Snapshot
Your name, title, etc.: Alexis Chambers, M.S., Lecturer
The school/department you teach for: Department of Health and Human Performance
Discipline: Exercise and Sports Science
Class size: ~40-50 students
Tip #1: Changing the usage rights for files
Canvas requires you to manage the usage rights for every file that is uploaded, which can get tedious. However, there is a simple way to manage the usage rights and student access for all files at once. When you access your files under the Files tab in Canvas, select all of your files (click the top file, and while holding the shift key, select the last file). Once all of your files are selected, click the “copyright” button (shown below). This will allow you to change the usage rights and manage student access of the files you have selected all at once.
Changing the usage rights for files
Indicate the copyright for all files
Tip #2: Validate Links in Content tool
Before I discovered this tool, I would spend hours in the student view, clicking every link to make sure it was accessible for students, and I would still get emails from students saying they couldn’t access certain materials. The Validate Links in Content tool does the work for you! It searches your course content for invalid or unreachable links and images on your site with the click of a button. From your course home page, go to Settings. On the right-hand side of your screen, you will see the link (shown below). Once on the validate links page, click Start Link Validation. After a few seconds, it will give you a list of the items posted on your site that are unreachable.
Click Validate Links in Content
Tip #3: Zoom office hour signups
Description: Being in the middle of the pandemic has caused many instructors to switch to online office hours through Zoom. Instead of being logged into Zoom and waiting for when (and if) students attend, I have found an easy way for students to sign up for office hours that will notify you if a student plans on attending the session. On the far-left side of your screen (in the maroon toolbar), click the Calendar tool. From the calendar, click the “+” button to add an event (office hours); this is shown below. You will then create an Appointment Group (shown below). From here, you will include the information about your office hours (day, time, etc.). It also allows you to divide the time into equal slots for students to sign up for. In the Details section, I include the Zoom link for the students.
Set up an Appointment Group