Category Archives: Faculty/Staff

Using OneDrive

Included with your Office 365 account, OneDrive is an unlimited cloud drive similar to Box, Drop Box, and Google Drive. Using OneDrive to store computer files saves hard drive space, and makes sharing files and folders with other Goucher faculty, staff, and students easy. When you create or edit a document saved to OneDrive, from any location or any device, changes will automatically save back to your OneDrive account. 

Below are links to articles written by Microsoft support to help you get started using OneDrive. Please contact the IT Help Desk if you have any questions or need assistance with the install or an update.

 

resource description
OneDrive Quick Start Guide A visual map of the OneDrive screen on browsers and the mobile app.
OneDrive Video Training Series Short video tutorials on OneDrive features. Note – Goucher accounts are OneDrive for Business Accounts.
OneDrive Help and Learning Dashboard Includes the links below and many more.
Installing OneDrive for Windows/Mac/Mobile If you have Windows 10 or above, OneDrive is already installed on your PC. Use this link if you’re using a Mac, another version of Windows, or want to use the OneDrive mobile app,
Uploading and saving files and folders to OneDrive Step-by-step guide on saving files/folders to OneDrive
Syncing files and folders between the web (cloud) version and your computer Step-by-step guide on syncing files between OneDrive and your computer
Sharing OneDrive files and folders Step-by-step guide on sharing OneDrive files/folders
Viewing Shared Folders (and Adding to My Files for quicker access) When someone shares a folder with you, it appears in the Shared section of your OneDrive account on the web. If you have Edit permissions to those shared folders, you can add them to the My files section of your OneDrive to make them easier to access and work with.
Creating a File Request This is a useful feature! With the file request feature in OneDrive, you can choose a folder where others can upload files using a link that you send them. People you request files from can only upload files; they can’t see the content of the folder, edit, delete, or download files, or even see who else has uploaded files.

More About Finding Files Shared With You

Note that files/folders shared with you will not automatically appear in File Explorer or Finder on your computer. To add shared items to these areas, follow these steps:

  1. Open your OneDrive account online.
  2. Navigate to Shared.
    OneDrive Shared Files
  3. Select one or more items and click “Add shortcut to My files” button on the toolbar.
    Add shared file to My Files
    In some cases the item(s) will now appear with other OneDrive files on your computer. If not, proceed to Step 4. 
  4. Find and select  the same items in My Files and click the “Sync” button on the toolbar.
    Sync icon in My Files

What is Multi-Factor Authentication and Why Do We Need It?

Recently, cybersecurity has become a priority for businesses, government, and schools which is why Goucher has included this as part of the new strategic plan. One of the first cybersecurity projects Information technology (IT) is implementing is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

MFA is a two-step process of providing access to a website or application for an added layer of security. Banks, colleges, and more now require MFA and most likely you’ve already gone through this process for at least one site outside Goucher.

To help ensure the security of email and data, IT began implementing MFA via a phone app called Microsoft Authenticator. Other than the added security that comes from adding MFA to your account, there will eventually be other advantages:

  • Requests to change your password will be moved from 90 days to 180 days
  • You will no longer need to call the Help Desk to reset any passwords

Before you Begin:

Please review the following information prior to setting up MFA:

You will only be prompted every 90 days to verify your identity. This will occur for each device. For instance, if you use the Outlook app on your phone, you will need to approve access. If you then access your email through a browser, you will again be prompted to approve access. There may be certain situations where you might be prompted sooner than 90 days. Please review the FAQs for more information.

Verification will only occur while you are off-campus. When you use your laptop while connected to the Goucher network, you will not be prompted to verify your identity. However, once your device connects to a network outside of Goucher, you will be prompted as soon as you try to access Outlook (if you have not already been prompted within 90 days). Again, there are exceptions to this rule. Please review the FAQs for more information.

MFA will only work with certain email apps on mobile devices. The following apps support modern authentication:

  • Outlook on iOS version 10.x and greater
  • Outlook on Android

Make sure you have the latest OS or application version installed on your device prior to setting up MFA.

MFA will only work with Office 2016 or higher or Office 365. If you are running Office 2013 for Windows or Office 2011 or lower for Macs, on your Goucher-managed laptop, contact the Help Desk to upgrade your system. If you are using Office on a personal computer to check your Goucher emails, please make sure that you are running at least Office 2016 (for Windows users) or Office 365 (for Windows and Mac users). Office 365 can be installed on personal computers for work at home use. For those who cannot upgrade or install Office 365 on your personal computer, you will need to use the web-based version of Outlook to check messages.

Instructions on how to take advantage of Microsoft’s Office 365 home use option

Two authentication methods are needed to be set up to fulfill MFA requirements. Entering your password and setting up one of the methods below is not enough to fulfill MFA requirements. You will need to set up both the authenticator app and the phone methods. The only exception is if you have a non-smartphone device. In that case, only set up the phone method.

Get Started

Once you have reviewed this information, go to Setting Up Multi-Factor Authentication for instructions.

Have more questions? Review the Multi-Factor Authentication FAQs page.

How to Use Webcam in Classroom

Connect Webcam to Laptop

Locate the USB cable connected to the webcam

Connect the cable to your laptop’s USB port. If using a laptop equipped with a USB-C port, then use the USB hub that was provided with your laptop.

Zoom Settings

If the connected webcam is not detected by default, navigate to the bottom of the screen.

Click the arrow next to the “Stop Video” icon.

Select the USB webcam in use. For example,  “AUKEY PC- LM1E Camera,” or “Logitech C920.”

To use the connected webcam’s microphone, navigate to the bottom of the screen.

Click the arrow next to the “Mute” icon.

Under “Select a Microphone” click the microphone corresponding to the make and model of the webcam. For example, “AUKEY PC-LM1E.”

Under “Select a Speaker” click on the appropriate speaker output. For example, “HDMI” if using the AV system.

Instructional Videos

How to Connect Your Windows Laptop

How to Connect Your MacBook (Coming Soon)

Setting Up Multi-Factor Authentication

Before you Begin:

Review the information provided in the What is Multi-Factor Authentication and Why Do We Need IT? article prior to going through these instructions. Also, take the time to review the instructions before going through the steps.

Instructions:

Everyone must follow the instructions in Step 1 to set up the Microsoft Authenticator App on their phone. Once Step 1 is complete, you can then follow the instructions in Step 2 for Phone verification. For those without a smartphone, you can skip to Step 2.

Please read the instructions below carefully prior to following the steps.

