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Overview
Overview
When using MindTap, there are technically 4 correct ways to use the content in your courses! You can start with Canvas and make a Cengage course. You can create a new course in Cengage and then link it to your Canvas. On this page, we will show you how to create a new Cengage course from within Canvas. This method is a best practice since it will directly link your course automatically, and it allows students to access courses without any form of sign-up!
Each semester, you get a new "course shell" in Canvas to copy your content into. Similarly, each semester, you will need a new Cengage course, which can also copy previous MindTap assignments. The new Canvas course will be linked to the new Cengage course!
- Canvas Course Copy
Open your OLD course in Canvas. (The previous semester you taught the course.)
Look at the very top in the URL box. Write down that course number! (This will NOT match the TXWES course ID. That is ok. This is something different.)
Open your NEW course for the current semester in Canvas. Click "Home" at the top left.
Click "Import Existing Content" at the top right.
Select "Copy a Canvas Course", input the number from the URL, All or Specific content, Adjust dates - Remove Dates
If you don't want to copy the old syllabus and announcements, click "Select Specific Content". You'll click import at the bottom THEN it will allow you to select content categories to copy.
Copying old announcements means students can see the OLD announcements from the first day of class! Also, re-sending old announcements may mean it doesn't go to student emails like normal.
We highly recommend not copying old announcements.
Click "Import," and the system will process the request. Leaving the page will not disrupt the course copy in progress.
2. Link Courses (Use Option A or Option B, then continue to step #3)
2. Link Courses (Use Option A or Option B, then continue to step #3)
Option A: Copying Old Canvas Course
If you're copying an old Canvas course, it will copy all the old MindTap links and assignments with it.
It will also copy all settings and customizations from the previous semester.
To re-establish a NEW link to a NEW Cengage course, click on any Cengage link in your modules. This starts the process of linking your new courses. Next, click "Copy An Existing Course", then continue to follow the instructions below in Step 2...
Did you upgrade to a new edition of the textbook? Contact Michelle at Cengage! Cengage must "send" the new textbook to the Canvas server before you can use it. It'll take 48 hours at most. Contact Michelle at: michelle.kavanaugh@cengage.com . If you cannot reach her, then contact Jill Quinn at: jill.quinn@cengage.com
Option B: Linking Cengage for the First Time
In your new semester's Canvas course, click Settings at the bottom of the course menu.
Go to the Navigation tab.
Click the 3 dots to the right of Cengage and select Enable.
Scroll down and CLICK SAVE!!!
Cengage will now display in your main course menu
Click Cengage from the course menu
If you get a pop-up, click "Authorize" in blue
Log in to your Cengage account (you are still inside your Canvas course website!)
Click Add Homework Platform
Select this if you're using WebAssign or MindTap
If you are only using the e-book for your course and not any exercises, quizzes, or other content, then click Add eBook
Find your correct textbook and click Link to Course
Remember to double-check the year and edition!
Next, select Create A New Course
Here's an explanation of the options on the screen:
Copy existing course: you want to re-use MindTap assignments from a previous semester
Create a new course: you're setting up MindTap for the first time and need to add assignments (or you want to do different assignments than you used before)
Link to an existing course: you already logged into the Cengage website, and created a new course inside Cengage.
Copy from a course key: if another professor shares their key with you, you can copy their assignments with it
Enter the course details
Set the start date to the first day of class (not early as this will impact the access window at the end of the semester!)
Set the end date to a week after the last day of class
Gradebook Settings
Select the Add Activity Score option. This will add each assignment individually to your Canvas grade book. Otherwise, it will average all MindTap assignments together into 1 grade in Canvas.
Click Continue
There will be a "Course Imported" pop up, then you will be re-directed back to your Canvas course.
Cengage will automatically drop a link into a module. This link is what students will use to register.
Click the 3 dots to the right of the link and edit to be named: "MindTap Student Registration Link"
3. Add Individual Assignments to Canvas
3. Add Individual Assignments to Canvas
Click Cengage from the course menu
Select the textbook
Expand chapter sections and check the boxes of assignments you want to add
The boxes on the right need to be checked if the assignment will be graded and added to the Canvas gradebook
Click Continue
All assignment links will drop into the modules.
These assignments will also show up in the Assignments section of the course, and in the Gradebook automatically
Settings & Important Notes
Settings & Important Notes
Where's the Cengage Gradebook?
Locate the gray panel on the right side of your screen. Select the icon at the very bottom that looks like a person with a half-green circle.
How do I Grade Sync or Due Date Sync?
Go to the grade book, then click Gradebook Actions at the top right.
Note: we recommend syncing a specific assignment if it's causing issues, rather than the entire grade book. Full grade book sync can take 1-24 hrs before you can sync again.
How do I select which assignments I want to bring into Canvas?
