Canvas Training

This page provides information about the Canvas training provision for staff.

Canvas Essentials Training for staff

We have created a Canvas Essentials training package to get you started on your development journey. Canvas Essentials includes four courses, depending on your assigned role in the platform (Teacher, College Admin, etc.) you may not need to complete all courses. These courses can be completed online as self-paced study or you can attend a training session that is currently being delivered online via Zoom.

The ‘Canvas Essentials' series comprises of four separate elements:

Course Development
Assessment and Feedback 1 – Assignments and Grading
Assessment and Feedback 2 - Quizzes
Communication and Collaboration

Please read the course descriptors below to help determine your pathway.

Canvas Quick Start Courses

If you are yet to engage in any Canvas training, we are offering Quick Start sessions for the Course Development and Assessment and Feedback 1 modules.

Quick Start sessions provide bite-sized guidance on getting started in Canvas. If you have yet to login, begun to organise your courses or create assignments, these basic introductory 30min Zoom sessions are for you. You can complete these sessions in order, or book onto a session that best fits your needs.

For more information on the content of the Quick Start sessions please see the Course Development or Assessment and Feedback 1 drop down menus below.

Bookings for Zoom training sessions can be made via Eventbrite up to 72 hours before the course start time.

CPD Canvas Essentials – Full Course

The Canvas Essentials series of courses has been designed as an introduction to Canvas, demonstrating how it can be used to support learning, teaching and assessment. This will enable you to raise your awareness of the different features and functionality available in Canvas, and begin to explore how it can be used to develop courses, whilst enhancing the student experience. The Canvas Essentials series is structured as a “course” in Canvas and includes an introduction and some pre-session work. Throughout the Canvas Essentials series, you are expected to engage in self-study, attend face-to-face sessions (when they are operational), engage with the community, build your course and provide feedback. The four key modules in Canvas Essentials are:

•             Course Development
•             Assessment & Feedback 1
•             Assessment & Feedback 2
•             Communication & Collaboration

More information on these modules is contained in the dropdown menus below to help you determine whether to undertake the whole Canvas Essentials course or the modules which are most relevant to you.

CPD Canvas Essentials self-paced training course link: https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/courses/3774

There are also 2 additional standalone courses available:

• Canvas Turnitin, and
• Canvas Studio

Information and links to these courses is also contained within the dropdown menus below.

Course Development

This session is essential for new Canvas users and is the first course you should complete in the series. The aim is to provide an overview of course structuring, file organisation, uploads and content production and embedding. This session has been devised for academic and professional services administration staff involved in creating a course.

Self-paced training course: Module within https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/courses/3774

Quick Start Course Development

Title	Description
Canvas Orientation for Complete Beginners	An overview of finding Canvas content, what is available for both you and your students and how you can use it to enhance your students’ experience. This session will be beneficial for Professional Services staff and academics for an orientation into Canvas.
Moving Content Between Your Canvas Courses	Efficient transfer of content between your Canvas courses, as well as all other relevant points to consider. This session will be beneficial for academics or Professional Services staff responsible for developing content in a Canvas course.
Canvas Content Structure	An introduction to Canvas Modules and Files and how they can offer a beneficial learning experience to your students. This session will be beneficial for academics or Professional Services staff responsible for developing and managing content in a Canvas course.
Before You Hit Publish	Our top tips for checks to perform and things to look out for before your courses go live to students. This session will be beneficial for academics or Professional Services staff responsible for publishing files, modules and courses in Canvas.

Assessment and Feedback 1

This session is essential for new Canvas users and is the second you should complete in the series. The aim is to provide an overview of the main assessment and feedback options available within Canvas. The session will cover how to manage the main assessment elements, including setting up an Assignment, Rubrics, SpeedGrader and the Gradebook. This session has been devised for academic and professional services administration staff involved in setting up assessments.

For staff who wish to develop their use of assessment and feedback further, an extension session is available, Assessment and Feedback 2 about quizzes and surveys. We recommend staff attend Assessment and Feedback 1 prior to Assessment and Feedback 2. If Assessment and Feedback 1 meets your needs then you may not wish to continue with Assessment and Feedback 2.

Self-paced training course: Module within https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/courses/3774

Quick Start Assessment and Feedback 1

Title	Description
Setting up a Canvas Assignment	This session will show you an example of how to create a Canvas Assignment. This session will be beneficial for Professional Services staff and academics responsible for creating assignments.
Getting Started with Rubrics in Canvas	This session will introduce you to how to get started with creating and using Canvas Rubrics, their advantages, creation and application. This session will be beneficial for Professional Services staff and academics responsible for setting up assignment or marking.
Marking Assignments in Canvas SpeedGrader	This session will show you how to find assignments, access SpeedGrader, mark submissions and provide feedback using Canvas SpeedGrader. This session will be beneficial for academics responsible for creating assignments.
Introduction to Canvas Gradebook	This session will demonstrate an overview of the Canvas Gradebook including navigating the Gradebook functions, release of grades and feedback, and exporting gradebook data. This session will be beneficial for Professional Services staff and academics responsible for managing grades.

Assessment and Feedback 2

This session provides an understanding of the application of quizzes and surveys within Canvas, including the use of various question types. This builds on the knowledge gained from Assessment and Feedback 1, and should be completed after it. This session has been devised for academic and professional services administration staff involved in managing quizzes and surveys.

