Creating Your Own Courses Using Canvas

2/26/2020

Update (May 21, 2020) - This post has been updated to include a new video on awarding digital badges in Canvas.
Update (May 27, 2020) - This post has been updated to include a new video on using digital badges and module prerequisites to create differentiated learner pathways in an employee training course.
Update (October 5, 2020) - This post has been updated to include a new video in how to create your own new Canvas Free for Teachers account.

Some of the most fun instructional design courses that I have facilitated have been ones where participants actually design, develop, and pilot test their own online learning course modules. I like to use the Canvas Free for Teachers platform for these types of projects because it is a robust and easy-to-use LMS. I frequently use the platform to run some of my instructional design and educational technology-themed courses.

I recently held a tutorial session for one such course, where I walked students through the steps of getting started with the building phase for their pilot projects using the Canvas learning management system. While running the live tutorial session (via the Adobe Connect web conferencing platform), I recorded my demonstrations. I then used Screencast-O-Matic to edit the footage, add closed captions, and produce a series of videos focusing on how to get up and running with your own courses in Canvas. This series of videos covers:

Creating a New Canvas Course "Shell"
Configuring Basic Canvas Course Settings
Creating Canvas Content Pages
Setting a Canvas Course Home Page
Working with Images in Canvas
Embedding Web Content in Canvas
Creating Assignments in Canvas
Creating and Organizing Canvas Content Modules
Testing and Publishing Your Canvas Course
Adding and Managing Canvas Course Participants
Backing Up and Importing Canvas Course Content

The Creating Courses in Canvas Playlist

Access the full Creating Courses in Canvas playlist on YouTube.

Using Adaptive Release Conditions with Quizzes

Want to know how to set up a quiz that students must complete before moving on to the next lesson in Canvas? In this video, I demonstrate how to use the Requirements and Prerequisite settings in Canvas modules to create adaptive release conditions based on successfully passing a quiz.

Awarding Digital Badges

Want to gamify your Canvas course by awarding digital badges or eBadges? In this video, I demonstrate how to connect the Badgr eBadge platform to Canvas, and how to award eBadges based on Canvas module completion requirements.

Creating Differentiated Pathways

Want to learn how to use Module prerequisites and digital badges to created differentiated pathways in an employee training course in Canvas?

Measure Twice, Cut Once...

Architects prepare blueprints before contractors set about building houses or office towers. Engineers prepare schematics before technicians construct complex machinery. The same process holds in eLearning development. As Adeboye (2014) explains, without preparing a map of what an online module should look like, it’s easy to suffer from scope creep (the scope of the project continuously growing, because there are now criteria to indicate what needs to be done, and when it is done). It’s also possible for you, as a developer, to get lost and start feeling over your head. Adeboye also describes some of the key components that you should be including in a storyboard for an online teaching module.

Gutierrez (2014) provides some more useful tips on how to get started in her article A Simple Guide to Creating Your First eLearning Storyboard. In the following video, I demonstrate how I use an Excel spreadsheet-based blueprint when I build online courses. In this example, I am using the storyboard for a course that I developed for Athabasca University using the Moodle learning management system.

Penn State (2016) provides downloadable blueprint templates that you can use to design your own online course modules. Or, you could download my Sample Blueprint Template or Sample Excel Blueprint. Alternatively, you could create your own template, or use one from your own institution.

More Resources

The following blog posts provide some additional resources that are helpful as you design and build your online learning resources. Some of these provide tips and tricks to maximize Digital Accessibility. Others focus on humanizing the online learning experience, helping students to optimize their time with course readings and discussions, and how to use YouTube effectively in your online courses.

References

Adeboye, D. (2014, Oct 21). Principles of Storyboarding for e-Learning design. [YouTube Video]. Available from https://youtu.be/l9PZ2bEuKFA

Gutierrez, K. (2014, September 25). A Simple Guide to Creating Your First eLearning Storyboard [Web log post]. Available from http://info.shiftelearning.com/blog/a-simple-guide-to-creating-your-first-elearning-storyboard

Instructure (n.d.). Canvas: Free for Teacher. [Web page]. Available from https://canvas.instructure.com/login/canvas

Penn State. (2016). Course Blueprint and Audit Template. [Web page]. Available from http://facdev.e-education.psu.edu/plan/audit

Power, R. (2018, June 12). Accessibility in Online Teaching and Learning. [Web log post]. Power Learning Solutions. Available from https://www.powerlearningsolutions.com/blog/accessibility-in-online-teaching-and-learning

Power, R. (2019, January 13). Optimizing Your Time with Online Courses. [Web log post]. Power Learning Solutions. Available from https://www.powerlearningsolutions.com/blog/optimizing-your-time-with-online-courses

Power, R. (2019, January 14). Using YouTube to Share Video in an Online Course. [Web log post]. Power Learning Solutions. Available from https://www.powerlearningsolutions.com/blog/using-youtube-to-share-video-in-an-online-course

Power, R. (2019, January 22). Adding a Human Touch to Online Learning, Right From the Start! [Web log post]. Power Learning Solutions. Available from https://www.powerlearningsolutions.com/blog/adding-a-human-touch-to-online-learning-right-from-the-start

Power, R. (2019, February 17). Using Storyboards to Develop eLearning Courses. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/Ua4bWufBRgo

Power, R. (2020, February 13). Helping Everyone Access Your Online Learning Resources. [Web log post]. Power Learning Solutions. Available from https://www.powerlearningsolutions.com/blog/helping-everyone-access-your-online-learning-resources

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Adding and Managing Canvas Course Participants. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/qXDQpPCRHzQ

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Backing Up and Importing Canvas Course Content. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/dowQ5-0FB74

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Configuring Basic Canvas Course Settings. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/cCd-mjp0lmg

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Creating a New Course in Canvas. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/CM9OeqID0Zs

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Creating and Organizing Canvas Content Modules. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/2ljQ2AXCG7M

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Creating Assignments in Canvas. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/CeRZ_9KO7uI

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Creating Canvas Content Pages. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/UISNpTFSoDs

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Embedding Web Content in Canvas. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/1arVnjuxta4

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Setting a Canvas Course Home Page. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/OZWOQY22p5k

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Testing and Publishing Your Canvas Course. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/2jlZyfVmw0k

Power, R. (2020, February 26). Working With Images in Canvas. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/26l4Dyj5jLU

Power, R. (2020, March 12). Using a Quiz for Adaptive Release in Canvas. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/8zPsh2Jwwlo

Power, R. (2020, May 21). Adding Digital Badges in Canvas Using Badgr. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/9FonuygaP60

Power, R. (2020, May 27). Differentiated Pathways with Badges in Canvas Courses. [YouTube video]. Available from https://youtu.be/TWjLWKsJEPc

Publicdomainvectors.org (2020). Under construction road sign. [Image file]. Available from https://publicdomainvectors.org/en/free-clipart/Under-construction-road-sign/80023.html

Screencast-O-Matic (2019). Video Creation for Everyone. [Web page]. Available from https://screencast-o-matic.com/

Slade, Tim (2017, February 26). 250+ Free Stock Photos for eLearning. [Web log post]. Timslade.com. Available from https://timslade.com/blog/stock-photos-for-elearning/

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