Click "Cengage" from Canvas course menu
When you see the textbook, click Select Content
From the list of Parts/Units/Chapters, expand the sections and check the boxes of your desired assignments.
The checkbox on the right being checked means the assignment will be graded AND added to the Canvas grade book.
Set due dates in Cengage:
Settings due dates in Canvas = due dates will NOT flow back to MindTap
Setting due dates in MindTap = due dates will flow back to Canvas and display in the course as well
Putting dates in MindTap will save you time
A Canvas due date is really the "access" to the assignment LINK. A due date in Cengage is the TRUE due date for the actual assignment.
Potential due date sync issue with copied assignments:
If due dates are copied over from the old term, sometimes it can cause a due date sync issue.
To update all due dates in Canvas, go to the grade book inside of Cengage, click the Gear Icon, then click Due Date Sync.
Sometimes due dates and other settings can take up to 20 minutes to reflect in Canvas.
Ok.. but how where do I go to change Cengage due dates?
In your internet browser, go to the main Cengage website and login.
Click "My Courses" on the left, then click the blue title of the desired course
See the two orange toggles at the top? Turn the Edit toggle GREEN.
Expand the chapters and find your assignment
Click the edit pencil to the right of the assignment
Now you can edit due dates, availability and description.
How do I change detailed assignment settings, like number of attempts, timed quizzes, shuffling questions, and number of points?
Follow all the steps in the previous question above to get to the assignment edit screen.
Click the "Edit Assignment Options" button
In the next screen, you can make all edits and click "Update set".
Locking Down Access to Assignments:
To completely lock students out of an assignment:
Due dates in Canvas don't do anything to Cengage. Students can still click around in Cengage and see all the assignments for the semester.
Setting due dates & availability dates in Cengage means students absolutely cannot access assignments until you want them to!
Set window of access and late penalty:
You can set the assignment to allow student submissions for a set time (ex: a week after the due date), and apply a late penalty automatically.
Go to the grade book, Settings tab, and click "Set Late Policy"
Select the desired assignments with the checkboxes, then select the window of time & penalty from the drop-down boxes at the top. Click SAVE!!!
The list of assignments in Cengage will show an L icon to indicate a late policy has been applied.
Basic Troubleshooting Steps
Basic Troubleshooting Steps
Students cannot access Cengage toward end of semester:
Cengage allows student access for a certain period of time before it is cut off
Why you might extend access:
You need more time to grade before final grades are submitted
A student gets an "I" incomplete grade and needs time to submit assignments after last day of class
Students report access errors in the last couple weeks of the semester
How to extend access:
Log into the Cengage website and go to My Courses.
Click "Edit" below the course title
Change the "start" date to a couple weeks later (Change 10 Jan to 30 Jan start date)
ALL Students MindTap grades aren't in grade book:
Take the link out and then re-add the link
Looking at Canvas modules, find the assignment that's not working
Click 3 dots to far right, click Remove
Click Assignments
Click 3 dots by assignment and click Delete
Click Cengage in course menu
Click Course content
Expand sections to find the assignment
Check the box for that SPECIFIC assignment (not all in the course)
Click continue
Force a grade sync
In Cengage website, find the gray panel along the right side of your screen. Click the person/circle icon at the very bottom to access the gradebook.
Click Gradebook Actions
Select Sync/Force Grade Sync
Select the assignment and click Sync (start with this one because selecting the entire grade book sync can take 1-24 hours to complete before you can sync again)
If the forced grade sync for the assignment didn't work, go back into the grade book and select to force sync the entire gradebook.
If that doesn't work, contact Cengage faculty-only support line
ONE Student's grades aren't syncing to grade book:
Problem:
More than likely, the student is accessing the assignment incorrectly.
Students MUST click the assignment link (in Modules or in the Assignments section of course... not "Cengage" in the menu or Googling the website)
If a student goes from one assignment to the next from inside the Cengage website, it will cause a sync issue. They must click the assignment link in Canvas for EACH assignment.
Solution:
Have the student go into Canvas and click the assignment link in the module. That should establish the connection, and their grade should update sync.
Want a 1-on-1 Training Session?
Want a 1-on-1 Training Session?
Contact Michelle if you'd like a Cengage trainer to meet with you virtually, going step by step through your course to make sure all your content is linked correctly!
Cengage will also have someone meet virtually during the first day of class to help solve any issues students have when clicking the MindTap registration link in your course!
Contact Michelle if interested:
Michelle Kavanaugh
michelle.kavanaugh@cengage.com
Watch our Custom TXWES Training over these steps
Watch our Custom TXWES Training over these steps
Watch this 45-minute recording, hosted by Jessie McDowell (CETL) and Jill Quinn (Cengage)!
This video walks through all the steps listed above, including the troubleshooting steps. Click the link below to access the video, and copy/paste the password included below the link.
Passcode: 86i5+Azl
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