If you are just getting started with Canvas, this guide will walk you through the basics of getting your course up and running. Canvas is robust, and we encourage you to check out the sample courses for more inspiration.

This guide includes:

Logging in to Canvas
Uploading Files in Canvas
Creating an Assignment
Creating a Discussion Board
Choosing Your Course Home Page
Making Your Course Available to Your Students (Publishing Your Course)
Sending an Announcement

Logging in to Canvas

You will need your NetID and NetID password to log in to Canvas. See this guide on how to log in to Canvas and find your courses.

Uploading Files in Canvas

The Files area in Canvas provides a place to store all course materials. Add files such as documents, PDFs, slides, or spreadsheets.

Learn how to organize files in your course.
Learn how to upload many files and folders in bulk.
Learn how to restrict files and folder from students.

Ideally, all material you add to the course will be accessible to all students. Here are some recommendations regarding accessibility: How Do I Make My Course Resources Accessible?

Creating an Assignment

Assignments in Canvas allows students to submit assignments online and also permits instructors to grade and provide feedback online. One point to consider when adapting your course is that some students may be depending on their phones as their main source of internet access. Students can easily submit assignments on a mobile device by using the Canvas Student app. If you have a large class, avoid collecting assignments via email attachment; instead, use Canvas Assignments to collect submissions.

Creating a Discussion Board

Setting up a Canvas discussion is an easy way to allow instructors to discuss course content or assignments with students, or for students to share work or ask questions.

Create a discussion board.
Learn more about discussions and get recommendations.
For large classes with TAs, see Creating Group Assignments and Discussions. Group Discussions make discussions in large classes more manageable.

Choosing Your Course Home Page

The home page is what students see each time they enter your course. It can set the tone for your course and help guide students through the information you have provided. The course navigation, or left menu bar, is also a very important part of making your course easy to navigate.

See this guide on customizing your course home page and menu.

Making Your Course Available to Your Students (Publishing Your Course)

Your course site is created in Canvas based on information in CAESAR from the Registrar's Office and your department. It comes over to Canvas in an unpublished state. Students are unable to access unpublished courses and their content. As the instructor, you can work on your course in its unpublished state. When you are ready for students to access the course site, simply publish the course.

Learn more about publishing your Canvas course site.

Sending an Announcement

Announcements are the most straightforward way to broadcast written or recorded messages to your students. This is the fastest way to communicate with your entire class from within Canvas.

NOTE: Your course must first be published before any announcements you make will go out to your students.

By default, students will receive a full copy of your announcement through their Northwestern email and the Canvas mobile app if they have it installed. Students are able to change their notification settings.

You may wish to remind your students that you will be using Announcements to communicate with them and that they should ensure their notification settings allow copies of Announcements to be forwarded to their email address.