Canvas FAQ

From e-Learning Documentation

Revision as of 20:34, 5 February 2015

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for e-Learning in Canvas

How do I login to e-Learning in Canvas?

Please go to http://lss.at.ufl.edu and click the blue e-Learning in Canvas button. You will be prompted for your Gatorlink username and password. If you experience any issues with your username and/or password, please contact the UF Computing Help Desk at 352-392-4357.

Which browsers does Canvas support?

Canvas supports the last two versions of every browser release. We highly recommend updating to the newest version of whatever browser you are using as well as the most up-to-date Flash plug-in.

As of January 31, 2015, Canvas supports the most recent versions of Flash and popular web browsers:

• Internet Explorer 10 and 11
• Chrome 39 and 40
• Safari 7 and 8
• Firefox 34 and 35 (Extended Releases are not supported)
• Flash 15 and 16 (for recording or viewing audio/video and uploading files)
• Respondus Lockdown Browser (supporting the latest system requirements)

Some supported browsers may still produce a banner stating Your browser does not meet the minimum requirements for Canvas. If you have upgraded your browser but you are still seeing the warning banner, try logging out of Canvas and deleting your browser cookies. Please contact the UF Computing Help Desk at 352-392-4357 or visit http://helpdesk.ufl.edu/ if you need assistance with clearing your cache and cookies.

Where do I go for help with using Canvas?

• If you are a Student, please contact the UF Computing Help Desk at 352-392-4357 or via e-mail at helpdesk@ufl.edu.

• If you are an Instructor, Teaching Assistant, Facilitator, or other course role, please contact e-Learning Support Services at 352-392-4357 option 3 or via e-mail at learning-support@ufl.edu.

How do I create my course in Canvas?

To request a Canvas course, instructors should use the "Instructor e-Learning Course Request" forms located in the left-hand menu of the LSS homepage. You will receive an email which confirms your request and provides additional information about when your course will be created, how to access it, and links to more information.

Is there a workshop offered for instructors using Canvas?

Yes. You can see all of our upcoming training offerings at the UFIT Training web site.

How do I add participants to my course?

• Students will be enrolled automatically based on the Registrar database.
• You will not be able to add the users from within the Canvas course management system. Instead, you will be able to add these users via the My Canvas Course Management tool in myUFL. Please see the My Canvas Course Management: Adding Participants How-To Guide for more information on how to use this tool.
• If you need additional assistance with getting users enrolled in your course site, please contact e-Learning Support Services at 352-392-4357 option 3 or via e-mail at learning-support@ufl.edu.

NOTE: UF Online TAs are required to complete the TA Institute. Additionally, while it is possible to add students to the registrar sections of the course, when the roster is reconciled with the registrar, students who are not properly enrolled in the course will be automatically removed.

How do I add sections to my course?

• You will not be able to add the sections from within the Canvas course management system. Instead, you will be able to add sections via the My Canvas Course Management tool in myUFL. The My Canvas Course Management tool allows a course instructor to create non-registrar subsections within a course, as well as adding and removing participants. The instructor can then add participants to the subsections that have been created.
• Please see the My Canvas Course Management: Creating Sections How-To Guide for more information on how to use this tool.

NOTE: Instructors will not be able to create course shells within Canvas. To request a Canvas course, instructors should use the "Instructor e-Learning Course Request" forms located in the left-hand menu of the LSS homepage.

How do I remove participants from my course?

• You will not be able to remove users from within the Canvas course management system. Instead, you will be able to remove these users via the My Canvas Course Management tool in myUFL. Please refer to the My Canvas Course Management: Adding Participants How-To Guide for more information on how to use this function of the tool.
• If you need additional assistance with removing users from your course site, please contact e-Learning Support Services at 352-392-4357 option 3 or via e-mail at learning-support@ufl.edu.

Can I use Turnitin in Canvas?

Yes, the Turnitin (TII) API is integrated within the UF e-Learning in Canvas instance. This integration allows access to Turnitin Originality Checking without having to leave the Canvas environment or log into Turnitin directly. Please see the Assignments tutorial on how to use Turnitin in an Assignment.