Step 1: Microsoft Authenticator App

Once installed, this will be set as your default sign-in method. You can change this if you prefer to use a different method as your default.

  1. Visit the MFA Setup link and sign in with your Office 365 username ([username]@goucher.edu) and password.
  2. From the Security info page, click Add Method then select Authenticator App.
  3. Then click the Add button.
  4. You will then be prompted to download the app to your phone. From your phone, launch the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
  5. Search for and download the Microsoft Authenticator app. Once downloaded, click Next on the Microsoft Authenticator window on your computer. Then click Next again.
  6. Open the Microsoft Authenticator app and select to allow notifications (if prompted).
  7. Select Add Account from the Customize and control icon (3 vertical dots) in the upper-right corner.
  8. Then select Work or school account (Android) or Scan a QR Code (iPhone).
    NOTE: If this is the first time setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app, you might receive a prompt asking whether to allow the app to access your camera (iOS) or to allow the app to take pictures and record video (Android).  Please select “Allow” so the authenticator app can access your camera to take a picture of the QR code in the next step.
  9. Scan the QR code provided on the screen which will add the account to the device automatically. Once this is complete, click Next on your computer.
  10. From your phone, click Approve to allow your account to be added to the Authenticator app.

Tip: If you are not able to scan the QR code or are denied access, you can still receive approval by providing the one-time password code found in the Microsoft Authenticator app.

Step 2: Phone

As a backup option to the Microsoft Authenticator app, it is recommended to add a second method. To receive a phone call or text to verify your identity, follow these steps:

  1. From the MFA Setup page, click Add Method then select Phone.
  2. Enter your cell phone number and choose the option to either Text me a Code or Call Me.
    • If you choose the text option, you will receive a message on your phone with the code you need to enter.
    • If you choose the call option, you will get a phone call for verification. Please follow the prompts to continue.

Your Security info page should look like this once both methods are set up:

Verifying Your Identity

Once all the methods are set up, you can then attempt to access your Goucher email. If you are off-campus, you should be prompted to enter your password, then an option should appear to verify your identity. Here’s how the app should look once it’s been set up:

If the authenticator app is installed on your phone and set as the default sign-in method, then you’ll be prompted to approve access. If you selected a different identity method, then a verification code will be sent via text or phone call.

You will only be prompted for MFA once the feature is enabled for your account. If you do not receive a prompt while off-campus then it hasn’t been enabled for you yet.

Troubleshooting tip: If you already have your Goucher email setup on your phone, you may experience a problem with the authentication. If that is the case, remove the Goucher account from your email app then add it back again.

For instructions on how to remove and add your Goucher account back on your phone please check the following link https://blogs.goucher.edu/knowledgebase/2018/07/05/adding-your-office-365-email-account-to-your-mobile-device/

Please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@goucher.edu if you experience a problem during setup.

 

Important Related Links: What is Multi-Factor Authentication and Why Do We Need It? and Multi-Factor Authentication FAQs

 

How to Pull Audits in Degree Works

Go to http://degreeworks.goucher.edu and log in with your Goucher username and password.

You’ll then see a student search page.  If you know the student’s ID number, you can enter it here.  If you want to search by name, click Advanced search.

Clicking Advanced search will open the following screen.  Enter the student’s name.  Both names don’t need to be entered.  After entering the name, click the Search button.

A list of students that match your search will be displayed. All students that match are checked by default.  You can uncheck all the names by clicking the check box next to the “Id” column and then re-select just the student you want to review.

Clicking the Select button at the bottom left will take you back to the Worksheets page.

To start reviewing audits, click on the Select Student box and choose from the list of students.

If you have any questions or experience any issues, please contact the helpdesk at x6322 or at helpdesk@goucher.edu.

PDFelement FAQs

PDFelement is an alternative application to Adobe Acrobat. It allows you to create, edit, sign, convert, and OCR documents. We are currently testing this application with a limited number of licenses. Here are some common questions that will help current users.

What is the difference between PDFelement and Acrobat?

The main difference is that Acrobat is a product of Adobe and PDFelement is provided through a company called Wondershare. Wondershare has created PDFelement as a low-cost alternative to Acrobat while providing all of the same features that Acrobat provides. Anything that you’ve been able to do in Acrobat, you will be able to do with PDFelement.

I need to add my signature to documents. Can I get a PDFelement license?

Not necessarily. Since we have limited licenses, we can only provide it to faculty and staff who do a lot of editing of PDFs. You do not need PDFelement to add signatures to a document. Adobe Reader provides that functionality as well as commenting and some editing features. If you’re not sure if Adobe Reader will do everything you need, please contact the Help Desk for guidance.

I get a message about a watermark when I try to save a document? How do I fix this?

You could be getting this message because PDFelement is unable to verify the license. Please check the upper right corner to make sure that your username is listed. If it states “Log in” then your license isn’t applied. Click the Log In button and enter your Wondershare ID and password. Note: This is different from your Goucher username and password.

My Goucher username and password aren’t working to login. Do I need to reset my password?

Your Goucher username and password will not work with PDFelement. When the license was first assigned to you, you should have received an email with your Wondershare ID and your initial password. Your Wondershare ID will always be your Goucher email address in the format firstname.lastname@goucher.edu. You should always change your initial password to prevent anyone else from logging in as you. If you can’t remember your Wondershare password, click Log In to access the Account window. Then click the Forgot Password? link and follow the steps to reset your password.

I get an error when I try to add a signature after combining PDFs? What am I doing wrong?

You are doing the steps correctly. There is a known bug that is causing the error. Here is a workaround until the bug is fixed:

  1. Open the first document in PDFelement.
  2. Click the thumbnail view.
  3. Right-click the document and choose Insert pages and select From PDF and select the second document.
  4. Click OK to complete the insert process.
  5. Follow steps 2-4 again for any additional documents that need to be inserted.
  6. Select the document in thumbnail view go through the steps of applying the signature.

How can I find out how to use PDFelement?

Wondershare has an extensive video library on their YouTube channel. You can access it by going to Wondershare PDFelement.

Can I install PDFelement on more than one computer?

You can install PDFelement on as many computers as you like. However, Wondershare only allows you to be logged in on two computers at a time. So, if you want to use a different computer then you’ll need to log off one or the license will be revoked as soon as you sign in on another computer.

PDFelement takes a while to load on my computer. Why is that?

We’ve noticed that this happens mainly on Windows computers for some reason. Although Wondershare stated that they improved the performance, it still opens slower than expected. One reason why it could take longer is because once PDFelement launches, it has to check in with the Wondershare licensing server to make sure that a) your license is valid and b) your license is not active on more than two devices. Once it does that, any subsequent documents that you open or save tend to process much quicker.

