Canvas Checklist

This Start of Semester Checklist for Canvas, adapted from the University of North Texas, is comprised of pointers, reminders, and resources, useful for setting up a course in Canvas.  The document has four sections:

In the content review section, there are a few links to resources from or related to Quality Matters., a respected organization that has developed rubrics for course design standards. CITL has also developed resources based on Quality Matters rubrics. If you would like to have more information about these resources, course design, or rubrics, please reply to this email.

As a reminder:

The checklist from last year contains ideas and quick tips for taking full advantage of the resources available in Canvas. While this post from 2021 contains a chart (created by Instructure, the developers of Canvas), which explains how Canvas functions can be used at lower and higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, to create different types of learning experiences in Canvas.

For example: When you think about Announcements as a Communication Tool in Canvas, you can use announcements in simply to provide one-way updates and communication, or more robustly to:

  • Reinforce classroom activities, display student work, and encourage best practices.

  • Allow students to reply, and are often used for classroom interaction and Q & A.

  • Encourage and expect student replies, often being used as question starters, contests, and ways to extend learning.


As always, please let me know if there is any way I can help you in your planning.

Higher Education Podcasts

Dr. Laura Pasquini is an educational coach and consultant who is passionate about podcasts. She has created two resources that may be useful to you if you are interested in finding more educational podcasts to listen to, or creating your own:

  • HigherEd Podcasts: https://bit.ly/higheredpodcasts is a spreadsheet that she has curated. The first page has a list of more than 200 podcasts that focus on various aspects of higher education. The second page is a more general list of podcasts that touch on more random topics in the range of education, general interest and self-improvement.

  • Behind the Podcast: http://bit.ly/behindthepodcast provides a behind the scenes look at how some of the more popular higher education podcasts are created recording set-ups of several higher ed podcasts. The producers of podcasts such as Teaching in Higher Ed and Thinkudl.org share information about the hardware and software they use to create their podcasts, as well as their hosting service and resources they use to produce the content for their podcasts.

The Role of Faculty in Student Mental Health and Announcements

The following Teaching in Higher Ed Podcast episodes focus on mental health:

These podcasts discuss tips faculty can consider integrating into their teaching practice in order to help address some of the mental health issues students may be facing while matriculating through school. they include:

Flexibility v. Coddling 

The top recommendation was being flexible when possible.

(Episode 422)

“We don’t think the solution is, when a student comes up and says, “Wow, I was out of commission last week in bed with depression,” we don’t suggest saying, “Ah, forget about it. No need to do that work that you missed.” That doesn’t really help them… Now whether it’s designing subtler, more flexible late policies or even opportunities for resubmission, not for as much credit, but still for some additional credit [still offer] incentives so that students can learn more… “

(Episode 373)

“Building in flexibility, and it depends on the discipline and the class structure, but whether you get to drop your lowest assignment or for me, I really laid out a clear process to students where I was trying to eliminate any shame in asking for an extension. Saying, here’s the process. It’s simple, its uniform, it’s not a mystery. Here’s how you do this.”

Note: These conversations noted how this is really helpful for vulnerable groups such as first-generation students who may not know the hidden curriculum of academia. For example, If you have a “No late work accepted policy” but make unadvertised exceptions for emergencies on a case-by-case basis, some students will take your policy literally, even in dire consequences.  “As a friend who was a first-generation academic told me, first-gen students like her got where they are by following the rules. It would never have occurred to her that “no late work accepted” had an unwritten caveat of “unless you’ve had a serious emergency.””

When is the Assignment Due? (Episode 373)

“If you’re making an assignment due at 9:00 AM, [some] students are going to pull an all-nighter. If you have an assignment due at midnight, they’re going to work through dinner. If you have an assignment due at 5:00 PM, that’s likely one of the healthiest times. It might be different at a community college or a school where a lot of folks are working full-time, but either way, the point is just to be intentional about the time that is selected [based on your student population]”.

Encourage Self Help (Adapted from Episode 317 and The Jed Foundation)

Consider incorporating meditation, breathing, or other mindfulness practices into the classroom and adding self-care activities—such as getting exercise, spending time in nature, or talking with a friend—to assignments. You can also model self-care by sharing with students what you do to manage stress.

