Semester Start: Build a Site
This page is for new Canvas users and instructors/course teams who want to build a new Canvas site from scratch.
1. Find your new site |
Log into canvas.mit.edu ('MIT Students, Faculty, and Staff' login option) and locate your site on the Dashboard under the 'Unpublished Courses' section.
Course sites are automatically created each semester from Registrar data, which also dictates how the 'People' section of the site (your course roster) gets populated:
| Students | Added to/removed from sites based on registration status |
| Instructors ('Teacher') | Added to/removed from sites based on information in MIT Instructor Assignment Application |
| TAs & Course Admins | Must manually add, especially those who are helping to build or manage the site |
2. Upload files |
Upload files from your computer to the Files section:
1. Click 'Files' in the navigation menu. Note: The icon next to it means this section is hidden from students by default. Although you can change this (see Step 5 below), think of Files as a storage section where you upload and organize files before displaying them for students elsewhere on your site, like under Modules.
2. You can create folders to help organize files.
3. Click 'Upload' and retrieve the file(s) from your computer. You also have the option to organize files on your computer, zip the folder, and upload it here - the file structure/org will persist.
- Note: It's recommended you upload video files to Panopto, an online video platform fully integrated with both Canvas and Zoom. When you share videos on Canvas via Panopto, you will not use up your site's storage space or be limited by file size during upload.
4. The green check mark to the right of an uploaded file means it is published, but you can click this icon to further moderate its availability and access.
A note about Stellar: Spring 2022 was the last semester for which new course sites were created on Stellar. However, you may have a past Stellar site that contains materials and/or assignments you want on your Canvas site - if so, email canvas-support@mit.edu to request a migration. Migrated files will appear in the Files section.
3. Display files |
After uploading course materials to the Files section, display those files for students. For example:
Create Modules (1), labeled by week/date, material type or other categories, and add the file under it.
2. Click the '+' in the Module where you want to add the file.
3. Choose 'File' from the 'Add' dropdown menu and select the file you had previously uploaded to the Files section.
Or, embed the file on a Page. This works for any area in Canvas that has the Rich Content Editor, including Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, and Syllabus.
1. Highlight the text that you want the file to be linked to.
2. Click the arrow next to the document icon in the tool bar and choose 'Course Documents.' Then select the file you had previously uploaded to the Files section.
4. Confirm the home page layout |
The default home page uses the Modules layout, but you can change this layout by clicking the 'Choose Home Page' button from the home page.
Other suggested home page options include a regular page ('Pages Front Page') and the Syllabus layout.
Note: It's recommended to still use Modules as the site's main section for posting materials, even if you use a different home page layout.
5. Update the navigation menu |
Decide what to keep visible and what to hide from students in the navigation menu (Settings > Navigation). You can also rearrange the order in which items appear here.
Note: Modules will remain invisible to students and will continue to display the crossed-out eye in your view until you create and publish a Module.
Enable any Canvas-integrated tools (LTIs) you want to use, also done through Settings > Navigation (Note: Dropbox, Flip, and the Redirect tool are located under Settings > Apps). See the full list of available LTIs here.
6. Review & publish the site |
Review the site before publishing it. Recommended actions include:
- Publishing the Pages, Assignments, Modules and Module items you want to be visible to students right away.
- Checking for broken/unresponsive links, which the link validator tool site. can help with.
- Using 'Student View' to see what your course site will look like from a student's point of view once published.
When you are ready for students to see the course site, publish the course from the Home page.
Note: The published course now appears in the top section of your Dashboard under 'Published Courses.'
ADDITIONALLY: |
There are other tools & features in Canvas you may want to use throughout the course. Consider:
|
Managing assignments and grading |
Maintaining regular communication |
Updating the course site when needed |