How can faculty be trained to use Canvas for learning management?

2 Choose your training mode

There are different ways to learn how to use Canvas, depending on your preferences, availability, and learning style. You can choose from self-paced online tutorials, live webinars, instructor-led workshops, peer-to-peer mentoring, or a combination of these modes. Some of these options may be offered by your institution, while others may be available from external sources. For example, you can access the Canvas Community, which is a platform where you can find guides, videos, blogs, forums, and events related to Canvas.

3 Follow the best practices

As you learn how to use Canvas, you should also follow some best practices that can enhance your course design and delivery. For instance, you should use consistent and clear navigation, organize your content into modules, align your activities and assessments with your learning outcomes, provide timely and constructive feedback, communicate regularly with your students, and monitor their progress and performance. These practices can help you create a positive and effective learning experience for your students.

4 Experiment and innovate

One of the benefits of using Canvas is that it allows you to experiment and innovate with your teaching methods and materials. You can use various features and tools to create engaging and interactive content, such as quizzes, polls, videos, podcasts, simulations, games, and more. You can also integrate external applications and platforms, such as Google Drive, Zoom, Flipgrid, and Padlet, to enhance your course functionality and diversity. By experimenting and innovating, you can discover new ways to motivate and challenge your students.

5 Seek feedback and support

Learning how to use Canvas is an ongoing process that requires feedback and support from various sources. You can seek feedback from your students, colleagues, mentors, or experts on how to improve your course design and delivery. You can also seek support from your institution's technical and pedagogical staff, or from the Canvas Support team, if you encounter any issues or difficulties with using Canvas. By seeking feedback and support, you can learn from your mistakes and successes, and continuously improve your skills and knowledge.

6 Keep learning and updating

Canvas is constantly evolving and adding new features and tools to its platform. Therefore, you need to keep learning and updating your skills and knowledge to keep up with the changes and innovations. You can subscribe to the Canvas Release Notes, which inform you of the latest updates and enhancements to Canvas. You can also join the Canvas User Groups, which are communities of practice where you can share ideas, tips, and best practices with other Canvas users. By keeping learning and updating, you can make the most of Canvas for your learning management.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?