The counseling center, wellness center, and/or peer health educators on campus often have workshops that are ready to go. Consider having students review a pre-recorded workshop https://healthcenter.indiana.edu/counseling/workshops-groups/recorded-workshops.html and provide feedback on what they learned as part of an extra credit assignment.

Sharing Resources 

 

Consider sharing departmental/school/campus resources in a Student Resource Slideshow that plays before class starts and at the end of the lecture. You can add in slides with resources based around the needs of your students. Also, you can put resources in your syllabi.

Sample language

“If you are feeling stressed, worried, or down during the semester, or if you notice signs of emotional distress in someone else, please feel free to stop by my office or consider reaching out for support. Here are some campus resources:


In the past we have discussed Universal Design for Learning (UDL), 

However, we have not formally discussed Universal Design for Instruction (UDI). While UDL and UDI are similar frameworks that are devised to optimize teaching and learning for diverse groups of students based on scientific insights into how people learn best, UDL provides specific guidance for designing curricula, while UDI can be used for applications related to teaching and learning. UDI ensures that students have multiple ways to learn, engage and demonstrate what they have learned. UDI also ensures that each UDI practice is accessible, usable, and inclusive.

According to Scott, McGuire, and Shaw (2001), there are nine principles of UDI:

  1. Equitable use: Accessible and usable by everyone.

  2. Flexibility in use: Accommodated to individual needs with choices provided.

  3. Simple and intuitive: Clear and understood regardless of student’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.

  4. Perceptible information: Accessible regardless of students’ sensory abilities.

  5. Tolerance for error: Anticipates learning pace and prerequisite skills.

  6. Low physical effort: Minimizes nonessential physical effort (unless physical effort is integral to the essential requirements of a course [e/g/ lifting requirements in a physical therapy program]).

  7. Size and space for approach and use: Considers physical and sensory access to environment, equipment, tasks.

  8. A community of learners: Promotes interaction and communication among students and between students and faculty.

  9. Instructional climate: Welcoming and inclusive.

The University of Washington provides a few examples of UDI (https://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-instruction-udi-definition-principles-guidelines-and-examples)

  • Class climate. Adopt practices that reflect high values with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Example: Put a statement on your syllabus inviting students to meet with you to discuss disability-related accommodations and other special learning needs.

  • Interaction. Encourage regular and effective interactions between students, employ multiple communication methods, and ensure that communication methods are accessible to all participants. Example: Assign group work for which learners must engage using a variety of skills and roles.

  • Physical environments and products. For outside instruction, ensure that facilities, activities, materials, and equipment are physically accessible to and usable by all students and that diverse potential student characteristics are addressed in safety considerations. Example: Develop safety procedures for all students, including those who are blind, deaf, or wheelchair users.

  • Delivery methods. Use multiple instructional methods that are accessible to all learners. Example: Use multiple modes to deliver content; when possible, allow students to choose from multiple options for learning; and motivate and engage students—consider lectures, collaborative learning options, hands-on activities, Internet-based communications, educational software, field work, and so forth.

  • Information resources and technology. Ensure that course materials, notes, and other information resources are engaging, flexible, and accessible for all students. Example: Choose printed materials and prepare a syllabus early to allow students the option of beginning to read materials and work on assignments before the course begins. Allow adequate time to arrange for alternate formats, such as books in audio format.

  • Feedback and assessment. Regularly assess students’ progress, provide specific feedback on a regular basis using multiple accessible methods and tools, and adjust instruction accordingly. Example: Allow students to turn in parts of large projects for feedback before the final project is due.

  • Accommodations. Plan for accommodations for students whose needs are not fully met by the instructional content and practices. Example: Know campus protocols for getting materials in alternate formats, rescheduling classroom locations, and arranging for other accommodations for students with disabilities.

While Burgstahler (2015) explains that Effective instructors:

  1. Provide clear and explicit expectations.

  2. Provide advanced organizers and supports.

  3. Provide information in multiple formats.

  4. Provide a welcoming classroom environment.

  5. Make connections between topics and real-life experiences.

  6. Provide frequent, consistent, & formative feedback.

  7. Support individual learning needs within the group.

  8. Use effective assessment strategies.

  9. Are approachable and available.

  10. Are knowledgeable and focused on their subject matter.

  11. Make personal connections with their students.

  12. Hold challenging standards for learning.

  13. Engage in & encourage metacognition.

  14. Understand human development & learning theory

Additional Resources: