Author Archives: Shane Degen

Canvas Update (08/15/2020)

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On Saturday, August 15, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas Workshops – July and August 2020

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During the Summer of 2020, the Learning Technology Center (LTC) will be offering opportunities to learn the Canvas basics, make simple changes to your courses to improve the student experience, and to dig deeper into Canvas features.  For self guided assistance, please view the Canvas Service Page.

Canvas Basics 
Whether you are brand new to Canvas, or just want to brush up on the basics, this training will put you on the right path. We will focus on

  • Creating a new Module
  • Adding files to Modules
  • Adding Assignments to Modules
  • Setting up your gradebook

What Students Want in Canvas 
There are many good ways to set up a course. This training will focus on making a series of small, easy, and optional, shifts from your current course design to a setup backed by feedback from student panels conducted right here at UW-Whitewater. We will focus on

  • Matching your Assignments and Grades area to your course syllabus
  • Reorganizing Modules to a chronological layout
  • Getting assignments and tasks populated to student calendars
  • Utilizing the description area of Quizzes and Assignments

The goal is not to change how you teach, just how students view the course.

EVENT NAMEDATE/TIMELOCATIONREGISTER
Canvas BasicsThursday, July 16th
2:00pm – 3:00pm		WebexRegistration
What Students Want In CanvasThursday, July 23rd
2:00pm – 3:00pm		WebexRegistration
Canvas BasicsTuesday, August 11th
1:00pm – 2:00pm		WebexRegistration
What Students Want In CanvasThursday, August 13th
3:00pm – 4:00pm		WebexRegistration

Canvas Deep Dives (1 Hour)
We will focus on a single tool, and dive deep into various options and use cases for how that tool works.

  • Quizzes: This will touch on different question types, building in targeted feedback in auto-graded quizzes, and most likely spend the bulk of the time in the Question Bank area to help instructors get a feel for Canvas Question Bank.
  • Assignments: We will focus on tasks such as creating a place for students to digitally turn in work, and setting up your gradebook.
  • Discussions: We will look at setup (including threaded vs unthreaded), visibility, the lack of a “Forum” in Canvas (compared to how D2L had it), group setup, and grading.
  • Webex Tools: Webex is usable through Canvas, but does take some initial setup there.  If you are interested in using Webex for your classes, this is the workshop for you.
EVENT NAMEDATE/TIMELOCATIONREGISTER
QuizzesTuesday, July 28th
10:00am – 11:00am		WebexRegistration
AssignmentsThursday, July 30th
2:00pm – 3:00pm		WebexRegistration
DiscussionsTuesday, August 4th
11:00am – Noon		WebexRegistration
Webex ToolsThursday, August 6th
3:00pm – 4:00pm		WebexRegistration

If you have any questions about these sessions, please reach out to the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Canvas Workshops – Summer 2020

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During the Summer of 2020, the LTC will be offering opportunities to make simple changes to your courses to improve the canvas exerance for you and your students, and to dig deeper into Canvas features.  For self guided assistance, please view the Canvas Service Page.

What Students Want in Canvas 
There are many good ways to set up a course. This training will focus on making a series of small, easy, and optional, shifts from your current course design to a setup backed by feedback from student panels conducted right here at UW-Whitewater. We will focus on

  • Matching your Assignments and Grades area to your course syllabus
  • Reorganizing Modules to a chronological layout
  • Getting assignments and tasks populated to student calendars
  • Utilizing the description area of Quizzes and Assignments

The goal is not to change how you teach, just how students view the course.

Date/TimeLocationRegister
Thursday, May 28th
1:00pm – 2:00pm		WebexRegistration
Tuesday, June 2nd
11:00am – Noon		WebexRegistration
Wednesday, June 10th
10:00am – 11:00am		WebexRegistration
Thursday, June 25th
3:00pm – 4:00pm		WebexRegistration
Tuesday, July 7th
10:00am – 11:00am		WebexRegistration

Canvas Deep Dives (1 Hour)
We will focus on a single tool, and dive deep into various options and use cases for how that tool works.