I’m getting errors for things I’ve done before. What could be causing this?

Make sure you’re running the latest version of PDFelement. Wondershare will usually prompt if there’s an update. You can select “Later” but then you’re also be delaying a fix that you need. Take the time to run the updates as they come quite regularly. If after installing the latest updates and you still get an error, please open a ticket with our Help Desk so we can reach out to Wondershare support for a possible fix.

 

 

 

Work at Home Guide

During these last few months, we have quickly transitioned from work in the office to work in the home office. One big difference is not having tech support readily available to assist with home office issues. This guide was created to help prepare you for working at home if you’re new to Goucher and to provide some troubleshooting tips if you’ve started to encounter some technical problems.

Click the FAQ title to access the information for that section.

How to Upgrade to Office 365 for Macs

Every Mac user will need to have Office 365 installed by October 13, 2020. That is when Microsoft will no longer support Office 2010 and Office 2016 for Macs. If you’re not sure which version you have installed on your computer, perform the following:

  1. Launch Word.
  2. Click the Word menu in the top left.
  3. Select About Microsoft Word.

If the version shows 2010 or 2016 then you need to upgrade. Here are two options on how to upgrade to Office 365:

Upgrade Option 1: Self Service

  1. First, connect to the VPN.
  2. Launch Self Service from the dock or do a search. The Self Service icon is the Goucher Gopher icon with a black background.
  3. Click the Applications option from the left side menu.
  4. Then click Install for the Microsoft Office 365 (AY21) application. It will perform a silent install which will take about 10-30 minutes depending on your connection.
  5. When it’s done, the button will change to “reinstall.” Make sure that the Office applications are installed on your computer.
  6. After installation, launch one of the applications. You should then be prompted to enter your Office login.
  7. Enter your [username]@goucher.edu in the username field and your Goucher password.
  8. Then accept the license agreement to continue.

Upgrade Option 2: Office.goucher.edu

  1. Go to office.goucher.edu and enter your Office login: [username]@goucher.edu and Goucher password.
  2. Once logged in, click the Install Office menu located on the top right side. Then select Office 365 apps to begin the download.

    The install window instructions will appear and the Office install package will start to download on your computer.

  3. Depending on your browser, launch the Microsoft Office 16 installer package either from the bottom of the browser, Download folder, or the down arrow link at the top right corner.
  4. Select Yes to install then follow the prompts to complete. The install should take between 5-10 minutes.
  5. After installation, launch one of the applications. You should then be prompted to enter your Office login.
  6. Enter your [username]@goucher.edu in the username field and your Goucher password.
  7. Then accept the license agreement to continue.

If you run into a problem with one of the upgrade options, then try the other option. If neither works, please contact the Help Desk for further assistance.

Portfolium Resources

Portfolium FAQs

 


What is Portfolium?

Portfolium is a public space where students (and faculty!) can demonstrate the skills they have learned throughout their educational career! Learn more at What is Portfolium Network?

 


How do I login to Portfolium?

Quick Answer

Easy! There are two ways to get to your account.

Option 1 – Canvas:  Log into Canvas, navigate to your profile, and click on the “Folio” link to open your Portfolium page. From here you can add a project directly, or click on a link under your name to launch your Portfolium account in another window.

A Portfolium link may also be available inside one of your courses, to offer you another quick and easy way to log into Portfolium through Canvas.

Option 2 – Portfolium Web Site: Set up your account and login through https://portfolium.com/login

Haven’t created your account yet? No problem!

Go to https://portfolium.com/join and use your Goucher email address to set up your own password. Your Portfolium account will remain your personal account after you graduate and is separate from all other Goucher accounts.

For more information, visit: Portfolium Introduction


Where can I get help?

Visit the Protfolium How-To Guides anytime to get advice and answers to  your Portfolium questions!

Need one-on-one help? Not a problem! To get assistance ASAP, click the blue conversation “Chat with an Expert” box in the bottom right of the Portfolium web site page to start a live chat with Portfolium’s Help Desk.

 


How can I make a Portfolium assignment in Canvas (faculty)?

To create a new Portfolium Assignment you must first create the assignment through Canvas and then follow-up the final configuration in Portfolium. The pdf below is a handy guide to help walk you through this process.

Creating a Portfolium Assignment through Canvas

Check out our Portfolium video tutorial for more guided instructions!

For further details visit: How do I create an Outcomes Assessment assignment in Canvas as an instructor?


How do I grade an assignment in Portfolium (faculty)?

Instructors will be notified in both Canvas and in the Portfolium EDU Platform when students have submitted their assignments. Instructors must go to their Course and Open the Assignment to launch the assignment in the Portfolium  EDU platform to grade the assignment.

Grading a Portfolium Assignment

Check out our Portfolium video tutorial for more guided instructions!

For further details visit: How do I grade a Canvas Outcomes Assessment LTI assignment as an instructor?


Where can I submit my Portfolium Assignment (student)?

Quick Answer:

Login to Canvas > Go to your Canvas Course > Click on the “Assignments” tab > Select the specific Assignment that has been assigned > Click the “Load Portfolium Assignment in a new window” tab to be redirected to the Assignment Details page in Portfolium.

Portfolium.png

The assignment will open up in a new browser tab. Click START ASSIGNMENT to reach the upload page.

 

For further details visit: How do I submit a Portfolium Network assignment in Canvas as a student?

 


Can I add my Resume (and other stuff) to my Portfolium (student)?

To edit your Profile section, you must first login to Portfolium. Once you are logged in you can add and edit your profile’s information such as Education, Volunteer Work, Accomplishments, and more!

Just pick and choose which modules you’d like to add to your profile. You can even upload a resume you’d like to share,  as well as edit and attach work samples into your portfolio to show off some of your great work!

For more details visit:

 


How do I make a collaborative project?

Want to highlight the collaboration done in a project? No problem!

Teammates in Portfolium are the collaborators, friends, and classmates that you’ve worked with on a project. Just tag them in you entry to show who you’ve collaborated with (Note: the tag entry you make will show up in your teammate’s  Portfolium as well).

To tag your teammate(s) in your entry,  just add the name(s) of your teammate(s) in the Teammates section near the bottom of page when in Project Editor mode (Note: the teammates you tag must be a member of Portfolium).

Portfolium teammates.png

For further details, visit: How do I add Projects to my Portfolio?


