Canvas

What is Canvas Commons?

• Commons is a learning object repository within Canvas that enables instructors to find, import, and share resources either with other Oxy instructors or with all Canvas users.  Use it to build a personal learning object repository and/or build a course with materials shared by other Canvas users.

Once you choose Commons from the menu, you'll see the following screen:

By default, you will see only Oxy submitted materials.  If you want to see all other Canvas users content, then click on the grey Filter button and toggle the button off.  You can also choose to view by types of materials using this filter.

Check out the guide below for more information on how to use it!

External tools are available for your use in Canvas.  There are a few different ways to access the external tools in a Canvas Course.

1. Create an assignment: 

• When you click on the "+ Assignment" button in a course and then scroll down the page to Submission Type, you will see the following in the drop down menu:

• Choose External Tool and follow the prompts from there.  If there is a tool that you'd like to use but it is not in the list, then please email helpdesk@oxy.edu

2. Course Settings: Navigation

• Scroll down to the bottom of the list of enabled course menu items and you'll see the a list of some of the external tools that you can add to your course navigation menu.  Just click on the three vertical dots to the right of the name of the tool, and choose "Enable." 

• It will now appear in your course navigation menu.  There may be additional steps to make it functional so if you have questions, then please email helpdesk@oxy.edu

3.  Course Settings: Apps

• Click on the "Installed" link to see what apps that Oxy has installed in Canvas for use in your Course.  If you are interested in using one of the apps in the "Not Installed" list or in the LTI tools that work great with Canvas link, then please contact helpdesk@oxy.edu for more information.  If you click the grey button labeled View App Configurations, then that will show you the list of the apps that are available when you choose "external tool" when creating an assignment (see #1 above).

Hypothesis is an external social annotation tool that allows students and faculty to annotate and highlight PDFs or web pages collaboratively. This can spur deeper engagement with course readings and gives the instructor insight into how students are reading and analyzing texts.

Review this short tutorial to learn how to integrate Hypothesis into your Canvas course!

For additional ideas on using Hypothesis, review these:

• 10 Ways to Annotate with Students
• Annotation tips and etiquette for students
• An Illustrated Guide to Annotation Types
• Using images, links, and videos in annotations
• Introducing Real-Time Analytics: Meet the New LMS Reporting Dashboard

Note: In order to be able to annotate a PDF, it must have optical character recognition (OCR). If you can select text in the document, then you're good to go. Otherwise, you can use either Acrobat Pro or Google Drive to OCR a PDF.

Just like in Moodle, you are able to create a reading list in your course using the tool Leganto.  In Canvas, it appears in the Course Navigation Menu as Leganto Reading list.  More details can be found in our Reading List Guide.

There are multiple ways to share course content with other instructors such as directly sharing with an instructor, exporting or importing course content, or using the Canvas Commons.  The image below illustrates a menu that is found in a course module that has some sharing options.

Take a look at the document below for more information about sharing and how to accomplish it!

What is Canvas Studio?

Canvas Studio is a communication tool that allows instructors and students to actively collaborate through video and audio media.  Studio's interface lets students and instructors engage with media content by commenting directly on the media timeline.  You'll find it in the main menu.

See the guide below to learn how to use it in your course or watch Canvas Studio Instructional Session.

Schedule and host a Zoom event right within your course!  You'll find it in the Course Navigation Menu in all your courses.  

Review the guide below for more information.