canvas template.
- Template Access via the Canvas Commons
The Canvas Commons can be accessed via the Global Navigation Menu on your Canvas Dashboard. You will find a Commons button located directly above the Help button in the lower-left corner of the screen.
Once you have accessed the Commons, you filter for content specific to St. Catherine University and/or use the search bar on the top of the page.
To import content from the Commons into a course shell, follow the instructions in the article, How do I import a view a Commons resource in Canvas?
Once you have imported the template, there will be a module called "Instructor Resources [Do Not Publish]." This will provide an orientation to the template and help you get started working with it. Much more detailed information about using Canvas can be found on this site.You're also welcome to contact Academic Technology with any questions.
- Course Design Gallery
The Course Design Gallery is a repository of Canvas elements you can import into your course to enhance its look and function. Currently, it includes the following items, with more being added all the time:
15 different home pages
Pages for course overview, contact information, weekly roadmap, course materials, etc..
Reading/video pages
Pages with content blocks and sections
Banners, buttons, icons, dividers, navigation
Accordions and tabs
Library tutorials
Module with required honor statement for assignments
Example assignments, discussions, pages
Importing Content
Everything can be customized to your own preferences; if you want to use something from the gallery in your course, an instructional designer will be happy to import it into your course and walk you through the process of customization.
Feel free to browse through the gallery for ideas, and if you see something you would like to use in your course, visit the Instructional Designers page to schedule a time with an instructional designer.
- Going Deeper with Canvas
The resources here can help you take your Canvas course to the next level.
An excellent site with tips and tricks for making full use of the capabilities of Canvas
Videos and tutorials on a wide variety of Canvas-related topics, updated frequently