 

What’s the best way to find information on Portfolium?

We’re glad you asked! Maybe you’re looking for a specific person, a job, or even a specific skill inside someone’s portfolio. To help you out, we made this really short video with tips on how to find what you’re looking for.

For further details, visit: https://portfolium.com/discover


How do I find someone else’s portfolio?

Portfolium accounts are easy to find using the search area at the top of the screen. If you’re already logged in, you’ll find it at the top left. You can also bypass the login screen by going directly to http://portfolium.com/discover.

Portfolium Search Bar

For further details, visit:How do I find connections on Portfolium?


What’s so special about skills, as opposed to tags? Hint: One is a filter inside a portfolio

Skills are a great way for viewers to filter specific skills used in projects that you have submitted to your portfolio. The “Search Your Skills” tool is useful when you want to quickly navigate to an entry in you portfolio that you have tagged with a specific skill.

For example, you’d like to show a professor an example of your “Writing” and “Teamwork” skills. Just go to your Profile > navigate to the “Skills” section> and click on  your specific skill to filter your work.

Portfolium skills.png

For more, visit: How do I add Skills to my profile?

Tags (Hashtags), can be added by students to help describe entries they’ve made in their portfolio. It’s also a great way to associate a project with topics on Portfolium.

For more details, visit: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-17877-914801149587

 


Is there a way to share my Portfolium profile to outside users?

Quick Answer: Yes! Once you’ve register to Portfolium, you will be given an auto-generated personal URL of your Portfolium profile (Note: Your Portfolium profile and entries must be set to public in order to make your profile link accessible).

Poortfolium URL.png

For further details, visit: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-17868-914801149816

 

 


What is the difference between my Portfolium profile and portfolio (student)?

Think of your Portfolium profile as an introduction to you; it’s a place where you can show your past and current work experience, course work, activities, accomplishments and more. It’s all about what makes you unique!

Your Portfolium portfolio is place where you can showcase all of the great work you’ve completed over you educational career. Think of it as a place where you can provide digital proof of your skills, experiences, and achievements over time. You can include documents, videos, graphics and more!

For more details, visit: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-17862-914801148305


 

Why aren’t my students listed after I’ve created my Portfolium assignment (faculty)?

Quick Answer: Student names will begin to appear in the assignment status page once they have opened that assignment. After that point, you will begin to see those students’ names associated with their assignments and their assignment status (“unsubmitted”/”submitted”) in the assignment status page.

For more details, visit: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-17892-917701155409

 


How can I adjust an assignment’s visibility (faculty)?

By default, assignments made are set to “Private” until they are submitted. When an assignment is submitted, the assignment becomes public. Instructors have the capacity to change the default privacy settings into one of the following options:

  • Promote the student work submission – Assignment stays private after submission but can be changed by the student
  • Keep the student work private after submission – Assignments stay private forever but student can access a private link
  • Student work is sensitive and can not be shared – Assignments stay private forever 

To change the privacy settings of an assignment:

  1. Click on the “Advanced Options” located at the bottom of the assignment page when in edit mode.

Assignment Privacy Portfolium-1.png

2. Select the Assignment Visibility option desired for the assignment

3.  Click “Create Assignment” to save.

Assignment Privacy Portfolium 2.png

 


How can I change my project’s visibility setting (student)?

Adjust the privacy options of your entries by using the settings cog in the upper-right hand corner in your entry detail’s page.

Visibility-Portfolium.png

You can adjust your entries to have one of the four visibility options:

  • Public – Anyone on or off Portfolium
  • Portfolium Members – Anyone on Portfolium
  • Connections – Your connections on Portfolium
  • Private – Only you

 

For further details, visit: How do I change the privacy settings on my Projects?

 

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Canvas Instructor Quick Tips

How Do I…?


New to Canvas?

Get started in less than 6 minutes with this introductory video.


Finding your Courses 

Not all of your courses will appear in your Dashboard. Usually published courses appear on the dashboard after the course start date, but there are scenarios that may prevent this from happening automatically. To find all of your course enrollments navigate to the Courses (sidebar on left) > All Courses. You will then be redirected your “My Courses” page where it will provide a list of Past and Future Enrollments. 

Please note: My courses will also indicate if your courses are Published or Unpublished.

In the All Courses section, you can customize your course list by marking courses as “Favorites.” Favorites will then be displayed in your Canvas Dashboard. Note that the Dashboard will only display 20 course cards at a time.

For further details, visit: How do I customize my Courses list as an instructor?


Course Availability 

Students can only participate in a course between the course’s start and end dates. “Participation” includes receiving announcements or completing assignments, discussions, quizzes, etc. These dates are set by the Registrar but can be changed by the instructor in the course settings if needed. From the Settings page, change the Participation drop-down to Course and revise the date(s) as needed.

Do not check the restriction boxes underneath these dates. These checkboxes override read-only access for published courses and should not be changed.

For further details, visit: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-do-I-change-the-start-and-end-dates-for-a-course/ta-p/452354


Use a Template to Create a Student-Friendly Course Structure

Templates are available to quickly set up a user-friendly course for your students, some with standard information on policies, resources, and student support services. (More templates are coming soon!)  If you are copying a course over from last semester, it’s best to do that first. Otherwise you may have to apply the template again to get the course settings to stick. Applying a template will not delete any content or activities already in the course. (This means repeatedly applying a template with content in it to the same course will put the same content into that course multiple times.) Once a template is applied, instructors can further customize the course to their preference.

  1. Log into Canvas and click the COMMONS button on the left navigation bar.  If Goucher templates don’t appear right away, search for “Goucher”.
  2. Click the template card desired from the list below.
    • Goucher Standard Template (Settings Only) – Just simple navigation and an attractive banner for graduate or undergraduate courses
    • Goucher Undergraduate Template with Resources – All the above plus shared pages for undergraduate policies and student support services
  3. Click the IMPORT/DOWNLOAD button on the right.
  4. Place a checkmark next to the course(s) you want update, and then click IMPORT INTO COURSE button.

Examples of the changes to be made by our templates include:

  • The syllabus tool will be visible and set to the course home page.
  • A note is added to the Home page instructing students to use Modules to access course materials and activities.
  • A minimalistic student-friendly course navigation will be applied.
  • Some templates add content such as information on standard policies, student resources, etc.

For further details, visit How Do I Import and View a Commons Resource in Canvas? 


Publish my course (make available to students)

Only published courses can be seen by students. Courses are unpublished when created, so faculty must take this step to allow student access. Courses can also be unpublished up until there is a graded submission.

