Microsoft OneDrive and Canvas

Microsoft OneDrive and Canvas (Instructors)

The Microsoft OneDrive integration brings your OneDrive and Microsoft 365 files directly into your Canvas workflows, including organizing your OneDrive files, creating and grading assignments, and initiating collaborations using your OneDrive files. Microsoft Office 365 is free for students, staff, and faculty, you may download and install Microsoft Office on up to five devices. 

View and Edit OneDrive Files in Course Navigation

Files stored in OneDrive can be viewed through the Microsoft OneDrive link when enabled in your Course Navigation. Files in Microsoft OneDrive are your personal files and only visible to you, unless shared through other methods such as linked documents in an announcement, module, or assignment. Review How do I view my Microsoft 365 files in Canvas?

If you have never used OneDrive and are accessing it within Canvas for the first time, OneDrive Picker will not appear nor display an error. To resolve this, visit https://onedrive.com/ and sign into your TWU OneDrive account. After signing in, you will be able to access the OneDrive Picker within Canvas.

Embed a File from Your OneDrive

You can upload files from OneDrive into your Canvas course anywhere where you can use the Rich Content Editor within the Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages, Quizzes, and Syllabus feature. Embedding or linking a file from OneDrive creates a one-time copy of that document in the location it is embedded or linked (Announcements, Assignments etc.), and is accessible from that location only, while the original file is still located in OneDrive. If changes need to be made to the embedded or linked document, you must re-link or re-embed the file. Review How do I create a hyperlink from Microsoft Office 365 in the Rich Content Editor?

You can create an online assignment that embeds a Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel file directly from your OneDrive. Cloud assignments are created using the External Tool submission type. When students open the assignment, a unique copy of the document is created and added to the student’s OneDrive folder. Instructors can view the final submission for each student’s edited copy of the assignment in SpeedGrader for grading. After a Microsoft OneDrive cloud assignment is published, it should not be edited. If you edit it, a new document will be created and shared with students. If the students have attempted the previous assignment and you share a new assignment, the previous work of the students will be lost. Review the following documents:

• How do I create an online assignment?

• How do I create a cloud assignment with a Microsoft Office 365 file?

Note: There are currently a few limitations on assignments

• You cannot use Microsoft Office 365 files in an external tool for group assignments.

• You must select either the File Uploads option or both the Website URL and File Uploads options to use the Office 365 tab on the assignment submission page. If you only select Website URL as an entry option, the Office 365 tab will not function properly.

• If you want to use a Canvas rubric for the assignment, you must add the rubric before setting the External Tool submission type. Create the assignment with any other submission type, save the assignment, add the rubric, and then edit the assignment to select the External Tool. Review How do I add a rubric to an assignment?

Create Collaborations from Your OneDrive

At this time, we do not recommend you use OneDrive LTI Collaborations in your course. People Groups and editing are not options in the current version of OneDrive LTI Collaborations.

You can create collaborations with an existing Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file from your OneDrive, so learners can work together on shared documents in real-time. Collaborations can be assigned to individuals or groups in your course. Review the following documents:

• How do I create a Microsoft Office 365 collaboration as an instructor?

• How do I delete a collaboration as an instructor?

Support Options

1. Contact an Instructional Designer to design learning activities for students, train to use OneDrive features, or talk about effective ways to interact with students using Collaborations in your Canvas courses.

2. Canvas Support will be available 24/7 by phone, live chat, or email through the Help menu within Canvas after you have logged in. For more information see How to Contact Canvas Support.

3. If you are unable to log in, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 940-898-3971 or servicedesk@twu.edu for assistance.