Staff Guide

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Staff Guide: Canvas LMS Checklist for Academics

Introduction

Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) is a powerful platform that enables instructors to create engaging and effective online learning experiences.

This checklist will provide you with essential best practices and tips to create exceptional courses on Canvas. Let’s check the below checklist created by IHM’s/IHNA’s Learning Designer(LD) experts to ensure that you are taking the right pathway for course creation.

Course Creation and Organization:
Contact Instructional Design Team to ensure that the course is available in the LMS platform.

Provide the team with clear course name, code, and description for easy identification along with unit guide.

Organise course content into modules based on the curriculum structure.

Arrange modules in a logical sequence to facilitate learning progression.
- Discuss the interactive learning possibilities with LD’s and complete the interactive learning form request.
Content Development and Delivery:
Download the lecture slide template available in the course provided.

Ensure all content is updated in the slide for each module.

Pass it back to the LD team for a final check and edits. (you need to provide the slides back to LD’s prior 10 days of course commencement)

Once finalised, organise a meeting with the LD team.
Communication and Collaboration:
Enable course notifications to keep students informed about announcements, due dates, and grading updates.

Use Canvas Inbox or Discussions to facilitate communication between students and instructors.

Schedule lectures in zoom using the given instructions.
Assignments and Assessments:
Create and organise assignments, quizzes, and exams in respective modules based on the Assessment instruction

Set clear instructions, due dates, and submission requirements for each assignment using assessment templates.

Use rubrics for transparent grading criteria and feedback.
Assessing Student Performance:
Monitor student progress and participation through Canvas analytics and engagement reports.

Identify students who may need additional support based on their performance data.
Group Work and Collaborative Activities:
Set up and manage group assignments and discussions for collaborative learning experiences in Discussions.

Assign specific roles and responsibilities to group members for better coordination.
Academic Integrity and Online Proctoring:
Ensure academic integrity policies and honor codes is uploaded in the course welcome session and home page.

Use Proctorio Tool if necessary.
Accessibility and Universal Design:
Ensure course content and activities are accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities.

Use descriptive headings, alternative text, and closed captions for multimedia content.
Course Evaluation and Improvement:
Seek regular feedback from students through anonymous course evaluations or surveys

Analyse feedback to identify areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments.

Continuously update course content and activities to keep the course relevant and engaging.

By following this Canvas LMS checklist, academics can create well-structured and engaging courses that foster effective learning experiences for their students. Regularly reviewing and refining the course content based on feedback and analytics will ensure ongoing improvement and student success.