Canvas Adoption Policy Best Practices

In order to protect student privacy, align with state and federal law, and to ensure consistent access to syllabi, the University will be implementing a policy to require a minimum Canvas presence for every organized undergraduate and graduate course in the Fall of 2024. This policy will require instructors to attach their syllabus as a file in the dedicated syllabus section in Canvas or to use the Simple Syllabus tool offered by the University. In addition, the policy reminds instructors that all electronic communication about grades should use a method approved by UT’s Information Resources and Security Policy Links to an external site.. Outlook and other email platforms are not end-to-end encrypted and as a result, NOT approved. Using Canvas rubrics, SpeedGrader and/or the gradebook to communicate electronic grade information is approved.

If you complete and submit grades through handwritten feedback, you do not need to conduct that in Canvas. The main emphasis here is that instructors should not be providing student grades/feedback via unencrypted e-mail or other messaging applications OUTSIDE OF CANVAS.

Find more information and updates on the Provost website for the Canvas Adoption Policy - Exceptions, Definitions, and FAQs Links to an external site. and Simple Syllabus tool Links to an external site..

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SYLLABUS                    STUDENT GRADE COMMUNICATION

 

Upload Your Syllabus

A minimum Canvas presence is defined as...the official course syllabus is attached in Canvas on the official Canvas Syllabus page [1], with the word “syllabus” in the file name OR through the Simple Syllabus tool [2].

 

OPTION 1: Using Canvas Syllabus Page

1. Prior to uploading your official course syllabus to Canvas, verify the document has the word "syllabus" in the file name.
   • Don't forget to leverage your word processing application's accessibility tools, like Microsoft's Accessibility Checker Links to an external site.
     
2. You can upload all of your course files at once (Step 3) or go directly to the Syllabus page (Step 4) and only upload the official course syllabus.
3. Upload your file (PDF or Word doc) to Canvas by going to Files > select Upload button. Organize your course documents as usual.
4. Navigate to the Syllabus page in Canvas, click inside the Syllabus Description text box, and select Insert > Document > Upload Documents or Course Documents.
   Note: Upload Documents will upload the document to Files and place a hyperlink in the Syllabus Description text box.
5. Locate your syllabus in the pop-out modal and click to select it. A link to the file will appear in the Syllabus Description text box. When finished, select Update Syllabus to save.
6. Relevant Canvas Guides
   • How do I use Files as an instructor Links to an external site.? and How do I upload a file to a course Links to an external site.?
   • How do I use the Syllabus as an instructor Links to an external site.? and How do I edit the Syllabus in a course Links to an external site.?

 

OPTION 2: Using Simple Syllabus

Simple Syllabus helps instructors save time and eliminate redundant tasks associated with syllabus creation in Canvas. The template-driven architecture of Simple Syllabus automatically ensures compliance with required University, state and federal information, while still giving faculty the autonomy to personalize curriculum content for their classroom directly within the Canvas.

1. Enable Simple Syllabus for your course by going to Course Settings > Navigation tab. Simple Syllabus has been added to every course, disabled by default.
2. Locate 'Simple Syllabus' at the bottom of the disabled apps and drag and drop to the top or click the three dots and select Enable. Don't forget to click Save when finished.
3. Editing Syllabus Component Blocks - Once in edit mode, you will see your syllabus broken down into components, or blocks of information.
   • You may edit certain components within the syllabus while other elements may be preloaded and/or locked. 
   • Some content blocks are flagged as required, while others are optional.
     • Required blocks must have content entered before the syllabus can be submitted.
4. Relevant Guides - Simple Syllabus and Syllabus Essentials workshop slides Links to an external site.

 

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Electronic Communication About Graded Assignments

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION ABOUT GRADES (with the exception of the final grade) - including electronic feedback given to students about specific grades on assignments, is conducted in Canvas OR a third-party tool integrated with Canvas.

 

Canvas Notifications

Default Notification Frequency

Quick note about Canvas Notifications:

#1 - Canvas is VERY communicative. The default Grade Posting Policy is AUTOMATIC!
         How do I use posting policies in a course? Links to an external site.

