Identifying Key Tools and Functions within Canvas

Tool Overview

If you are new to using Canvas or haven't used all of the available features, you may appreciate a quick overview of key Canvas tools and functions.

• Announcements: Links to an external site.  Instructors can send a communication blast to the whole class or certain sections via the Announcements tool.
  • No need to collect individual student e-mail addresses. Announcement notifications are sent ASAP to students.
  • Announcements are archived in the course Canvas site and can appear at the top of any home page Links to an external site..
    
    
• Assignments: Links to an external site.  Instructors can create space for students to upload submissions Links to an external site., from informal reflections to formal written assignments and group projects. Instructors can select the grading approach within the assignment. Assignments are best for instructors who wish for the students' work to only be viewed and assessed by the instructor.
  
  
• Chat Links to an external site.: Instructors and students can engage in a “real time” text-based, instant messaging conversation. Messages received in Chat remain archived and can be read outside of synchronous class time. 
  
  
• Discussions Links to an external site.: Instructors can create graded or ungraded threaded, written discussion forums for students to respond to written prompts and/or to engage in text or audio/video dialogue with one another.
  
  
• Files Links to an external site.: Instructors can post key course documents, like the syllabus, readings, lecture slides, etc. in this space.
  
  
• Grades Links to an external site.: The Gradebook helps instructors easily view and enter grades for students. Depending on the Grade display type, grades for each assignment can be viewed as points, percentage, complete or incomplete, GPA scale, or letter grade.
  
  
• Modules Links to an external site.: Instructors can organize course content into several chunks or units of learning content. The pieces of information that students will access, including the syllabus, readings, and assessments, can be grouped together in the order that students might access those resources during a class session. Modules can give students access to everything they need, all in one place.
  
  
• Pages Links to an external site.: Instructors can create content for students to read or access that is not already created in a separate website or in a Word Document or other kind of document.
  • Edit the settings Links to an external site. of a page to allow both instructors and students to create a class Wiki.
  • Embed video on a page Links to an external site.
    
    
• SpeedGrader Links to an external site.: Instructors can evaluate individual student assignments and group assignments quickly.
  • Use DocViewer Links to an external site. to mark up .pdf, .doc/.docx, and .ppt/.pptx assignments directly in SpeedGrader.
  • You can access SpeedGrader through: Assignments, Quizzes, Graded Discussions Links to an external site. and the Gradebook Links to an external site.