  • Groups: This training will discuss what the tool is, how it differs from what we are use to in D2L, when it should be used, and when it shouldn’t be used.
  • Webex Tools: Webex is usable through Canvas, but does take some initial setup there.  If you are interested in using Webex for your classes, this is the workshop for you.
  • Content: This training will walk through embedding video content, linking to other course content, and utilizing the student “to-do” list.
  • Rubrics: This training will start with the general creation of rubrics, then expand to specific use cases of instructors attending the session.
Event NameDate/TimeLocationRegister
GroupsWednesday, June 3rd
1:00pm – 2:00pm		WebexRegistration
Webex ToolsWednesday, June 3rd
3:00pm – 4:00pm		WebexRegistration
ContentThursday, June 4th
1:00pm – 2:00pm		WebexRegistration
RubricsThursday, June 4th
3:00pm – 4:00pm		WebexRegistration
GroupsMonday, June 15th
11:00am – Noon		WebexRegistration
Webex ToolsTuesday, June 16th
11:00am – Noon		WebexRegistration
ContentMonday, June 29th
1:00pm – 2:00pm		WebexRegistration
RubricsTuesday, June 30th
1:00pm – 2:00pm		WebexRegistration

If you have any questions about these sessions, please reach out to the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Canvas Update (05/16/2020)

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On Saturday, May 16, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

UW-Whitewater Updates

D2L Retirement is progressing.  All information you would like to keep must be exported out of D2L before June 1st, 2020. Whether it’s an old for-credit based course, or an ongoing course – make sure all material is backed up. Once our access is removed, we will not have any way to obtain this data. For more information check out the Desire2Learn Retirement Planning post.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas Update (04/18/2020)

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On Saturday, April 14, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

Instructure has moved to a “Ready Release” method of weekly updates to address pressing issues during the sudden shift to online. The full list of ready release notes are available. We have included what we believe to be the two most notable updates here.

UW-Whitewater Updates

D2L Retirement is progressing.  All information you would like to keep must be exported out of D2L before June 1st, 2020. Whether it’s an old for-credit based course, or an ongoing course – make sure all material is backed up. Once our access is removed, we will not have any way to obtain this data. For more information check out the Desire2Learn Retirement Planning post.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas Traveling Open Lab – March 2020

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During the first two weeks of March, the LTC will be offering Canvas Open Labs (1 Hour) to work on and learn about Canvas while a local expert is available to offer assistance. Whether you are working on your current course, or planning for the future – stop on by! Whether you happen to be in the building, or are walking across campus to make it, we are happy to see you!

Date/TimeLocationRegister
Monday, March 2nd – 11:00amHyland 3101Registration
Thursday, March 3rd – 2:00pmWinther 1005Registration
Wednesday, March 4th – 8:00amWilliams Center 187Registration
Thursday, March 5th – 1:00pmUpham 222Registration
Monday, March 9th – 9:00amCenter of the Arts 2059Registration
Wednesday, March 11th – 10:00amLaurentide 4012Registration
Thursday, March 12th – 2:00pmHeide 312Registration

Group Specific Trainings (variable length)
The LTC offers customized trainings that can be setup by request for your departments/group. If you are interested, contact us at 262.472.1004 or ltc@uww.edu and we will work with you to get the training scheduled.

If you have any questions about these sessions, please reach out to the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

Canvas Update (02/15/2020)

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Vendor Updates

On Saturday, January 18, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

  • Commons Favorites Direct Import: Instructors can copy individual course items that have been favorited in Canvas Commons. Using this feature, they can be copied directly into the intended location..
  • New Quizzes – Moved to Quizzes: Instructors wishing to use the “New Quizzes” tool will now find it in the Quizzes area.
    • Please note that “New Quizzes” is still in Beta and UW-Whitewater recommends the use of the standard quizzing tool.
  • Responsive Layout: Canvas provides a more responsive experience for content scrolling according to web accessibility initiative guidelines.

