Using Canvas Commons

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Finding the link to access Canvas Commons on the global navigation menu.

What is Canvas Commons?

Canvas Commons is a Northwestern-specific content repository that enables Teachers, TAs, and Support to find, import, and share resources. Commons allows you to easily import content into your Canvas courses, as well as share content you've created with others.

 

Where do I find and access Canvas Commons? 

The button to access Canvas Commons is found on the global navigation menu in Canvas below History and above Help. Click 'Commons' to access. 

 

How do I use Canvas Commons? 

See these Canvas Guides on the following topics:

Note: if you add your own content to Commons, you'll be required to upload a photo for it which will be displayed in Search. To appear correctly, images must be 262x147 pixels or use the same aspect ratio.

Finding featured content in the Canvas CommonsAccessible Course Templates 

To support the ongoing initiative to improve the accessibility of courses in Northwestern Canvas, Northwestern IT/AccessibleNU-approved course templates will appear at the top of the Search page and feature both a purple checkmark in the top left-hand corner and a FEATURED banner across the listing card. 

If you do not already have access to the course site you plan to import the accessible template into, you can request a prep site from the NU Canvas Support Chatbot. You can also review the schedule of when new courses will be added to Canvas from CAESAR. See the videos linked below for directions on how to import the template content into your course site. 

 

Accessible Templates Available for Use in Your Course 

Accessible Self-service Course Site Template

This template provides a sample homepage and sample module. The module includes a page, an assignment, and a discussion. Recommended for building a full course site from the ground up with a consistent design across components. Available with or without icons.

  • Accessible Course Template (with icons)
  • Accessible Course Template
Accessible Home Page Templates

Each of these contains an example home page you can import into your course. They will need to be edited and updated for your specific course.

  • Home Page A has a purple title block, and a body with white background, colored text dividers, and icons. It's available for one or multiple instructors.
    • Home Page A for one instructor
    • Home Page A for multiple instructors
  • Home Page B has a purple header block, an orange footer block, a body with a white background, and no images or icons.
  • Home Page C has a purple header block, an orange footer block, a body with a white background, and a placeholder for one image.
Accessible Syllabus Templates This template provides a formatted Syllabus page, and is available as a Page in Canvas OR as content imported directly into the Syllabus tool in Canvas. It has a purple header block, a body with a white background and colorful text dividers, and an accessibly-built table.
  • Syllabus Page
  • Syllabus Tool
Accessible Individual Page Templates Each of these templates contains an example of a Canvas page formatted for a specific purpose.
  • Unit Overview Page - This page contains a body with a white background, purple text dividers with headers, and a blue footer block. It is designed to organize content clearly for students.
  • Calendar Page- This page contains a blue header block, a body with a white background, and an accessibly-built calendar table.
  • Scaffolded Assignment Page - This page contains a green header block, a body with a white background, and colorful text dividers. It is designed to help break down large assignments into smaller chunks for students.

Starting with an Accessible Course Template 

 

Adding a Template to a Course with Existing Content

If you are adding a content-specific template to a course with existing content, the process will be additive and will not disrupt existing content within your course. 

 

Common Warnings When Importing Existing Content into a New Templated Course

  • If you attempt to import content and you receive an error message stating that there is insufficient storage space in the course to perform this import, you can ask the Chatbot to increase the storage space on your site. 
  • Once you have imported content from Commons into a course, if you plan to import other content from another course, not within Commons, you will receive this warning message: 
    Course content import warning message
    You can avoid this issue by selecting the option to "Select specific content" from the Content menu option on the Import Content screen and only importing the content you need instead of importing the whole course. If you only add specific content, the import will be additive and will not overwrite existing content in the destination course. 
    Content import options, "select specific content" chosen.

 

Syncing Updates to an Existing Template in a Course That You Have Modified

If an update is made to one of the templates that you have applied to a course, the changes will not automatically sync to your course. The next time you access Commons, you will receive a pop-up message at the top of your screen asking if you want to import the changes into your course. Please note, in this case, syncing changes to a template in a course for which you have already modified content will revert any changes you have made and apply the base template so this process should never be done in a live course. See this Canvas Guide for more information: How do I view updates to resources I previously imported from Commons? Links to an external site.

Support

Need help? Email Teaching & Learning Technologies at canvas@northwestern.edu