Canvas Checklist
No need to memorize every step when you can lean on the Canvas Checklist. This guide walks through the faculty action items related to access, management, building, and concluding academic Canvas courses each term.
Canvas course shells are created based on the Banner schedule of classes. Faculty can expect Canvas course shells approximately 60 days before the main fall, spring, and summer terms:
- Fall courses in late June
- Spring courses in early November
- Summer courses in early March
Need Canvas training or assistance? Find options in the Canvas Global Navigation Help button.
Prepare Your Canvas Shell
☐ The Instructor of record listed in the course schedule gets Canvas course access. Contact your department scheduler for corrections in Banner.
☐ Use Cardinal Apps to open Canvas and locate your course(s) in the Dashboard or All Courses list to confirm access.
☐ Ensure the Term dates found in course Settings reflect your needs or set new participation start and end dates.
☐ Teaching multiple sections but prefer a single Canvas course? Cross-list multiple courses before you begin building.
☐ Add people with legitimate educational interest to your course. Remember, students are enrolled through Banner.
Set Up Your Canvas Content
☐ Copy a previous course or select content. Remember, copy before editing to preserve the academic record.
☐ Edit your Home page to capture students’ attention and direct them along a learning path to success.
☐ Update your syllabus and outline document(s) for accuracy, then add them to the Syllabus feature in Canvas.
☐ Set up all Assignments with clear instructions or use placeholder info when details are pending.
☐ Confirm due dates with the bulk update feature. Remember, due dates must fall between participation dates in Settings.
☐ Confirm points possible, weighted groups, and grading scheme calculate grades as stated in your syllabus.
☐ Enable a grading scheme in Settings represents accurate point ranges for letter grades.
☐ Update pages with correct office hours, contact information, and communication preferences.
☐ Customize your student orientation module. Remember to include practice items to help students learn the tech.
☐ Create your content modules and instructional materials. Remember digital accessibility standards for all content.
☐ Quality check the appearance and functionality of your course with Student View.
☐ Publish your course before the participation start date and time you decided on in Settings.
☐ Post a welcome announcement. Remember, students won’t be notified of announcements until a course is published.
End Your Course Each Term
☐ Ensure all grade requirements are met before the Registrar’s export date on the Academic Calendar for a successful auto-transfer to Banner.
☐ If you prefer to manually add final grades to Banner, do not set a grading scheme in Canvas.
☐ If desired, you can export a copy of grades and save a backup of your course content for your records.
☐ The participation end date makes the course read-only as an academic record, plan ahead for extended access needs.
![For tech help call 210 829 2721 or email helpdesk@uiwtx.edu](https://attachment.freshservice.com/inline/attachment?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6MTcwNDYyMzczNjIsImRvbWFpbiI6InVpdy5mcmVzaHNlcnZpY2UuY29tIiwidHlwZSI6MX0._bn8gOIB-VCnSyCTPVODDQgVL1Nvxlqwc5d60yA8tfw)