Canvas Helps

1) Click on the course that you want to use as your primary course (the one where you plan to build your content and do the grading for all sections)

2) Highlight the course number in the URL bar at the top of the screen.

3) Copy the number (right-click and copy, or Control + C)

4) In your courses, select a course that you would like to cross-list to your primary course.  Click on the course.

5) Click on Settings on the bottom left of the course.

6) In settings, choose Sections.

7) Next, click on the underlined name of the course. 

8) Once you have clicked on the course section, you will see the option to cross-list the course.  Click "Cross-list this section" and then paste the code that you copied by right-clicking and pasting, or pressing Control and V.

So, your content is looking more robust and better than ever.  The big question?  How do you keep all of that content neatly packaged and ready for next year so that you don't have to rebuild everything?  

With Canvas courses, you have some options - some are great, some are not as great, and some are downright terrible.  Let me give you the good, the bad and the ugly about moving content around in Canvas.

The Good

If your course is smaller (under 1.2 GB), you can simply export the entire thing at the end of the semester, and then import that content straight into a master course.  Don't have a sandbox course?  No problem!  Request one by emailing me (pmfenton@graniteschools.org).

To export a course, simply click on Settings in the course you want to export.  On the right side in the Settings screen, click "Export Course Content".  Then click Export.  Your course will automatically create an export file. When it is finished, a hyperlink that says New Export will show up.  Click on it to download the export package.

Once it is exported, you can go into the empty master course that you have for the content (if it isn't empty, you can click "Reset Course Content" on the right menu to clear it out.  Once empty, click Import Existing Content from the menu on the right side.  Choose Canvas Export Package.   You will find your export package file in your downloads. Choose that file.  Be sure to select Adjust Dates, and then click "Remove dates" to ensure that you won't have a bunch of closed, unavailable assignments (the worst!).  If you happen to forget to do this, you can also reset the course and upload it again, or email me and I'll clear the dates out for you.  Then import the course.  That's it!  You're set!

The Okay

If your course is bigger (when you run the export package, it is larger than 1.2 GB), you will need to either slim it down by deleting assignments, video files or images, or share your course to Canvas Commons.  

The Bad

What you can't do (like really, truly CANNOT do), is copy your content from your course (closed semester) into your new course (new semester).  I can hear you already - "But, Tricia, it's working!  I copied it over, and there were no issues!"  Until you have students who weren't in your first semester course that need access.  Or students who moved from one section into another section who are being denied access.  Or really any number of tiny glitches that arise from not disconnecting your content from that closed term course.  Sigh.  Long story short - save yourself the headache, and avoid copying the course over from the old semester into the new one. (Please note - copying can be done, it just means you have to be careful to get all of the files that go along with whatever you are copying - image files, video files, uploaded docs, etc.  If everything you've done is with links to URLs, you will be safe to copy . . . it can just be risky . . .).

The Ugliest

Sometimes teachers get the clever notion to cross-list a course from second semester into first semester.  This is along the same lines as copying - with the difference being that the course is then gone from your list and if you don't remember what you did, I have to go hunting to find it too!  

You've probably seen a lot of great course content shared on the Canvas Commons.  It's true that this is a fabulous resource.  What's even better is that it can be a great resource to store your stuff too!

If your course was too big to export and then import, you can export your modules to Canvas.  

Sharing

To do this click on the three dots in the top right of a module, and then choose Share to Commons.  A new window will open asking you about who you wish to share with and if your work is copyrighted.  You are required to add a description and an image in addition to the title of the item you are publishing.  Once you've filled out all of the info, click share.

Importing

It will take a few minutes (or a bit longer) for your item to be available for import.  Once it is, you can search Canvas Commons using the title, your name, or any other easily identifiable information (your first and last name are often the easiest way to find your work).

Choose which courses you wish to import the item into after clicking Import/Download.

That's it!  Your content will be added to your course.  Be aware:  If you import a Course from Commons, it will override whatever course content you have in that course. A word to the wise, request a master course if you want to import a full course of content (although the course does still need to be 1.2 GB or smaller).

It looks cool, and it isn't too challenging to put these elements into your Canvas page if you follow these steps:

1) From the Canvas Commons, search for "Sample Canvas Page with Tabs".

2)  Add the page to your course

3) Rename the page to include your desired title

4) Edit the Tabs and Content to include your information by pasting your new content into the MIDDLE of each line (delete the existing content carefully before and after each - do NOT select entire rows when cutting and pasting.  Selecting an entire row or section will end up affecting the HTML code.)

What is FlipGrid?

Flipgrid allows you to assign a topic to students and have them respond with a video of themselves.  You can have students view and comment on each others' posts, or you can use it as an individual assessment or check for understanding.  You can control how long the maximum video length can be as well.

Integrating Flipgrid in Canvas

The great thing about having your Flipgrid account integrated with Canvas is that you can create all of your Topics directly in Canvas and then grade them in the SpeedGrader.  You won't have to go back and forth between Flipgrid and Canvas once you've integrated it.

To integrate your Flipgrid with Canvas:

1) Create an account in Flipgrid (you can sign in with either granitesd.org or graniteschools.org).

2) Click on the smiley face with sunglasses in the top right corner to add a new integration.

3) Click on integrations.  Log into Canvas and look at the name of the course you want to integrate.

4) Click Add New Integration and type the title into the name field. Click Create.

5) A secret code and key will automatically be generated.  At this point it is helpful to have Canvas open in one window and Flipgrid in another. In Canvas, you will open the course, click on Settings, then click on the Apps tab.  In Apps, search for Flipgrid.  Click "Add App". 

 6) Go back to Flipgrid and click copy on the consumer key.  On your open Canvas window, click the consumer key box and paste or Ctrl +V.  Do the same with the Shared Secret.

7) Once you've copied both parts and pasted them into Canvas, click Add App in Canvas.  You're done with that course!  You will need to repeat these steps for each course (starting at step 2 in Flipgrid for each one).

Office 365 Assignments

To add an assignment that uses an existing Word, PowerPoint, or other Office 365 file as a template for students to complete, follow these steps:

1. Click on Assignments and add a new assignment.

2. Edit the assignment, and give a description/instructions if necessary.

3. Assign point values as you normally would.

4. Under Submission Type, select, "External Tool" and click "Find".

5. In the list that populates, select Office 365 Cloud Assignment (the tools are in alphabetical order, but for some unknown reason, the Office 365 LTI shows up right above Nearpod . . . sometimes the alphabet is hard).

6. Click "Select"

7. Choose who to assign the assignment to and what the due date will be.

8. Save and publish!  You're done!

Please note:  If your assignment doesn't load in the screen as it should, delete the assignment and start from step 1.  Occasionally (especially if you have tried to make changes to the external tool in the middle of creating the assignment), it might have an error.  The solution is just to delete it and redo it.

Google Assignments

The Google LTI works very similarly to the Office 365 integration.  The only difference is that with the External Tool, you will search for Google Assignments (LTI 1.3) in the list instead of for the Office 365 Cloud assignment (see the image below).

Other than that, the steps are identical to creating an Office 365 assignment.  Students will log in the first time using their @granitesd.org email just as they would access any other Google product.

Nearpod Assignments

Follow the same steps that you used for the Office and Google integrations, selecting Nearpod as your tool.  You will need to authenticate your Nearpod account by clicking on the Nearpod link in the right hand menu of your Canvas course prior to creating the assignment.  You will use the Office 365 SSO (single sign-on) to access your Granite Nearpod license.