This is a Guest Post and forms part of our My Canvas Tips series.

---

Snapshot

Your name, title, etc.: Kamarie Carter; Student Development Specialist II and US 1100 Instructor

The school/department you teach for: Office of Distance and Extended Learning; University College

Discipline: Online Learning; Student Success

Class size: 23

---

Tip #1: Keep Canvas Simple

Description: There are many shortcuts to add to your navigation menu in your Canvas course, but you won’t need all of them. Try to only show navigation shortcuts that are absolutely necessary for students. The more shortcuts in your navigation menu, the more overwhelmed a student can feel when trying to find something in your course. For example, you don’t necessarily need Quizzes and Discussions in your navigation menu if students only need to complete 1-2 quizzes and/or discussion boards. These can be linked in pages within Modules, where students will go more often, and it will clean up the navigation menu if you remove them. A clean Canvas site (and a clean and short navigation menu) can really help students feel more comfortable and confident as they navigate your course.

Tip #2: Save Your Work!

Description: Did you spend a significant amount of time making your course perfect? Did you love what you created and want to use that in the future? Save yourself time and add it to Commons Favorites! After you save modules, quizzes, files, etc., to Commons Favorites, you can easily import them into your next course. It will save you a ton of time, guaranteed.

Tip #3: Make Sign-Ups Easier with the Scheduling Tool

Description: If you want to require office hours or group presentations, make your life a little easier by using the scheduling tool. You can select dates, times, and meeting frequencies, and then have them added to your course calendar so students can sign up for them! Just a few clicks, and your sign-up sheet is done. Students can sign up for meeting times via the course calendar, and you can even send a general announcement to those who signed up for a meeting on the same day. Just click Calendar in your far-left navigation menu, then the plus (+) button at the upper right of the calendar, then Appointment Group.