Build Your Course in Canvas:

We recommend the following steps when starting to build your course in the Canvas LMS. 

You can also download the accessible PDF version of our checklist for building a course in Canvas.

Locate your test course: All instructors have one test course automatically created in their Canvas account. A test course can be leveraged to explore Canvas features or used to build content for future “real” courses. Your test course should appear on your Canvas Dashboard and in your Courses tab in the left navigation menu. The course name will include “Instructor Test Course” and your OHIO ID.

• If you’d like additional test courses, you can submit a request for a manually created course.

1. Import a Template

• Learn about the OHIO Canvas Templates
• Applying the OHIO Canvas Course Templates

2. Build Assignments: Visit the Assignments Page from the left-hand navigation menu and create the graded assignments for your course. Depending on the template you selected, there may be assignments you can customize, or you can duplicate the existing assignments to meet your needs. Canvas assignments include discussions, assignments, and quizzes.

• Assignments, Quizzes, and Grading
• Uploading Blackboard Original Tests, Surveys, Pools, and Rubrics to Canvas

3. Create Learning Pathways: Construct learning pathways on the Modules page. Depending on the template you selected, you may create learning pathways in weekly folders, modules, or course files.

• Modules Overview

4. Customize the materials and content: Customize the template prompts with materials, checklists for students, and other content. Be sure to add your Syllabus.

• Download your Course Files from Blackboard
• Upload Blackboard Files to Canvas
• Sharing Panopto Content Between Blackboard and Canvas
• Embedding Panopto Videos in a Canvas Course
• Third-party integrations (publisher content and add-on tools)
• Canvas Accessibility Checker 

5. Merging Courses in Canvas (Cross-Listing): Merging courses in Canvas allows you to combine individual course sections (child courses) into one Canvas course (a parent course). Canvas refers to this process as "cross listing". Cross-listing does not affect course registration or how course sections appear in the University's Course Offerings but allows instructors to facilitate instruction for multiple sections in one space. 

6. Double-check Course Settings: Check your canvas course  settings (grade book, etc.)

• Course Settings
• Gradebook Settings
• Student View
• Availability Setting (publish the course) 

Didn't find what you are looking for?

Explore our meticulously curated collection of Canvas resources, thoughtfully handpicked by our team to guide you in commencing your teaching journey with Canvas.