Instructions
Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) we use at Biola to provide an online space for class activities such as exchanging documents, online discussions, and managing course grades. This page has some instructions on how to use it.
Log in to Canvas Here: http://canvas.biola.edu
Resources for Faculty
Here are a few highlights:
TEOL 021 Pedagogy and Tools for Quality Remote Instruction course (Sign up with this link). This is a Canvas course with basic orientation instructions for Canvas, Zoom, Zoom Classrooms, VoiceThread, and the DesignPLUS template.
Zoom Info – I.T. is no longer automatically adding Zoom meeting links on Canvas like they did previously. If you need to use Zoom, see these instructions for Creating a Zoom Meeting on Canvas. Then when you're in the classroom, use the Zoom podium to Manually Join a Meeting by touching "Join" then typing the Meeting ID, then touching "Join." See the
ZOOM FAQ from I.T. for more information at https://confluence.biola.edu/display/itservices/Zoom+FAQ (for faculty)
For Students
Welcome to Canvas - Basic Login Instructions; Finding your courses
Confirm Your Email on Canvas
Using Zoom with your Biola-managed Zoom account. Can't view Zoom recordings? See instructions here.
Presentations on Zoom - How to give PowerPoint project presentations on Zoom: live or pre-recorded
For Students: Attending Class Remotely - Instructions & Suggestions
Official Documentation: Canvas Student Guide on the Canvas web site
Official Documentation: Minimum Computer Specifications required for using Canvas
Official Documentation: Minimum Browser Requirements and plugins
Instructions for Viewing Older Videos in Online Classes with Flash Player.
Using the VoiceThread tool on Canvas: Using VoiceThread Videos
For Faculty & T.A.s
See the Official Canvas Instructor Guide for detailed documentation. Here are some summaries we've written:
Basics of Canvas at Biola - Videos - A series of eight short videos introducing you to Canvas at Biola (3 to 4 minutes each)
Setting up Your Course on Canvas - Start here for a general overview
Organizing Content - Storage - Putting content in to your course
Organizing Content - Presentation - Showing content to students
Gradebook and Assignments - Put your grades online
Grade Posting Policy (the new way of Hiding/Muting Grades; Keywords: Mute, Hide, Post, Manual, Automatic)
Turnitin Assignments - Setting up Turnitin Assignments
Weighted Grades - how to set up Canvas to calculate the total grade
Extra Credit - How to give extra credit in the Canvas Gradebook
Course Dates - If your course doesn't follow a traditional semester schedule
Viewing Closed Courses - How to view grades in old courses
Course Enrollments - Describes how people are enrolled into their classes on Canvas
About VoiceThread on Canvas - How to create links to graded and ungraded VoiceThreads
Reconfiguring VoiceThread Assignments - if you copy from one semester to another, how to connect VT
Creating Quizzes and Tests - How to create a quiz, and how to use the Respondus LockDown Browser
New Quizzes - A new version of the Quizzes assessment tool is optionally available as of June 2021
Discussions and Student Groups
Groups - Creating groups, navigating between groups
Setting Up Discussions - online forums
Discussions Redesign 2021 - A new version of Discussions arrived in June 2021
Basic Navigation on Canvas - Finding your way around
Copying Courses - to/from a different semester
Accessibility Requirements - Tips for making online pages more readable to people with visual impairments.
Downloading a Template sample class content from Distance Learning, including the standard Biola Syllabus Template.
Uploading Grades at the end of the semester. (Not directly related to Canvas - grades are on myaccount.biola.edu)
This Introduction to Online Classes at Biola describes what we mean by "online class" and how they work at Biola.
Some Advanced Features
Working with Multiple Sections and Cross-Listed Courses - If you teach more than one section of the same class in the semester.
Peer Review - Students can review each other's work
Reading Quizzes: Self-Reported reading quiz. Allow students to report how much reading they've done, assigning partial credit.
Use the UDOIT tool to check your course site for accessibility compliance.
Additional Resources
Training Schedule - Currently scheduled professional development training sessions for faculty.
The Canvas Community is a great place to look for Official Documentation, questions, and to make suggestions. Here are some links:
Canvas Community Main Page - Start Here
CanvasLive Events - Live online events open to all faculty, mainly run by people at other schools who are also using Canvas.
CanvasLMS YouTube Channel - Videos from the InstructureCon conferences.
Google Appointment Calendar - Set up a meeting with Tim Milosch, one of our Instructional Designers, for assistance with your Canvas class.
Google Appointment Calendar - Set up a meeting with Matthew Weathers, Applied Instructional Tech Admin, for assistance with your Canvas class.