Course > Home > Publish (available in sidebar on the right)

For more details, visit How do I publish a course?.

Note that once a course is published, instructors can still hide specific content from students until you wish for that content to be seen. Each module and each item in your course has a green/gray indicator next to it. If the indicator is a green cloud with a checkmark, that item is published and available to students. If the indicator is a gray cloud, the item is unpublished and hidden from student view. Click here to see more on this topic.


Send an announcement

Announcements are sent to students through their notification preferences, which can be received as email, text, or a Canvas inbox message. They are also saved to Canvas in the Announcements area of each course, which acts similarly to a discussion forum. Students can access all course announcement posts from this area.

Course > Announcements > +Announcement

Note: The course must be published and between the course start and end dates for students to receive announcement notifications. To send announcements or allow students to participate in any activities before the course start date, go to settings and change the Participation settings to “Course” and edit the start date listed there.

For more details, visit How do I add an announcement in a course?


Create a Teams Meeting *Recommended method for video conferencing

Use the Rich Content Editor toolbar to create a meeting link for students without having to copy/paste or send invitations.

Special Notes About Calendar Events 
Calendar events have the added benefit of allowing you to “duplicate” the meeting link for recurring class times. Ignore the option to add a BigBlueButton (this will add a completely different meeting to your event).

      1. Create a text item in your course. Using a Calendar Event is recommended, but meetings can be added to an Announcement, Discussion, Assignment, Quiz, etc., using the Rich Content Editor toolbar. If adding a calendar event, click the MORE OPTIONS button at the bottom of the Add Event window before proceeding with the instructions below.
      2. Click the plug-shaped Apps icon.
      3. The Select Apps window will appear. Click on Microsoft Teams Meeting. (The first time you use this feature, you will need to choose All Apps and then select Microsoft Teams Meeting from the list of options.)
      4. Click CREATE MEETING LINK.
      5. Fill out the meeting details and select CREATE.
      6. OPTIONAL: Use the Meeting Options link at the bottom of the window to set any special options. Changes are saved automatically, so you can close this browser window when you are finished.
      7. Click COPY at the bottom of the window. The meeting details will appear in the text box area. Save changes when ready.

Caution!

        • Team recordings must be shared manually.
        • This method does not update your Outlook calendar.
        • You cannot edit a Teams meetings once it has been created. You can only delete the original text and replace it by creating a new Teams meeting.

Create a meeting using the Canvas Zoom Tool

Instructors can manage their course-specific Zoom meetings directly from their Canvas course using the Canvas Zoom Tool. Meetings scheduled from within a Canvas course are automatically available to enrolled students. If a meeting started from Canvas is recorded to the cloud, the recording will automatically appear within the Tool for students to review later.

To start, add Zoom to your course –
METHOD ONE: Apply the Undergraduate Course Template  to your course (includes other changes)
METHOD TWO: Add the Zoom Tool manually to your Canvas course navigation through the course settings.
Go to Course > Settings > Navigation and drag “Zoom” to the upper list.

Once added, click the link to access your Zoom meeting information for the course you are editing. Here instructors can schedule new class meetings, start class meetings already scheduled, or view class cloud recordings.

 

Students enrolled in the course will see a list of scheduled class meetings along with a JOIN button. Only meetings pertaining to this course will appear.

Note the following behaviors:

  • There is no advantage to using the Personal Meeting Room tab in this tool.
  • Normal meeting defaults seem to override settings changed through the tool. For example, if your Zoom settings are configured to turn on the waiting room by default, then turning off the waiting room in the Canvas Zoom Tool will have no effect.
  • Students joining from the app will not need to type in a passcode to join the Zoom session even if a passcode is setup.
  • Although there are buttons to “show all” meetings or recordings, these have no effect. Only the sessions related to the specific course will appear.

For more details about Goucher Zoom accounts, click here.


Create a student meeting sign-up schedule

In the Canvas Calendar, instructors can use the Appointment Group tab to setup a range of appointment times that students can sign up for in their own calendars. The Scheduler tool saves time by automatically dividing a time range into individual appointment slots that teachers can edit before publishing. Other options include allowing for 1 or more students to meet at the same time, hiding or showing who has signed up to other students, or limiting the number of appointments a single student can select.

Calendar > Select date or the + Button > Appointment Group tab > Fill out prompts and publish to students (see below)

  1.  Select the Appointment Group tab.
  2. Fill in a name and location (for example, “Weekly Meetings” and “Zoom”).
  3. Choose a Calendar (i.e., select a course to link to those students’ calendars).
  4.  Enter dates and time ranges when you are available (such as Monday 10am to 3pm). New boxes will appear as you enter information so enter as many rows as needed. You can delete smaller times inside a range at the next step if needed so use broad start and stop times here.
  5. Choose the number of minutes for each meeting and hit GO. A new list of individual appointment times will appear above. Use the X to delete any times as desired. (For example, if the original range of available times is set from 10am-3pm, you could delete the resulting appointments that fall within your lunch break.)
  6. Turn on options as desired.
  7. Add details you deem helpful for your meetings.
  8. Hit PUBLISH.
  9. View the appointment dates and times in your course calendar. Time slots that have been reserved by students will show as a solid color.

Note: if you added an appointment group to more than one course, appointment slots only display in the calendar for the first course shown in the appointment group.

Once an Appointment group is created students will then have the option to sign up for appointment times in their own calendars. Events on the Calendar will show up in advance on Student’s “Coming Up” list on the right side of their To Do list in Canvas.

For further details on using the Scheduler tool as a teacher, visit: How do I add a Scheduler appointment group in a course calendar?

Below are some other helpful Scheduler resources:


Edit profile and notification settings

Your profile can be edited in many ways to share information about yourself and establish ways to contact you through Canvas. Canvas notifications can also be customized to your specifications.

Click Account icon on the navigation panel > Choose “Settings” or “Notifications”

EditProfile.JPG

From Settings, you can …
* Change your profile picture by clicking on the image already there.
* Add a personal email or get text notifications sent to your phone using  “Ways to Contact” on the right.
* Note: Name changes can be done in MyGoucher and this will update Canvas. 

For more information visit: How do I set my Canvas notification preferences as an instructor?


Send an email to one or more students

Canvas does not technically have built-in email. It has a messaging system tied to users’ notification preferences. This messaging system is called “Conversations” by Canvas. By default, messages (or “conversations”) are sent to the assigned Goucher email address. Messages will not be sent through email if the course is not yet published, is outside the start or end date in the course settings, or if the user has turned off this setting.

