Canvas Student Orientation

Get Started with Canvas Network

View this video with captions Links to an external site. or view the script for this tutorial Links to an external site.. 

• Update Your Profile All new Canvas users should read this information. Click on your name at the top right corner to view your profile at any timel
• Update Your Notification Preferences Canvas can send you Notifications about course activities to your email, your phone or even your Facebook account! Read the information found by clicking the link, then go to Settings in the top right corner to customize your Notification preferences.
• Search Canvas Guides Find helpful information! Canvas Guides provide you with all the information you need to use Canvas.

Additional Tutorials

• Communicate With Your Instructor Canvas has a messaging system you can use to send messages to your instructor.
• Collapse and Expand Modules Learn how to manage the modules in your course; simplify your view of modules.
• Manage Your Personal Files Canvas users get a small amount of storage to store files such as assignment drafts and readings.
• How do I drop the course? If you want to drop this course, read this lesson to find out when and how you can do that.

Accessibility Statement

Canvas provides a user experience that is easy, simple, and intuitive. Special attention has been paid to making Canvas screen-readable. The Rich Content Editor encourages users to create accessible content pages (i.e. text formatting is accomplished using styles). Canvas is designed to allow limited customization of colors and schemes to be accessible for all users. The National Federation of the Blind granted Canvas the Gold Level Web Certification in 2010.  Find more information by visiting the Canvas Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).

Accessing Your Course Content

Wherever possible, linked-to, YouTube videos have been used in this course so that the auto-captioning feature can be used. Video announcements, if any, will be accompanied by text that includes the important points.

The core content of this course includes the following for each key content page:

• YouTube:  All course lectures are provided as links to streaming YouTube videos.
• .mp3 audio file:   An audio .mp3 file for each video is provided so students can listen to the lecture on an mp3 player or other similar audio device.
• .doc video transcript file:  Each video transcript is available as a MS Word .doc file which can be downloaded and used for note taking.
• .pdf video transcript file:  Each video transcript is available as an Adobe Acrobat .pdf file which can be downloaded and used for note taking.
• .ppt PowerPoint slide notes:  Each set of PowerPoint slides for each video is available as a MS PowerPoint .ppt file which can be downloaded and used for note taking.
• .pdf PowerPoint slides file:  Each set of PowerPoint slides for each video is available as an Adoble Acrobat .pdf, three slides per page document which can be downloaded and used for note taking.

You do NOT have to use all of the resources listed above.  In fact, if you fully understand the YouTube videos for each topic, you likely will not need to use any of the alternatively formatted materials, these alternative formats simply provide the same video content in different formats to increase student access. 

Supported Browsers and Mobile Apps 

• Supported Browsers Find out what browsers work best for this course (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer).
• The Canvas UI was optimized for desktop displays but can be used on mobile browsers and we do provide free apps for some mobile devices. Try the iOS and Android free Mobile Apps! 

• Canvas by Instructure Android Phone Guide Links to an external site.
• Canvas by Instructure Android Tablet Guide Links to an external site.
• Canvas by Instructure iOS Phone Guide Links to an external site.
• Canvas by Instructure iOS Tablet Guide Links to an external site.

Logging in to Canvas Network

The login URL for this course is learn.canvas.net. Be sure to bookmark that link for quick reference later. If you use an iPad or other tablet or phone with a mobile app, be sure to login in at learn.canvas.net.