• Course Creations - Courses are auto-generated via VCU's Banner (SIS) process before the start of each semester.
• Course Enrollments - Likewise, primary instructors and registered students are auto-populated into their courses using the Banner system as well. Secondary instructors, TAs, and any other role would need to be manually enrolled by the primary instructor of the course.
  • See the Managing your Course Roster page for information on how to view and manage your roster, as well as, information on the different roles and role permissions available to you.
  • To enroll users such as TAs, secondary instructors, etc. visit the Manually Add Users to a Course page for further instructions.
• Non-VCU User Access (Affiliates) - granting access to users who are not officially a part of the VCU community but need access (affiliates) (i.e. guest speakers, outside programs, etc.)
• Update your name - visit the Call Me By My Name page, which allows you to indicate a name/name of use, gender/gender identity and pronouns which will update across all VCU platforms.
• Login issues could be a result of a problem with your VCU eID or Password.  Your VCU eID is a username that authenticates you to many VCU web applications and electronic services.
• Still have questions? VCU IT Support Center can point you in the right direction.

Getting Started

• Blackboard to Canvas Equivalencies Chart
• Manage your Course Notifications
• Course Navigation

Organizing your Course

• Add a New Module to your Course
• Create a New Page for your Course

Managing Existing Content

• Export or Import Existing Content
  • Note: Used for bringing over content that may have been provided by another instructor or perhaps even content you may have used in a Canvas course at a previous university.
• Copy a Course from a Previous Semester
• Import VCU's Course Template (Created by VCU Online)

Creating New Content

• Create an Announcement
• Create an Assignment
• Create a Google Assignment
  • Note: Google Assignments is a Canvas 3rd Party Tool supported by Collaboration Services.
• Create a SCORM Assignment or SCORM Page
• Create a Discussion Board
  • Note: Please see How to Create a Group Discussion Board and get more information on the Discussion Redesign project.
• Create a quiz using the "Classic Quizzes" format or the "New Quizzes" format
  • Note: Quizzes are a very in-depth Canvas feature that cannot be encompassed in a single link. See the "Quizzes" and "New Quizzes" section of the Canvas Guides.

WAIT! Before you Publish

• Student View
• Link Validation

Making your Course Available to Students

• Publish your Course

• Email your Students
  • Note: The course must be published before being able to email student enrolled in the course. You may need to publish and then unpublish after sending the email from the course.
• Course Calendar
  • Note: The Canvas Calendar is very interactive. It allows instructors to schedule office hours with their students, link and edit events and assessments, etc.

• Managing Groups in your Course
• Cross-List (Merge) Courses
• Managing Students with an Incomplete Status
• Create and Manage Sections within your Course

Quizzes are a very in-depth Canvas feature that cannot be encompassed in a single link. See the "Quizzes" and "New Quizzes" section of the Canvas Guides. For everything you need to know about the ongoing Classic to New Quizzes Transition Project, View the New Quizzes Hub.

Note: New Quizzes is currently in development; expect changes in features during this transition period.

Transitioning from Classic Quizzes to New Quizzes?

• Classic vs New Quizzes Comparison Chart
• FAQs: New Quizzes
• Migrate a Classic Quiz to the New Quiz Format

Grading is far more robust than a single link. See the Grading and SpeedGrader sections for information on the different grading features. 

Additional Grading Features

• Turnitin (plagiarism detection)
• Weight Final Course Grade Based on Assignment Groups
• Extra Credit in an Assignment
• Curve Grades
• Ellucian Grade Passback
• View Grades for Inactive or Concluded Students in the Gradebook

For additional information about Final Grade entry, please see: Banner Grade Entry documentation from the Records and Registration team. 

Please note that Final Grade entry takes place in Banner, not Canvas. 

In the "Grades" tab, Canvas alphabetizes "Test, Student" after "Test-Ing, Student" which persists in the gradebook export .csv. Banner puts "Test, Student" first. Banner uses the Student ID field (V#) to assign student grades, so this will not create an issue during upload. However, this should be noted in the case that grades are being assigned manually to prevent errors.

Managing Course Storage

• Add and Manage Files in your Course
  • Note: Storage quotas are specific to VCU. Courses are limited to 2GB per course and it is recommended that you embed videos via Kaltura and documents via your Google Drive.
• Embed Kaltura Videos in your Course
• Embed Google Documents in your Course

  • Canvas Tip: Uploading Videos and Large Files

Alternatives for File Storage & Collaboration

• Google Drive: Shared Drives
• Google Groups 
• Google Spaces
• VCU Wikis

Creating and Sharing Audio Files

• Find the Last Date of Participation for Students
• Find the Unique Identifier of a Student

UPDATE: Instructure has begun revising this process based on our feedback. See what they have to say - Thank You for Your Feedback on Ideas and Themes.

UPDATE: Instructure has put this process on hold indefinitely. See what they have to say - We made a mistake in Ideas & Themes decisions.

Ideas and Themes is a way for community members and Instructure (makers of Canvas) to identify trends, determine priority, and collaborate on high-value solutions. Input from existing users is a very important part of how Instructure prioritizes work on new and existing features and fixing bugs.

Community members can submit a new feature idea through the Ideas and Themes space specific to each product family. Ideas allow users to initiate conversations about improvements or enhancements to Instructure product functionality.

Instructure reviews these ideas weekly. Relevant ideas are mapped to themes. Community users can participate with new ideas and comments anytime throughout the year; however, voting opportunities open up biannually to help prioritize themes.

Notes:

• Please follow all guidelines and policies for submitting a new idea or your idea may be archived or you may be asked to revise your idea.
• To create a new idea and/or be eligible to vote in the Instructure Community, you must be ranked as a Member or above. Learn more about Community ranks.
  • Requirements for "Community Member" rank are:​
    • View at least 10 pages
    • Log in at least 1 time
    • Have an active account for 3 days
    • Have an active and verified email address
      More information on how to rank up?
    New Members may still comment on and rate existing ideas anytime.
• In order to participate in any way, you must be logged into VCU's Canvas instance.

1. Submit a New Idea.
2. Vote on Themes.