Click Inbox icon on navigation panel > Compose New Message icon > Select a course > Open Address Book > Select recipients by role or individually > Finish and Send

Compose message icon:

Compose message icon

Address Book icon (course must be published for students to be listed):

Address Book icon

For more details, visit How do I send a message to a user in a course in the Inbox?

NOTE ABOUT ATTACHMENTS – Attachments are included in email messages sent FROM Canvas, but not the other way around. If sending an attachment, use the Canvas Inbox rather than replying to a Canvas message from regular email.


Add a TA, Designer, or Observer participant to a course

Students and teachers are enrolled into Canvas courses automatically through the Registrar’s Office. Enrollment changes made in MyGoucher should be reflected in Canvas within 12 hours. NOTE: Students auditing a course must go through the Registrar’s Office. 

Instructors can add additional users* from the PEOPLE page to their currently running course(s) using the following roles: 

  • TA – Teaching Assistants (TAs) have most of the same permissions as instructors including grading
  • Designer – Course designers can assist with content but not grading
  • Observer – Observers can view published content only (not grades or users)

Course > People> +People>Add using full-name email address
*Note: Email addresses are available to instructors through the Goucher College Directory

From the People page, click the +PEOPLE button, and using the Email Address option (1) enter the new participant’s full-name Goucher email address. If entering multiple people, separate the email addresses with commas (2).

Click NEXT to confirm the correct users were found and are correct. Select BACK if any of the users were not found and/or a correction needs to be made. To confirm additions, click ADD USERS.

*Users must already exist in our Canvas site to be added to a course. Current teachers, students, and staff have accounts created automatically. Any follow-up questions regarding enrollment should be directed to helpdesk@goucher.edu.

For more details, visit the Canvas Guide “How do I add users to a course?


View my course as a student

When an instructor views a course as a student, a unique Test Student is added to the course. This Test Student will appear in the grade book, allowing instructors to test everything including grades. Teachers can also reset the Test Student account, erasing all recorded submissions to start over from scratch.

Course > Settings > Student view (from panel on right)

Use the colored panel that now appears at the bottom of the screen to reset the Test Student account or return to your normal view.

Student view indicator bar

For more details, visit How do I view a course as a test student using Student View?.


View inactive students in my course

Students who officially drop or withdraw from a course will no longer be deleted from the course. Instead, they will appear on the People page as “inactive”. Students who appear as inactive will not have access to the course any longer, but their progress and activities will remain visible to teachers and administrators.

Inactive students will appear on the People page by default. If desired, inactive students can be hidden from the People page by changing the “Role” dropdown at the top to “Student”.

Alternatively, inactive students are hidden in the Gradebook by default. To see grades for inactive students, click the More button (3 dots) at the top of the Student Name column and choose “Show Inactive enrollments” .

For more details, visit How do I view grades for inactive/concluded student enrollments in the Gradebook?


Cross-list multiple course section enrollments together

Use these instructions to combine enrollment from multiple courses into one. Instructors can only cross-list their own courses. Please contact helpdesk@goucher.edu if you need to cross-list courses assigned to multiple instructors.

For example, let’s say you are teaching multiple sections of MAT222 this semester and you want all your sections to share a single course in Canvas. First, choose one section to be the Parent – the one that holds all the materials. The other sections become Child courses, meaning their enrollment is redirected to a Parent course.

  1. Write down the Goucher course code for the Parent course (the one you will use to hold all enrollments). In Canvas, this is the SIS ID found in the course settings. For example, MAT222.001.21FA is a valid course code.
  2. Navigate in Canvas to a Child course (one that should be linked to the Parent).
  3. Go to Settings > Sections tab > Click on the link to the section listed there (DON’T SKIP THIS STEP).
  4. Select the Cross-List This Section button from the top right.
  5. Type the Parent course code into the first search box. Don’t use the 2nd box because that’s a different course ID field.
    crosslist-1.png
  6. Select Cross-List This Section button.
  7. Repeat steps 2-5 for any additional sections to be added to the Parent course.

You can confirm all combined sections by going to the Parent course > Settings > Sections.

For more details, including information on re-cross-listing and de-cross-listing, visit How do I cross-list a section in a course as an instructor?


Organize content into Modules

Modules organize different types of content into sub-sets of materials or activities. Modules can be organized based on weeks or subjects.

modules.png

For more details, visit How do I add a Module?


Change the Course Navigation

Instructors can customize the course navigation panel on the left to change what options appear to students. This is highly recommended as a way to reduce confusion for your students by only displaying items they need. For example, you can display MODULES to show organized content but hide repetitive options such as ASSIGNMENTS, FILES, PAGES, etc. You can also add optional items like “Chat” or “Zoom”. Items hidden from students appear grayed-out to instructors.

Go to Course > Settings > Navigation
Either drag items between the top (visible) and bottom (hidden) lists, or click the gear icon next to an item and select the appropriate option.

For more details, visit How do I manage Course Navigation links?.


Import Content from Another Canvas Course

Teachers can copy content from one course to another, such as from last semester to the next.

Go to Course without content > Import Existing Content (sidebar) > Choose existing course > Choose “Select Specific Content” (Recommended) > IMPORT > Hit SELECT CONTENT and do not choose “Course Settings”

  1. Go to the current Canvas course – the one that needs the new content.
  2. On the right, choose the IMPORT EXISTING CONTENT button.
  3. Choose “Copy a Canvas Course” as the content type.
    Type in the name of your old course in “Search for a course.”  TIP! – You can also enter the beginning of a course code in the search field, such as “bio101”, and then choose the course name that appears.
  4. Under Content choose “Select specific content*
    *This is the recommended option. Selecting Specific Content in Step #7 below let’s you choose to skip categories of information rather than specific items. For example, you can choose to skip Assignments, but you can’t choose to skip a specific assignment. It is recommended that you do not copy “Course Settings” from a prior semester.
  5. Skip date adjustmentsIf students are enrolled before course content is imported with due dates, students may not be able to submit work to those imported assignments.
  6. Click the IMPORT button.
  7. If you chose to Select Specific Content in Step 4…
    (a) Click the SELECT CONTENT button that appears under Current Jobs

    (b) Select the types of materials you wish to import and then click the SELECT CONTENT button.

Full instructions are available from Canvas at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-12935-415257077


Add a syllabus

Instructors should place syllabus information in their Canvas course using the Syllabus link in the course navigation panel.