What are APPS?

In the "Settings" section of your course, there is a tab that lists many apps which you could add to your course. Apps must be approved by UFIT Security prior to use in Canvas. The list of current Apps that are approved can be found . . . You may not add apps other than those approved on the list.

What do I need to do to close out my course at the end of the semester?

Your course will close automatically at the end of the semester based on the default semester end dates. If you need to adjust this date to leave your course open longer, in the toolbar:

1. Click Settings
2. Click Edit Course Details
3. Change the "Ends:" date
4. Click Update Course Details

You will want to save a copy of your gradebook to your computer for backup and ease of access in the future. Downloading your gradebook is part of the process to submit final grades to Grade-a-Gator.

How do I submit my final grades to Grade-a-Gator from the Canvas Gradebook?

Please visit the Format CSV file for Grade-A-Gator form. The following instructions are also available via this page. If you have further questions regarding Grade-a-Gator, please contact the Office of the University Registrar at (352)392-1374.

Step 1: Export CSV File from Canvas NOTE: Before exporting your grades, make sure your grade scheme has been established:

1. Login to Canvas
   1. Click Settings in the left toolbar
   2. Click Edit Course Details
   3. Check the Enable course grading scheme box
   4. Click set grading scheme
   5. On the screen that opens, click the pencil icon to edit.
   6. Adjust the grades to your grading scheme
   7. Click Save
   8. Review your grades for accuracy.
2. To download the Grades:
   1. Click Grades in the left toolbar
   2. Click the Gear icon at the upper left of the screen and select Download Scores (.csv)

Step 2: Upload the CSV File

1. Enter the Credit Hours, and Browse for the CSV File.
2. Click the Format File button

Step 3: Download and Review formatted CSV File

1. Download and Review Grade-a-Gator formatted file. Make sure to inspect any rows that are mentioned in the Alerts generated to the right.

How do I give special access to an assessment?

How do I Give Extended Due Date for Some Students in Quizzes and/or Assignments?

The process for setting Open, Due, and Accept Until Dates for Quizzes and Assignments is based on the section in which a student is enrolled. By default, these dates are set for "Everyone," but you can set different dates for different sections. This ability allows you to give different dates to a specific student or a subset of students. In your course, you are given a "MISC" (which stands for Miscellaneous) section that you may use for this purpose. This tutorial will describe for you how to add student(s) to the MISC section. This Canvas Guide provides instructions on how to set the Open, Due, and Accept Until dates once you have the students in the Section.

How do I upload scantron data into Canvas?

Currently, scantron data received from Testing Services will likely include the Student's name, UFID, and score. To import this information into Canvas, you will first need to format it in a way that Canvas will accept. Please note that we are currently working to simplify this process.

To make a template:

1. Download the Canvas CSV from Grades. This will have the output of the whole gradebook.
2. Delete all columns to the right of “Section.” (Leave “Section” as Canvas will reject the file without it.)
3. Remove all student data.
4. Create a new column at the top of the Canvas CSV file just to the right of "Section." (Name this what you want the grade item to be called, i.e. Exam 3, Midterm, etc.)

To prepare the data for import into Canvas:

1. Copy the UFID column from the scantron CSV. Paste into the Student SIS ID column.
2. Copy the grade data into the scantron CSV under the grade item column. Pay attention not to paste this within the “Points Possible” row.
3. (optional but recommended) Copy the name column from the scantron into the "Student" column. This column will not doing anything magical, but if there's a problem with a specific row, it will have a name to display to make it easier to see which row had an error.
4. Save the file.
5. In the Canvas course, under grades, select "Upload Scores."
6. Select the file you just saved. Click Upload Data.
7. Canvas will prompt you to either select an existing column in Grades or create a new one. If you're entering a new one, it will ask the points possible for the item. When done, click Continue.
8. Canvas will present a list of students and their scores for the teacher to check. Any problem rows will display here for troubleshooting. If it all looks good, click Save Changes.

If you encounter any issues with this process or need assistance, please contact e-Learning Support Services at 352-392-4357 option 3 or via e-mail at learning-support@ufl.edu.