The Canvas of Things

Read this SMORE carefully for the latest Canvas updates, new releases, strategies, tips, and trainings.

The following are new Canvas releases that you might be interested in knowing about. Read this update and think about ways that it can impact your learning environment positively.

Many teachers have voiced, "I wish I could remove the Course Summary in my Syllabus. That enormous list of assignments and due dates is overwhelming for my students."

Now, teachers, with this change, can remove the auto-generated Course Summary section in the Syllabus

In pages or assignments with the Rich Content Editor, the editor autosaves any content that hasn’t yet been submitted for up to one hour. This feature helps users retain new or edited content that may otherwise be lost from inadvertent browser reloads, loss of internet connection, or navigating to another window.

If you would like to read the breakdown of the functionality of each section on the RCE, please watch this video and read and explore these Release Notes.

In a remote, virtual setting, announcements can be a very powerful communication and instructional tool.

Watch this video to see an overview of how to create an announcement in the Announcement Index.

Explore these Canvas Guides that unpacking specifics about how to leverage announcements for student learning.

When you think about using announcements, think about creating announcements that do three things:

1. Celebrate
2. Inform
3. Instruct

Examine the following slide deck to learn about to build announcements that meet the above three criteria and the tools to help you get there.

Canvas is Le-Jit!!!!!

During the week of March 30-April 3, 2020, you will have the opportunity to attend 8 Canvas It's Le-JiT sessions.

Here is the breakdown of each session:

1. March 30, 2020 (9:00-10:00am) - Canvas Modules are Le-JiT
2. March 30, 2020 (2:00-3:00pm) - Canvas Pages are Le-JiT
3. March 31, 2020 (10:00-11:00) - Canvas Assignments are Le-JiT (Notice time change)
4. March 31, 2020 (2:00-3:00pm) - Canvas Quizzes are Le-JiT
5. April 1, 2020 (9:00-10:00am) - Canvas Communication is Le-JiT (Announcements, Discussions, Inbox)
6. April 1, 2020 (2:00-3:00pm) - Canvas Speedgrader/Gradebook is Le-JiT
7. April 2, 2020 (9:00-10:00pm) - Canvas & PowerTeacher Pro are Le-JiT
8. April 2, 2020 (2:00-3:00pm) - Canvas Tips & Tricks are Le-JiT
9. April 3, 2020 (9:00-10:00am) - Canvas Apps are Le-JiT
10. April 3, 2020 (2:00-3:00pm) - Master Path is Le-JiT

To access each session visit the Secondary Remote Learning Toolkit. You can review the calendar and access each session from the calendar.

Sessions are delivered through the Zoom platform

You will learn about each Canvas component and how to leverage it for student learning. You will also have time to go and practice what you learned.

CEUs are available (.1 for each session = 1.0 for all ten sessions) for Digital Learning Credit.

Come and be "Le-JiT.

There are a plethora of ways for you to experiment and color your Canvas learning. Read about the possible avenues to enrich, grow, and extend your knowledge and skills as a Canvas artist.

1. Canvas Palooza Micro-Credential (MC) Stack: Through iQuest, there are several Canvas micro-credentials you can complete. Go to the I-SS iQuest Online Professional Page, click on the Micro-Credential tab, and complete the 7 steps to enroll in a Micro-Credential Stack. Once you have completed the 7 steps, click on the Canvas Palooza MC Stack. You can choose to participate in one or all of the available micro-credentials: Leveling Up Your Canvas with Engaging Learners with Canvas (Basics, Intermediate, or Advanced) or hone your Canvas feature skills with Using Flipgrid in Canvas. More MCs are being developed, so stay tuned.
   
   
2. Canvas of Things: Join other Canvas users for a one-day Canvas learning experience on March 28, 2020 from 9-3 at Union County Schools Professional Development Center. Sessions for both beginners and intermediate level Canvas usages are available. Click to Register.
   
   
3. Growing with Canvas: Interested in building your capacity in Canvas and becoming a Canvas ninja? Go to the I-SS iQuest Online Professional Page and complete the 7 steps to enroll in a Full Course. Once you complete the 7 steps, you can click on the Growing with Canvas card to self-enroll .This learning experience is self--paced and along the ay you will submit activities and earn seven total badges. At the conclusion of Growing with Canvas, you can request a certificate of participation for 1.2 CEUs which can be used for DLC credit.
   
   
4. Canvas Live: Canvas Live is a portal of online learning searchable by categories (lower right) such as student engagement, content design, and Assessment & Grading.
   
   
5. Canvas Webinars for Newbies: Evening webinars to meet the needs of busy professionals. Each topic has a 4:00 and a 7:00 session. These session are sponsored by Canvas and NCDPI. Access these details to register. Webinar topics cover a range of Canvas features.

I receive a great many emails about support needs. The problem that arises is the inability to track those requests and to evaluate the trends. Is there a pattern to the kinds of questions that are being asked? If the patterns exist, I can create some resources that do not exist, or conduct some specialized training support to help with these issues.

Before you submit a ticket, please check out the Canvas Guides. The Guides will help you with the basic How Tos of using Canvas.

Please submitting help tickets for any Canvas support issues directly in Canvas (Canvas > Help > Report a Problem). Provide details of what the issue is, the URL of the course that is affected, and student names that are impacted, and specific assignments, discussions, quizzes that need to be looked at.

This will help me file and track problems and solutions effectively and efficiently.

Email: don_lourcey@iss.k12.nc.us
Website: https://www.issnc.org/departments/dtl/canvas
Location: 410 Garfield Street, Statesville, NC, USA
Phone: 704-832-2500
Twitter: @ISSDTL