Go to Course > Syllabus> Edit

Additional syllabus resources:


Add information (assignment, document, image, link, etc..) to a module

Canvas modules can include many different types of content. You can add items that already exist in your course, or you can create new items directly from the module.

Course > Modules > “+” button

To the right of each module name are buttons for renaming (pencil), adding content (+-sign), and editing (gear). Select the +-sign icon to add a new item to that module. Choose the type of content to be added (assignment, quiz, discussion, etc..).

For items you’ve already created in the course – Existing items will appear for you to select.

For new items that don’t already exist in the course – To add an entirely new item, select the “New” option at the top of the list. For example, if Assignments is selected, choose “New Assignment”.

Note: Check the published status of any items you add to modules, especially those items you want to stay hidden.

For more details, visit How do I add course content as module items?


View a course after its end date

Courses that have ended will no longer appear on the Dashboard. You can find them by going to COURSES > ALL COURSES on the navigation panel.

 


Add a file, link, or image

Method One: Files on the navigation panel
This area allows you to upload files and easily organize your files using folders. You can drag and drop files into your folders to keep your content organized.

Go to Course > Files > Upload or +Folder

Method Two: The Text Editor
The Text Editor is available in most areas where you would upload content (pages, discussions, assignments, etc.). The editing toolbar has icons for creating web links (1), or links to images, media, and files (3). These buttons further allow you to choose an existing course item or to upload new content. These options are also available from the Insert menu above the toolbar.

Course > Edit a page, assignment, discussion, etc.. > Select the desired icon (Link, Images, Media, or Documents) 

For more details, visit How do I insert links to course content into the Rich Content Editor using the Content Selector as an instructor?.


Create a Page

Instructors have the capability to create a page where they can add text, links, files, images and embedded videos in their Canvas courses similar to a web-page. A page in Canvas can be used to organize small areas of the course which then can be added to a related module. Pages are not separate files, therefore instructors will have access to edit their pages throughout their semesters. You can also set one of your pages to be your Course Home Page (see below for further instructions).

Course > Page > + Add Page

 Add a home page with a banner

A “page” in Canvas is a web page that can contain pictures, text, links, embedded videos, etc. You can also set one of your pages to be the Course Home Page.

Step 1: Create Front Page

Go to Pages> +Page > Edit and save (return to list of pages) > Click gear next to page name > Set As Front Page

When editing this page, use the toolbar to add your course banner and any introductory information you wish.
Note: Only published pages can be set as the Course Home Page.

Step 2: Set Page as Home Page

Go to Home > Select CHOOSE HOME PAGE on the right > select Page (front page)

For more details, visit How do I set a Front Page in a course?


 Upload or Record Videos with Canvas Studio

Canvas Studio is video sharing tool designed by the creators of Canvas. Instructors and students can share comments on a timeline for any video uploaded to Canvas Studio – from YouTube or any other source – making Canvas Studio an interactive tool within a course. Canvas analytics are also available to instructors for videos shared through Canvas Studio.

Step 1: Add a video to your library

Select Canvas Studio from the main navigation panel > Optional: Choose a course from the menu (3-lines) icon at the top left > Click the Add or Record button.

Step 2: Share a video with students in a course

Edit an assignment, a page, a discussion, etc. and select the Canvas Studio tool from the toolbar.

Embed Video from Toolbar

If the Studio icon (1) is not visible, select the More icon (2) first to choose Studio from a list.

For further instructions, visit our Studio Resource page.

 


Add a link to a library resource

  1. Go to the library resource you want to use and find the Permalink (usually found by clicking the text PERMALINK, SHARE, or EMBED depending on the page). Copy it to your clipboard.
  2. Go into your Canvas course and go to Modules.
  3. Click the gray “+” icon to add an item. (Click the “+Module” icon if you need a new module first.)
  4. From the dropdown, select “Add External Url”
  5. Paste the Permalink in the “URL” box and click Add Item.

Special Note: If the Permalink does not include the prefix “https://goucher.idm.oclc.org/login?url=” you will need to add this prefix before the link will work off campus. For example, to link to JSTOR from off campus you would need to change the original url, http://www.jstor.org/action/showAdvancedSearch, to https://goucher.idm.oclc.org/login? url=http://www.jstor.org/action/showAdvancedSearch.

For more information, visit http://libraryguides.goucher.edu/offcampus.


Add an assignment (online or otherwise)

Assignments can have different submission types including:

  • Online – can be a text entry, file upload, web link, or media recording
  • On Paper – use for anything not submitted online, such as written papers, presentations, performances, etc.
  • External Tool – use for special apps such as Atomic Learning training, Campus Pack blogs, wikis, journals, or podcasts, or any special activity app configured for your course.*

Go to Course > Assignments > +Assignment

* When “External Tool” is selected, click on the Find button to select from a list of tools configured in Canvas.

Other types of activities can also be considered assignments and graded, such as discussions or quizzes, and these can be added from their respective areas on the navigation panel. Graded activities can also be added directly from the Modules area.

TIP: To create a reflective journal, use these instructions to create an online assignment set to “Text”. Canvas allows students an unlimited number of submissions for teachers to see and grade, but only the grade given to the most recent submission is recorded in the grade book (meaning the grade you give should be cummulative rather than a grade for each individual entry to be added together later).


Add a discussion

By default, discussions are created as focused discussions that only allow students to post a single response of their own with multiple replies to others. To create a threaded discussion that allows multiple responses, click the Allow threaded replies checkbox.

Go to Course > Discussions> +Discussion 

You can also use discussions to allow students to post and read each others’ papers. To do so, you must allow them to attach files to discussions. See instructions for this here: How do I allow students to attach files to a course discussion?

For more details, visit How do I create a discussion as an instructor?


Turn a Discussion into a Podcast

Discussions (above) can also be used to create class podcasts.

Step One: Set-up the Discussion Settings

Create a new discussion using the instructions above with the following settings:

  • Allow threaded replies (if students should post more than one episode)
  • Enable podcast feed (provides feed for podcast readers)
  • Include student replies in podcast feed (keep off if you want the teacher to be the only author)

For more details, visit https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Instructor-Guide/How-can-I-require-students-to-reply-to-a-course-discussion/ta-p/1100.

Step Two: Add Audio or Video to Replies/Posts (for students too)

  1. Open the discussion and hit REPLY to start a new post.
  2. Click the Record/Upload Media button on the formatting toolbar.
    Capture_Media_Canvas.PNG
  3. A recording pane will appear. Use the webcam button (1) to record a video or switch to the microphone button (2) to record just your voice. Follow the security prompts to allow access to these recording devices on your computer.
    Canvas Media Recorder
  4. Follow the visible prompts to start, stop, and save.