UW-Whitewater Updates

D2L Retirement is progressing.  All information you would like to keep must be exported out of D2L before June 1st, 2020. Whether it’s an old for-credit based course, or an ongoing course – make sure all material is backed up. Once our access is removed, we will not have any way to obtain this data. For more information check out the Desire2Learn Retirement Planning post.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Canvas Update (1/18/2020)

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Vendor Updates

On Saturday, January 18, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

  • Direct Share Course-Level Features: Instructors can copy individual course items to another course and share individual items with other users.
  • Personal Pronoun feature description: Users can select pronouns to associate with their account in Canvas. The initial set of options will be: He/His, She/Hers, They/Theirs.
  • Postable Submission Comments: Assignments with the “Manual” Posting Policy will now be able to have Comments posted for students to see before entering a grade.
  • New Quizzes – Answer Shuffling: Instructors using the “New Quizzes” tool will now be able to shuffle answers on multiple choice, multiple answer, and matching quiz questions.
    • Please note that “New Quizzes” is still in Beta and UW-Whitewater recommends the use of the standard quizzing tool.
  • Rich Content Editor Update: Instructors can start using the Rich Content Editor update early by enabling it in their settings area. Instructure plans to make the updates on by default in a future update.

UW-Whitewater Updates

Winterim 2020 grades are due 4:00pm, Tuesday January 21. Directions for eGrading are available for instructors who wish to use this process.

Remember to Publish your courses. Spring 2020 courses start Tuesday January 21. It is important to remember that students will be unable to enter the course, and instructors will be unable to us the Inbox to message students until the course is published.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.

Spring 2020 Canvas Course Prep Session

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On Friday, January 10th there will be a three hour Open Lab in McGraw 19C, spotted with five-minute mini sessions about targeted reminders on a wide range of topics. The LTC and LEARN Center would like to help you work on anything on your start of semester to-do list. Even if the mini session don’t touch on your tasks, there will be people here to help with anything during the Open Lab times.

  • 1:00pm-1:30pm Canvas 24-7 Support vs HelpDesk followed by Open Lab
  • 1:30pm-2:00pm Transferring content from one Canvas course to another followed by Open Lab
  • 2:00pm-2:30pm What goes into a syllabus, and what resources are available? Followed by Open Lab
  • 2:30pm-3:00pm Gradebook setup followed by Open Lab
  • 3:00pm-3:30pm Designing good assignments in Canvas followed by Open Lab
  • 3:30pm-4:00pm LEARN Center offerings for Spring followed by Open Lab

If the above is too much to keep track of during this busy time of year, just stop in during any time that works for you, and we will be here to help you get done the things YOU need to get done.

While walk-ins are encouraged, if you plan on joining us at any point, please consider signing up in advance so we know to expect you.

If you have any questions about these sessions, please reach out to the UW-W Learning Technology Center.

What’s New in Canvas? (12/21/2019)

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On Saturday, December 21, Instructure will deploy the latest release to the Canvas environment.  The highlights of this release are listed below.  The full release notes are also available.

  • Global Announcements: The notifications area for each user now includes a space to set how you would like to receive notifications about a new Global Announcement being posted by Administrators.
  • New Quizzes – Numeric Question Invalid Input Warning: If a quiz question is set up to only accept the Numeric Question, a warning for an invalid entry will pop up if a student attempts to enter an invalid character. The warning should say “only numeric values are accepted”.
    • Please note that “New Quizzes” is still in Beta and UW-Whitewater recommends the use of the standard quizzing tool.

On Wednesday, January 1st, the New Analytics tool will be set to “On” for all of UW-System, making the Old Analytics tool unavailable. For details on the differences, Instructure has made documentation available.

Office 365 / Google Collaborations are now working as expected in Canvas. If you experience any issues using Collaborations, please contact Canvas 24/7 Support.

If you have any questions or concerns about the service pack updates, please contact UW-W Canvas Support.