What is this?

The SPH Modules Template was created by SPH eLearning to assist faculty and staff members in building courses within Canvas. To this effect, we've designed a few pieces of content for you:

Two Home page examples (Option 1 and Option 2). To designate one of these as your Home page, click on Pages (left navigation bar), then click on View All Pages (blue button). Finally click on the cog for the page you want to select and choose Use as Front Page from the drop-down menu.
14 Weekly Overview pages (based-on 14 week terms)
14 Modules to contain the weekly content
a Course Objectives page
an Instructor page
a Syllabus page
a sample Discussion
a sample Assignment
a sample Quiz

How do I use it?

The template consists primarily of a Modules-based design structure with place-holders for content. Modules allow you to organize your content to help control the flow of your course. You can use modules to provide structure, create a linear flow, and set prerequisites that students must complete before moving on in the course. This template is only a suggestion for what your course might look like. To use this template, modify it to meet your pedagogical needs:

Replace any placeholder content (images, descriptions, text, etc.).
Add new relevant course content (readings, links, images, videos, etc.).
Add assessments (Assignments and Quizzes).
Add interactive elements (Discussions, etc.).
Adjust structure as necessary (adding or removing weeks, etc.).
Delete or unpublish unused content including pages, quizzes, discussions, etc.
When you're finished building your course, publish it and all relevant content (pages, assignments, etc.).

Where can I get help?

Stuck? Have a great idea for your Canvas Course but don't know how to make it come to life? Members of the eLearning team are experts in instructional design and the effective use of technology for learning. Email us for one on one help or consult these resources for additional Canvas help:

SPH eLearning team: sph.informatics@umich.edu
ITS (Information and Technology Services): 4HELP@umich.edu
UM Canvas Instructor Guide
Canvas Guides
Canvas Help Line and Chat (available under Help in Canvas)

Canvas best practices:

Make it visually appealing - Studies show that a well-designed course website makes students feel that the instructor cares more. Use high resolution images to make the course site visually appealing and engaging (the Home Page is a hook: what do you want it to say about the course?). For banners, aim for images that are between 800 and 1050 pixels wide.
Make navigation simple - Think about how students will need to navigate the site; to be effective, navigation should be easy (rule of thumb: the fewer clicks, the better). Customize the course menu to include only the features appropriate for your course.
Students like clarity and simplicity

Provide clear expectations, instructions, and stable due dates.
Use descriptive naming conventions for Modules, Pages, Discussions and activities (ex: name the module “Week 1: Pandas in the News,” not just “Week 1”).
Use color and font size responsibly.
Links should accurately describe the content they are linking to. Avoid creating links that say "click here."
Make sure all links work.

Upload all course materials to Files - To avoid broken links and ensure that students have access to course materials, upload documents (PDF articles, for example) to Files rather than linking to them on external websites.
Accessibility is important

Use appropriate and consistent heading levels on all Canvas content pages.
Avoid using tables unless you are displaying tabular or numerical data.
Use Alt Text for all images.

Test before publishing - Use Student View to see what the course looks like from a student perspective, check if all the items are published, and double-check assignment settings and questions.
Evaluate and revise - make sure you take time before each semester to refresh your Canvas course, assignments, readings, activities, etc. and make sure that your learning objectives are still being met.

Selected Course Design Resources

Make buttons quickly and easily with Da Button Factory.
Edit images, create a Home Page banner, etc. with the online image editor Pixlr Express.
Find images and learn about copyright in this University Library guide.