For more details, visit How do I enable a podcast feed for a discussion in a course? .


Add a collaboration

A collaboration is a shared document stored on a cloud site, such as an Office 365 document. This is similar to the function of a wiki, but it’s one document instead of multiple web pages.

Go to Course > Collaborations> +Collaboration > Sign in with your account and follow prompts

Note: The sign-in for students and faculty using Office365 is username@goucher.edu. This is not an email address but the format of our Microsoft sign-in.

For more details, visit How do I create a Microsoft Office 365 collaboration as an instructor?.

Want to check student participation in a collaborative project? We recommend using collaborations with Office 365 and using the “Track Changes” tool to see revision history in documents.


Add a conference

A conference is an online meeting, similar to Skype. Canvas conferences are course-based (meaning you can only include course members in a Canvas conference), and can be recorded and saved for 14 days in the course conference area. Conference recordings cannot be downloaded.

Go to Course > Conferences > +Conference

Invitations are sent out when the conference is created. Once a participant has been invited to a conference, they cannot be removed.

For further instructions, visit our Canvas Conferences page or find help in the Canvas guides.


Create a wiki (collaborative web pages)

Wikis are web pages edited by multiple people. By default, only teachers are allowed to edit the Pages in their course, but it is easy to change this setting and allow students to edit pages too.

OPTION 1: Change the Permissions On A Page To Allow Students To Edit
Go to Course > Pages > +Page > Change “Can edit this page role selection” to Teachers and students.

PagesPermissions.PNG

OPTION 2: Set Up Permissions to Allow Students To Create New Pages
Go to Course > Settings > Course Details tab > More options > Change the very last setting so that Teachers and students “can create, rename, and edit course pages by default” > Click the UPDATE COURSE DETAILS button to save your changes
After you set this up, students will see a “+Page” option when they navigate to the Pages area of the course, and they will have the ability to edit pages too.

What if I use other pages for instructions? Will students be able to edit those too?
If you have existing pages before you make the change above, they should remain set so editing can be done by “Only teachers”. Future pages will be set up by default so that editing can be done by “Teachers and students”, but you can change this setting at any time so it’s “Only teachers”.

How do I make the wiki home page open by default when students click PAGES on the navigation panel?
Use the gear icon next to any page and select “Use as frontpage” to make that page the default. In this situation, when you click PAGES, this page will open automatically. A VIEW ALL PAGES button appears at the top of the page to return see a full list of every page. Note: This is not recommended if you have a page set as your course Home page.

How do I review a page’s revision history? This is useful for assessing students’ contributions to a page.
Click the gear icon next to any page and select View Page History.

 


Overview on how to use Gradebook

Canvas has introduced a redesigned gradebook for teachers with a simplified user interface and some new features. The grades view for students has not changed.

To see an excellent overview of how to use the New Gradebook, watch this video tutorial (6min:46sec)


Add a new grade column

Gradebook columns come from graded assignments in the course. The easiest way to add a new column for items that are not submitted online, such as presentations or performances, is to add an assignment with the submission type = “No Submission”.

See “How to add an assignment”


Hiding Student Grades

Muting student grades has been replaced with a Posting Policy feature.

To hide posted grades until you are ready to release them…

1.Click the Settings Icon….

grades setting icon

2. Choose the “Grade Posting Policy” tab and select the manual option.

grades posting policy

Grades will remain hidden until you How do I post grades for an assignment in the Gradebook? for students to see.


Create a Quiz

A basic quiz is set up by adding the quiz, filling in the quiz settings, and then adding questions with point values.

Course > Add quiz > fill in Details tab > fill in Questions tab > Publish

There are four types of quizzes:

  • Graded quiz (most common),
  • Practice quiz (not graded)
  • Graded survey (scored for completion, not right or wrong answers)
  • Ungraded survey (not graded)
  • Surveys can also be anonymous

When adding questions, you can add individual questions each with a point value, or you can create a question group. A question group randomly assigns a subset of questions with the same point value from the group (for example, students answer a random 10 of 15 possible questions each worth 2 points).

Quizzes can be customized in many different ways. To view a detailed list of possibilities, visit Canvas Instructor Guide: Quizzes.


Create a grading rubric

Rubrics can be created and applied to assignments for easy and transparent grading. They can are stored and managed in the Outcomes area, but can also be created directly from an Assignment using the same steps.

Go to course > Outcomes > Manage rubrics (icon with 3 dots on the right) > Add rubric button

Manage rubrics icon

  • Add a title
  • At least one criterion is always listed. Hover over a criterion and click the pencil icon to edit it.
  • Click “view longer description” link to add/edit a detailed explanation for students
  • For Ratings, move the mouse between “Full marks” and “No marks” until the cursor changes. Click to add more ratings as needed. If needed, hover over a new rating to click on icons for editing or deleting.
    Rubric ratings
  • Type in the point value for each criterion.
  • Click the Create Rubric button to save.

For more details on creating rubrics, visit How do I add a rubric in a course?.

 

To add a rubric to an assignment, click the assignment name to open it and select the +Rubric button at the bottom of the screen.


Weight grades

Grades can be weighted based on assignment groups, which work like categories.

Go to course > Assignments > Settings (gear icon) > Check “Weight final grades based on assignment groups > Save

To add groups: Once the setting above is turned on, the Assignments area will have a “+Group” button to add new groups to your grading scheme. For example, you might want groups for quizzes, papers, discussions, etc.

To edit or delete an existing group: Click the gear icon next to the group name to change the name or the group’s assigned weight. (You can also use the gear icon at the top of the Assignments area to review or edit all the group weights in one list at the same time.)

To add an assignment to a group:  Click the “+” icon next to a group name to add a new assignment to that group. Or, to change the group for an existing assignment, edit the settings for that assignment.

For more details including how weights are calculated and other considerations, visit How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?.


Use the speed grader

The Speed Grader is a grading view that opens individual student submissions in their own window. Teachers can view the submission, enter a score, provide text or audio comments, and in some cases annotate the submission to provide in-line feedback. Speed grader is available from various places in your course.

  • Speedgrader is still available but from a new location. Click any assignment cell and click the Grade Detail Tray icon.

Note that speed grader does not work for some external tools, such as Campus Pack blogs, wikis, etc.

More information is available from the New Gradebook FAQ (Links to an external site.) page and at How do I use SpeedGrader?.


More Resources

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