New Semester- New Updates and Features in Canvas!

This Friday Five includes 1 reminder, 1 new feature you may want to try now, and 3 new features that I am looking for some teachers to test out with me!

Reminder!

1. Semester Switch:  Semester teachers please remember that you must publish your new courses for students to gain access. If you taught the same course in semester 1 you can easily copy your content from last semester’s course shell into this semester’s. Here are directions. If you need help stop by room 307 any period and I can help you! It only takes a few minutes to save yourself HOURS of work

New Feature!

2.  Announcements can now appear on your Course Home Page if Front Page is set as your Course Home Page. If you would like to see a live example of this check out the Professional Learning course shared with all teachers. Directions on how to do this can be found here.

Testers Needed!

3. Mastery Paths is a new feature available through Canvas that allows a teacher to create customized learning experiences based on student performance and student interest. For example, in a math classroom, the teacher can give her class a pre-test on a new skill utilizing Canvas Quizzes. Each student will then be directed to assignments or activities within Canvas based upon his/her individual performance on the pre-test. If Sally Student scores 100% on the pre-test, she will be directed to an enrichment activity. If Charles Child earns a 70%, he will be directed to instructional content. Finally, if Kim Kid scores below 60% she will be directed to remediation materials. Students can even be given choices in which type of additional assignment they want: video, worksheet, conference with the teacher, etc.

Check out this video for more details



542 - Mastery Paths from Canvas LMS on Vimeo.

Please contact me if you are interested in testing out this feature in one of your classes. This new feature is a great way to further personalize students’ learning experiences.


4. New, Improved Google Integration Canvas has worked with Google to improve the integration between the two platforms. Google Classroom lovers will enjoy the new Canvas features that allow a Google Doc to be distributed to each student through Canvas. Students can work on that Google Doc within Canvas and submit with one simple button. The submission is then rendered to SpeedGrader so it can be graded simply and pushed to PowerSchool.

Please contact me if you are interested in testing out this feature in one of your classes. Canvas and Google...doesn’t get much better.

5. New, Improved 365 Integration If you know me you know that I am a Google Girl, but I have to admit 365 is pretty awesome. Canvas and Microsoft have teamed up to improve the integration between these two systems. Just like with Google, the integration now allows for Cloud based assignments so PowerPoint, Word Docs, or Excel Files can be distributed to students and collected all through Canvas.

Please contact me if you are interested in testing out this feature in one of your classes. Canvas and 365...providing more options for the 21st century teacher and learner.

Thanks for reading and please contact me via email, phone (ext 3070), or in person in room 307 with any Canvas or other tech integration questions.

Semester Switch and Canvas Drop-In Sessions

Many of you teach semester courses. Below are some steps you are going to want to take as the first semester ends and the second semester begins.

1. Grades in your First Semester Course-  You will be able to continue to grade work and push those grades to Powerschool (if you are utilizing the grade push) until January 31st. This corresponds with the grading timeline that Alice sent out. After January 31st you will have read-only access to your course material. This means you can see all of your assignments, files, discussions, student work, etc. but you can’t edit within the course. To edit the content you would need to copy it into a new course (see #2)!

2. Copy Course content to New Semester Course- If you teach the same course second semester you can easily copy all of your Semester 1 content to your new course. Here are directions on how to do this.

3. Semester Course Content Next Year-  You will also be able to copy any course content from a semester course (or Year Long Courses, too) into the PowerSchool created courses you will teach next year. Don’t worry- Your work first semester will not disappear!

4. Don’t forget to Publish Your Semester Two Courses-  You must publish your second semester courses just like you did semester one. Here are directions.

5. Semester 2 Try Something New!-  Please stop in and see me in room 307 if you would like to review how you have used Canvas in semester 1 and discuss ways to expand upon your use in Semester 2.  Things to consider: collecting assignments through Canvas, Discussions, Modules, GradeBook Push, Group Assignments. These suggestions will all be explored in the opportunity which follows.