Understanding By Design Unit: Canvas LMS

Title of Unit
Curriculum Area
Developed By

Canvas: An Introduction
Technology Integration in all class levels and
subjects
Laramy Wells

Grade Level
Time Frame

Staff Development
Staff meeting: 45-60 minutes

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Content Standards
ISTE Teacher Standards: (1, 2, 3, & 5)
1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity. Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and
technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual
environments.
2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments. Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic
learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context
and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards.
3. Model digital age work and learning. Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative
professional in a global and digital
society.
5. Engage in professional growth and leadership. Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong
learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of
digital tools and resources.

Understandings

Teachers will understand that Canvas is a tool to provide

online resources and assessments.
They will understand that they can use Canvas in tandem
with many other technology tools.
They will be able to setup notifications through Canvas.
They will understand the process of creating a course on
Canvas.
Teachers will understand Canvas as a tool for both
introducing content and assessing it, and should feel
comfortable and confident about using this tool in their
instruction and teaching their students to use it as well.

Essential Questions

What is Canvas?
How can Canvas be used an instructional tool?
How do would you plan to incorporate this into your
future instruction?
How do you create a course?
How do you upload and manage files?
What are the advantages of teachers and students using
Canvas?

Knowledge

Skills

Teachers will know

Teachers will be able to

Teachers will know what Canvas is, how to create a course, and how
to upload and manage files for student use.

Understand what Canvas is and how it can be integrated into

their instruction. They will also watch a video about how to
create a course. They will learn about uploading files and sharing
them with the students.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
Goal
Role
Audience
Product/Performan
ce

Teachers will be introduced to Canvas as a tool for introducing content as well as a tool or assessing students.
They will view a video about the purpose of Canvas and discuss the best uses of Canvas in the classroom. They
will learn about uploading and managing files for student use.
Teacher, evaluator
Any level of learner
You will learn how to create a Canvas course. You will have the opportunity to create your own course and
upload files. You will be shown how to edit your profile and notification preferences as well as file permissions.

Other Evidence
1. Participate in an open discussion of Canvas and provide verbal feedback to the instructor.
2. Complete assignments and assessments at the end of each section to demonstrate understanding.
3. Complete a written evaluation on the workshop.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

The Hook
Getting to Know Canvas

Editing the Profile

Conversations
Online vs. Hybrid Courses

Creating a New Course

Files

We start the presentation with a video that promotes Canvas. It is a parody of the classic
Apple Super Bowl commercial.
I will play another video featuring the CEO of Instructure about the philosophy of Canvas. We
will then discuss how Canvas can be the key to bridging student understanding and getting
the students involved in their education.
Steps on editing the Canvas user profile. A discussion on how this is the foundation of
communication through Canvas. The profile is how you will communicate with students and
how Canvas will contact you.
Learners will compare and contrast traditional email with Canvass conversation feature. We
will look into connecting Canvas to personal web services like personal email and Twitter.
Canvas can be utilized as a fully implemented course or in conjunction with an already
existing face-to-face course. We will discuss the importance of both and how Canvas can
assist in both decisions.
I will cover the steps for creating a course and all of the options associated with it. We will
discuss the differences between the various homepages and why an educator would choose
one over the other. We will also discuss keeping the course simple and how to adjust the
navigation of the course to aide the students with accessing what they need.
We will conclude with the process for uploading files so that students can access course
material from anywhere.

Appendix: Rubrics and Assessments

Setting Up a Course Assessment

1) An online course is one in which
a. Students can participate from anywhere, at different times of day
b. Course outcomes are modified due to the restrictions of the online environment
c. Students should be asked to complete online work a minimum number of times
d. Students are held to a strict schedule for online lectures and assignments
2) Canvas favors simplicity over a highly customizable look.
a. True
b. False
3) By default, some course links are disabled in Canvas courses.
a. True
b. False
4) Course Navigation Links will not appear for students if the instructor has hidden them of if there is not
content for those links.
a. True

b. False
5) To customize the navigation, the instructor can use the Navigation tab located in
a. Files
b. People
c. Home
d. Settings
6) In the Navigation tab an instructor cannot drag and drop links to the bottom of the Navigation pane to
remove them from student view.
a. True
b. False
7) The option to enter Student View is located in
a. People
b. Home
c. Settings
d. Files
8) A key goal when customizing the Canvas interface for your class is
a. Simplicity
b. Building workarounds for the limited flexibility of the interface
c. Changing the colors of the navigation
d. Using every feature in Canvas

Adding Files Assessment

9) Files can be uploaded using the Files tool
a. True
b. False
10)
Files can be unlocked by: (Check all that apply)
a. Manually unlocking the file in the Files manager, by clicking on the lock icon.
b. Setting them to be unlocked only if they are linked from a page or from the Modules.
c. By setting a Lock Date on the file
d. Making sure that the Files link is available to students in the course navigation
11)
To make regular file and enter folder upload easier, Canvas has a drag and drop feature in the file
manager.
a. True
b. False

12)
a.
b.
c.
d.
13)
a.
b.
c.
d.
14)
a.
b.
15)
a.
b.
c.
d.
16)
a.
b.
c.
d.

Files can be used to present students with:

A document that theyll print out for use in class
A list of linked readings for the week
An embedded video for YouTube
A link to an external site
Canvas will accept which of the following types of files?
PDFs of Book Chapters
Special files, like image files, for class exercises
Presentations in PowerPoint
All of these are correct
By default, all files uploaded into the course are visible to students.
True
False
The commonly-used browser that cannot do drag-and-drop file management is:
Internet Explorer
Chrome
Safari
Firefox
To add a folder to Canvas
Click on Files, then click Add Folder in the top right of the File Manager.
Download all my folders to my computer, then put them all in a folder and upload again.
Is not possible.
Create modules, then add the files to the modules.

Evaluation Survey
17)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
18)
a.

Rate your satisfaction with the level of instruction during this professional learning.
Its Perfect
I learned a few things.
Neutral
It was boring.
Please make changes immediately!
Rate your satisfaction with the usefulness of content during this professional learning.
Its Perfect

b.
c.
d.
e.
19)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
20)
21)
22)
a.
b.
c.

I might use some of this

Neutral
I cant use this information
Please make changes immediately!
Rate you satisfaction with the length of the professional learning.
Its Perfect
I didnt mind the time
Neutral
It was a little long
Please Shorten This Thing Immediately!
Please use the space below to comment on the most useful part of this training.
Please use the space below to comment on how this training could be modified.
Would you be interested in receiving more training of a similar nature to this professional learning?
Yes
No
Not Sure