#2 - Frequency and "how or where" notifications are received are USER preferences.
        How do I manage my Canvas notification settings as an instructor? Links to an external site.

 

Curious to learn more about WHY this is important and best practices for giving students feedback? Read CTL's Using Technology to Provide Feedback Links to an external site.. To learn HOW, continue below.

 

Communication About Student Grades

Electronic Communication: Announcements, Inbox, and Grades

Canvas Communication Tools for Feedback:

• Leverage Canvas Announcements Links to an external site. for broad communication on graded assignments. Features: Delay Posting Links to an external site. and Copy Announcement to Another Course Links to an external site.
  • Example: "Hi everyone! I have posted the grades for Exam 2 in Canvas."
    
    
• Utilize Inbox Links to an external site. for private and individualized communication with students that does NOT include grade information. Features: Attach files Links to an external site. or media Links to an external site. to a message and Reply to Assignment Submission Comments Links to an external site.
  • Example: "Hi Bevo, I noticed you struggled on the last two exams. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. We will be having extra office hours leading up to Exam 3."
  • Canvas Inbox messages are not encrypted and should not be used to convey specific grade information.

 

Navigate and Customize the Gradebook:

• Customize and navigate the Gradebook Links to an external site. to efficiently manage and communicate grades.
  • Arrange columns Links to an external site. by default, assignment name, due date, points, or module.
  • You can create and manage filter presets Links to an external site. or filter columns by type Links to an external site. (assignment group, section, modules, and student groups, if applicable).
  • You can enter and edit grades Links to an external site. and leave comments Links to an external site. for students directly in the gradebook.

• Set up grade posting policies Links to an external site. to control when and how grades are released for the entire course Links to an external site. or an assignment Links to an external site..
  • To automatically post feedback and grades and make them visible to students as soon as they are entered, select the Automatically Post Grades option (DEFAULT).
  • To hide feedback and grades by default and manually choose when to post grades Links to an external site. and make them visible to students, select the Manually Post Grades option.
  • This flowchart Links to an external site. outlines how and when an instructor may use the posting policies feature to manage student grade visibility in a course.

• Discover the power of ‘Message Students Who Links to an external site.’ as a communication tool for feedback and/or grades.
  • Remind students who "have not submitted," reach out to students who "scored less than," or send kudos to those who "scored more than."

 

Electronic Communication: Rubrics and SpeedGrader

Create and Implement Effective Rubrics:

• Understand the versatility of rubrics Links to an external site. in providing clear expectations and feedback. 
  • You can write free-form comments Links to an external site. to students, select a range of points or remove the points, or use the rubric for grading Links to an external site. in SpeedGrader.
• Create customizable rubrics within Canvas to streamline the grading process.
  • You can add a rubric to any graded assignment Links to an external site., quiz Links to an external site. or discussion Links to an external site..
• Harness the power of rubrics to provide detailed and constructive feedback on assignments.
  • Add comments to a ratings/points-based rubric Links to an external site. or leave free-form comments Links to an external site. for your students.

 

Efficient and Effective SpeedGrader Strategies:

• Maximize the potential of SpeedGrader Links to an external site. for quick and personalized feedback.
  • Leave feedback comments Links to an external site. and/or use the Comment Library Links to an external site. in SpeedGrader.
  • Assignment comments also display as a new thread in Conversations Links to an external site. (Inbox).
• Utilize annotation tools Links to an external site. for in-depth comments on student submissions.
• Incorporate audio and video feedback for a multimedia approach.
  • You can use Chrome's speech recognition feature Links to an external site. to leave a comment.

 

Examples of Notifications That Canvas Sends

Announcement with the class syllabus as an attachment and a course link to the 'Getting to Know Me' discussion board.

Post Grades

Annotations on SpeedGrader – I forgot to set the assignment to Manually Post Grades, yikes!!

Submission Comment (right side bar)

Grade Change Notification

Message Students Who...