Welcome to the UTK Canvas Course Template video tutorial. In this video, we’ll be showing you how to apply the UTK Canvas course template, as well as sharing a few other best practices for getting started with your course. The UTK Canvas course template is designed to help you, the instructor, efficiently set up your courses and to promote a consistent student experience among courses in Canvas. You’re not required to use the template. You can incorporate all or just some of its elements to suit your specific needs and instruction modality, whether it’s online, hybrid, or face to face. You will receive an empty Canvas course shell two months before the start of a semester to verify availability dates. Visit our course access calendar.

When you apply a template to your Canvas course the settings and navigation in your course will be replaced with those in the template. Apply the template before you start creating or copying course content. We will now apply the Canvas course template. Select Commons in the global navigation menu and in the search field enter UK canvas course template and here it is. Select the title and now you can preview the contents. You can add the template to your Commons favorites for future use.

Ready to make this template your own? Select the Import Download button. Place a checkmark next to the course or courses into which you want to apply the template. Select Import Into Course. Allow a few minutes for the template to appear and welcome to your new and improved course.

If you’ve already taught the course and would like to copy all or a few materials to your new Canvas shell, make sure you do that after you apply the Canvas course template. In the course navigation menu. Click the Settings link, then Import Course Content. In the Content Type dropdown menu, select Copy of Canvas Course, search for and select the course you would like to copy from. Choose whether to import all content or specific content from the course. Consider the options to adjust or delete due dates associated with the past semester’s course events and assignments. Finally, select the import button. If you chose to import specific content, you’ll need to select the content.

If you’re copying a lot of content, you may want to take a five minute break before returning to your Canvas course site.

Now that you’ve applied the template and perhaps copied content from a previous course, you’re now ready to tackle the course homepage. No matter what homepage you had in the course you copied from the templates, homepage becomes your course entry point. The templates home page provides guidance and structure for your students each time they enter your course. You can edit the home page as needed to make it your own.

For example, you can insert a personalized course banner which it can gladly create for you, add links or even embed a course introduction video. Please refer to our Canvas course homepage video to learn more.

Let’s now navigate to Modules. Modules will help you structure course content by day, week, unit, or topic. Each module can contain pages, files, discussions, assignments, quizzes, and other learning materials. Notice that the page how to use this template contains detailed instructions on building out your course using the template. The first module in the UTK Canvas course template called module zero is introduction to the course, and you are welcome to customize this content as needed. Module One showcases a unit structure that includes a module overview, tasks and assignments, learning resources, and sssessment and review. These content items can be used for both face to face and online delivery modalities. With this layout, for a fully online course, all instruction should be more detailed. While you’re on campus, class may appreciate just a simple list of reading materials and links. And what about the content you imported from a previous course? Your modules, assignments, quizzes, pages, and discussions to adapt your existing content to the templates visual design. Refer to our detailed instructions on the how to use this template page. We suggest that you build the first module completely to get a feel for the instructional flow and structure. You may want to delete unwanted pages or add assignments. Then you can duplicate the module. Canvas will create copies of all items in the original module with the word copy in the title. The copied module will give you a structure for building the content and assignments.

At this point, you may want to decide which items on the course menu. Your students will actually need will they need the syllabus tool? It’s a definite yes. This is where you can create a link to your syllabus file. In addition, all the assignments and calendar events will be listed there in the chronological order of due dates. How about grades? Another clear? Yes. Once you decide which items you want to keep on the course menu, go to Settings > Navigation, and disable all unused items.Now your course menu is nice, clean, and free from distractions.

It’s also important to check your course for broken links. The course link validator searches through course content and returns invalid or unresponsive links in both published and unpublished content.

When you’ve completed your course development, your last step is to make your course available to your students. Be sure that you have published your course from your home page. Click on the publish button located in the upper right hand corner. Thanks for joining us. We talked about a lot of things, but there are more. Remember to visit the how to use this template page in your course, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the help desk at 865-974-9900 or online at help.utk.edu. When you have questions, we are here to help you succeed.

Welcome. In this presentation you will learn how your UT Canvas home page can give students an edge by guiding them to the information they need to be successful in your course. The home page is where students will always enter your Canvas course. Let’s get started.

Does your home page look like this? [on screen image of Canvas course Modules list] If it does your students might be wondering, “Am I in the right course?” “Where do I start?” “Who is my instructor for this course?” This example uses the default Canvas course setting as your home page and it may be confusing, boring, and rather uninviting. Why not offer your students more guidance and structure with a home page like this? [on screen image of a Canvas page with decorative banner, instructor image and contact information, and structured outline of modules]

The syllabus option is our first recommendation for a home page layout because when assignments are created in your course, it automatically includes a chronological list of course assignments and due dates at the bottom of the syllabus page. Additionally, it provides all of the following in one simple and consistent format.

A welcome message – which is a way to introduce yourself and provide an overview of your course. Instructor contact information, course description, a link to your actual syllabus document, getting started information to provide guidance on how and where to start within your course. Relevant links – which can link directly to sections of the course or other resources both within, and external to your course, and a chronological list of course assignments and due dates at the bottom of the page under Course Summary. You can reinforce due dates for various events, activities, or assignments within your course by utilizing the Calendar feature in Canvas. Remember to add some visual elements like a course banner to make your course home page more appealing and recognizable to your students.

Our second choice for a home page layout is called pages front page. Like the syllabus option, it also provides the flexibility for customization. You can add formatted text, insert links, include images, and embedded videos or other multimedia course content. The main difference is that the list of assignments and events will not display automatically with this option.

After entering your course site, select the Choose Home Page button on the right of the screen to select your preferred home page layout. There are five choices for a Canvas home page. Only two of them are customizable – syllabus or page front page. The other three are generally not good choices because they cannot be edited.

Please note that if you select pages front page you first need to create a page to select. Remember that you want your home page to be welcoming, organized, and consistent. The information presented should prepare students for their learning experience by providing the necessary instructions and resources for success. We hope you found this presentation helpful. If you have any questions, please contact the OIT HelpDesk at 865-974-9900 or help.utk.edu. For more information about Canvas go to online.utk.edu.