Canvas Instructor Guide Resources
The Canvas Instructor Guide has a number of step-by-step walkthroughs that can assist you with your course site. Note: some of the features included in those guides may not align with UF’s instance of Canvas.
Announcements
- How do I add an announcement in a course? Can attach files, embed and record videos, and delay posting to a future date
Assignments
- How do I create an online assignment? For written assignments, in Plagiarism Review section, select Turnitin from the drop-down menu and adjust any settings in the Similarity Report section
- What is the difference between assignment due dates and availability dates?
- How do I assign an assignment to an individual student? If you want to adjust a due date for an individual student, see the Assign to Specific Student section
- How do I create a peer review assignment?
- How do I assign an assignment to a course group? Will want to first create groups; can manually or automatically create groups, as well as allow for self-signup
Calendar
- How do I add an event to a course calendar? For adding due date reminders for non-graded events
Chat
- How do I use Chat as an instructor? If you want to support synchronous text-only communication within your course site
Discussions
- How do I create a discussion as an instructor?
- How do I assign a graded discussion to everyone in a course? Consider checking the “Users must post before seeing replies” box, so that students cannot borrow or adapt another student’s post
- How do I allow students to edit and delete their own discussion posts in a course? Also useful for graded discussions
- How do I create a peer review discussion?
- How do I close a discussion for comments in a course?
Files
- How do I use Files as an instructor? If you will have the Files tool visible to students, you will want to learn about how to restrict access
Grades
- How do I use the Gradebook?
- How do I send a message to students from the Gradebook? Very useful for sending targeted messages re: assignment and quiz performance
- How do I export grades in the Gradebook?
Quizzes
- What quiz types can I create in a course?
- What options can I set in a quiz? Prior to publishing the quiz, use the Preview feature to ensure that everything appears as it should (see Unpublished Quiz Options section)
- We recommend using question groups rather than question banks, as they allow for question regrading; common question types include multiple choice, essay, file upload, and text
- How do I assign a quiz to an individual student? If you want to adjust a due date for an individual student
- Once I publish a quiz, how can I give my students extra attempts?
- Once I publish a timed quiz, how can I give my students extra time? Useful for when students have technical issues or DRC Accommodations
Rubrics
- How do I add a rubric in a course? Rubrics can be used for assignments, discussions, and quizzes
Settings
- How do I publish a course? See below bullet for setting start and end dates
- How do I use course settings? Can adjust course site start and end dates, and restrict student access, using the Course Details tab; can hide or add tools using the Navigation tab
- How do I view a course as a test student using Student View? Can be useful for viewing your course site
SpeedGrader
- How do I get to SpeedGrader from an assignment, quiz, or graded discussion?
- How do I use SpeedGrader? To facilitate grading, use rubrics (see Rubrics section above)
- How do I add annotated comments in student submissions using DocViewer in SpeedGrader? For written assignments where you want to provide in-text comments
- How do I leave feedback comments for student submissions in SpeedGrader? Be sure to click the Submit button for a comment, or they will be saved as a draft and not visible to students
- How do I grade a graded discussion in SpeedGrader?
Relevant pages from the Canvas Student Guide
Canvas also offers a Student Guide that you might want to share with your students. Note: some of the features included in those guides may not align with UF’s instance of Canvas. Below are a few of the most useful pages you might want to share.
- How do I submit an online assignment? Also might want to share how to view the rubric and how they can submit a group submission if a group assignment
- How do I submit a peer review to an assignment? Also useful is info on how to submit peer reviews
- How do I reply to a discussion as a student?
- How do I take a quiz? Also useful is the info on each type of question