Self-paced training course: Module within https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/courses/3774

Communication and Collaboration

This session provides an overview of following Canvas tools: Announcements, Discussions, Chat, Inbox, Calendar Appointment Groups and editable Pages. It also covers Canvas Groups. This session has been devised for academic and professional services administration staff who wish to build communication and collaboration into their courses.

Self-paced training course: https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/courses/3774/pages/introduction-and-outcomes-communication-and-collaboration?module_item_id=82920

Online Zoom delivery of this course is covered in parts:

Communication and Collaboration Part 1 (C&C Part 1)

By the end of C&C Part 1, you will be familiar with Canvas’ communication and collaboration tools and features. You will experience the tools as a student and therefore be better informed as to which tools would best suit your students and purposes. You will learn how to set up the tools as an instructor and incorporate them into your course. You will have opportunities to reflect throughout the course and to share your thoughts and experiences with colleagues.

We look at: Announcements, Inbox, Chat, Discussions, Collaborations and Calendar Appointment Scheduling.

Communication and Collaboration Part 2 (C&C Part 2)

By the end of C&C Part 2 you will be familiar with Canvas Groups and the tools within them. You will experience what it is like for a student to locate and sign up to self-sign-up groups. You will also learn how to set up different types of group as an instructor and observe activity taking place within groups. During the course you will reflect on the difference between deploying Canvas’ communication and collaboration tools directly from the course navigation menu or within Modules, as covered in part 1 of the course, and deploying the tools to students within Groups. You will be encouraged to share ideas you have for using Canvas Groups to facilitate collaboration amongst your students.

CPD – Canvas Turnitin

This course is an extension resource for staff looking for more support in how to use Turnitin in Canvas. This should be completed after the Canvas Essentials Assessment and Feedback 1 session. This course will cover how to set up a Turnitin assignment submission in your Canvas course, how to find submitted work and the marking process. It will also include how a student should make their submission and access their feedback.

This course has been devised for academic and professional services administration staff involved in creating Turnitin submission points in Canvas and marking and providing feedback.

Self-paced training course: https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/enroll/W9ERHD

Turnitin in Canvas Training Sessions

Title & Duration	Description
Turnitin 1 Setting up a Canvas Turnitin Assignment 1 hour	This session will show you an example of how to create a Turnitin Assignment in Canvas. This session is aimed at Professional Services staff and academics responsible for creating assignments.
Turnitin 2 Getting started with Turnitin Rubrics 1 hour	This session will introduce you to how to build and deploy Turnitin Rubrics, and will look the ways they can be used to support feedback presented in the marking process. This session is aimed at Professional Services staff and academics responsible for setting up assignments or marking them.
Turnitin 3 Marking Canvas Turnitin Assignments in Feedback Studio 1 hour	This session will show you how to find assignments in Canvas, access Feedback Studio, explore the inbox, mark submissions and provide feedback. This session is aimed at academics responsible for marking assignments in Turnitin.
Turnitin 4 Turnitin Drop in session 1 hour	This session will provide additional time for those who have attended Turnitin Zoom training sessions, utilised the CPD – Canvas Turnitin online course, or have used Turnitin through Canvas. In this session you are able to raise any queries regarding issues encountered, or clarification for aspects of uncertainty. This session is aimed at Professional Services staff and academics responsible for creating, marking or providing feedback using Turnitin in Canvas.

CPD – Canvas Studio

This course is designed to be completed after an initial introduction to Canvas via the CPD – Canvas Essentials course. Ideally you will have completed the Course Development session prior to enrolling on CPD – Canvas Studio.

This course will provide an overview of Canvas Studio. Firmly rooted in relevant pedagogy, it will teach you how to use the facilities and tools in Canvas Studio to upload, create, and curate content. This content can then be embedded in your Canvas courses or shared externally via the web.

This course has been devised for academic staff to identify the potential use of video and feedback for staff and students using Canvas Studio, and to enrich and diversify the learning activities included in your Canvas course.

Self-paced training course: https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/enroll/PD7WC6

CPD – Canvas Conferences

This course is an extension course designed to be completed after an initial introduction to Canvas via the CPD – Canvas Essentials course. Ideally you will have completed the Course Development session prior to enrolling on CPD – Canvas Conferences

This course will provide an overview of the Canvas Conferences tool, and furnish you with the guidance and steps you need to get started and make the best use of the Conferences tool.

Please note that Zoom is the university’s preferred tool for online or virtual classrooms, but there may be instances where you would want to use Conferences.

Self-paced training course:https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/enroll/3YCTPD

Teaching in Canvas Resources

Teaching in Canvas Checklist

Getting started with Canvas

Canvas Support Infographic

Canvas Support Stats Infographic (01.09.20 - 30.09.20)

Assessment in Canvas: Staff guidance

As you will be aware the university needs to move as much online assessment into Canvas as possible.

Supporting guidance documents on this exercise can be found in the Canvas course on the link below:

Staff guidance: https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/courses/20042

Canvas: Student Guidance Documents

As colleges are making more use of the Canvas system for the remainder of the academic year, the Canvas Project Team have produced some helpful guides and information for students on how to use the platform.

Student guidance: https://canvas.swansea.ac.uk/courses/20041

For training queries please e-mail salt@swansea.ac.uk