Template: Introduction & How-to Customize | Do Not Publish in Your Course

Template Overview 

  • Use this template for all of of your courses to maintain continuity 
  • You may change banner images and button images, but please don't add, move, or remove things from the home page
  • Please don't change the colors of headers on the homepage
  • Please do not change the course navigation (left side menu)
  • You may edit text on the home page to customize it to your course

Customize & Copy Sample Materials

This template provides you with the following sample components:

  • Announcement
  • Syllabus Page
  • Canvas Overview and Resources Module (from Student Perspective)
  • Welcome to Class Module (aka a "Getting Started" introductory Module)
  • Lesson Module
    • Overview and To Do List Content Page
    • Presentation Content Page
    • Group Discussion
    • Individual Assignment
    • Quiz
    • Wrap-up and Looking Ahead Content Page

Each page provides you (the instructor) with guidelines/suggestions as to how to use the sample. This text is often in bold and italics. When applicable, samples are also provided. Please be sure to unpublish and/or revise this material prior to providing student access. 

Duplicating Materials 

Modules can be duplicated within the course. The duplication option is located in the Settings menu for every supported module item. When a module is copied, the word Copy is added to the end of the module name.

Learn More: Canvas Guides: How do I duplicate a module? Links to an external site.

You can also duplicate individual module items. Below, please find some resources related to copying your template components: 

Review Your Course Settings

The Settings navigation link is where you can easily update and see the different users and sections, and you can also modify the navigation of your course. Depending on your permissions, you can edit differing levels of the course settings.

For a general overview of your Course Settings, please review the following Canvas Guide: How do I use course settings? Links to an external site.

Link Validator  

Before you publish your course, we recommend that you validate the links within your course using the built-in Link Validator tool. The Link Validator tool searches through course content and returns invalid or unresponsive external links in both published and unpublished content.

For details about this tool, please review the following Canvas Guide: How do I validate links in a course? Links to an external site.

How to access Link Validator: You can access the Link Validator tool by selecting the Settings button and then choosing Validate Links in Content

Customize Your Course Card

When students access Canvas, they are presented with a view of their Student Dashboard. The Dashboard allows students quick access to their courses. You can add an image to go along with your course name/access link. Students will associate this image with your course. To learn more, please review the following Canvas Guide: How do I add an image to a course card in the Dashboard? Links to an external site.