Using Canvas while teaching in person or fully online promotes a consistent user experience for students and ensures materials are included with each new course. This page provides links to Canvas tutorial guides and videos as well as some best practices to get you started in customizing course content. This page can help save time in searching for the appropriate guides and can empower faculty to take their course to the next level by exposing them to Canvas guides on different tools and functions.
For Canvas questions, please contact the A&S Canvas support team at artscicanvas@wustl.edu
Instructional Best Practices Approved by the Faculty of Arts & Sciences May 2021 and adopted for AY2021-22 and AY2022-23
Arts & Sciences Forms & Policies
Accessibility in Canvas
Access and equity for students with disabilities
What are the Canvas accessibility standards?
How do I use the accessibility checker in the rich content editor as an instructor?
Web Accessibility
How do I use the Microsoft Immersive Reader in a course as an instructor?
Analytics in Canvas
What are analytics?
How do I view course analytics?
Once I publish a quiz, what kinds of quiz statistics are available?
Browser & Computer Requirements for Canvas
What are the computer specifications for Canvas?
- For best performance, you should access Canvas with a computer that supports the most recent browser versions. It is recommended to use a computer five years old or newer with at least 1GB of RAM.
- Canvas should be used on the current or first previous major releases of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
- Canvas runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, or any other device with a modern web browser.
- Your computer operating system should be kept up to date with the latest recommended security updates and upgrades.
Internet Speed
Along with compatibility and web standards, Canvas has been carefully crafted to accommodate low bandwidth environments. It is recommended to have a minimum Internet speed of 512kbps.
Supported Browsers
Canvas supports the current and first previous major releases of the following browsers:
- Chrome 90 and 91
- Firefox 89 and 90 (Extended Releases (Links to an external site.) are not supported*)
- Edge 90 and 91
- Respondus Lockdown Browser (supporting the latest system requirements (Links to an external site.))
- Safari 13 and 14 (Macintosh only)
JavaScript
JavaScript must be enabled to run Canvas.
Zoom System Requirements
- An internet connection: broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE). Minimum bandwidth is 600kbps (up/down) and recommended is 1.5 Mbps (up/down). Check your Internet bandwidth using Speedtest(external site).
- A microphone: built into your computer or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth.
- Built-in headset jack from laptop or desktop. Even if your laptop or desktop has speakers, you must plug in a headset so that the sound from the speakers does not cause an echo in the Zoom meeting. Any headset with a 3.5mm plug will plugin.
Browser Plugins and Extensions
Some browser plugins or extensions may conflict with Canvas and affect functionality. If you experience behavior that does not allow you to view or participate in Canvas courses, please ensure you have disabled any extensions or plugins that interact directly with your web browser.
For troubleshooting, consider logging in to Canvas using an incognito or private browser window, which will provide a browser session without any prior browsing or search history, associated browser cookies, or other factors that may interfere with the browser. If you are able to view and participate in Canvas using an incognito or private browser window, the behavior you are experiencing is likely related to the browser and not Canvas.
Browser Privacy Settings
To ensure browser security, follow all browser security policies established by your institution, especially if you are using Canvas on a computer provided by your institution.
When displaying content, Canvas defaults to the preference set by a specific browser. Some browsers may occasionally make modifications to privacy settings to protect users from possible insecure content. Insecure content is identified with the prefix http:// in the URL and can create mixed content in your Canvas Page. Secured content is identified with the https:// prefix in the URL. For the best user experience, content should be secure to avoid browser conflicts.
- If you are a Canvas admin, insecure content may be caused by hosting an insecure JS/CSS file outside of Canvas. If custom uploads are supported for your account, you can host your file in the Canvas Theme Editor, which will resolve any browser conflicts.
- If you are a Canvas instructor who embeds Canvas lessons inside your course, you can prevent browser issues with mixed content using secured Canvas Guides URLs.
Screen Readers
- Macintosh: VoiceOver (Links to an external site.) (latest version for Safari)
- PC: JAWS (Links to an external site.) (latest version for Chrome and Firefox)
- PC: NVDA (Links to an external site.) (latest version for Chrome and Firefox)
Accessibility
Canvas is committed to W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative. To learn about supported screen reader and browser combinations, please see the Canvas accessibility standards (Links to an external site.) document.
Canvas on Mobile Devices
The Canvas interface was optimized for desktop displays, so using small form factors such as phones may not be a pleasant experience in using Canvas. For the best user experience, please download the Canvas mobile applications. The Canvas mobile applications require Android 6.0 or later and iOS 13.0 or later.
Canvas offers limited support for native mobile browsers on tablet devices. For additional details, please reference the limited-support mobile browser guidelines.
Canvas Mobile Users
Canvas Resources & Training
What are some common issues and concerns with Canvas?
What is the Canvas Community?
What is WashU Extended Learning (Canvas Catalog)?
Access not-for-credit, continuing education, professional development, and other programs.
To contact support for WashU Extended Learning, click the Help button within the system or contact your program administrator.
Current Releases & Deploys
Tools for Teaching & Learning Remotely
For much of the academic year scheduled classes meet as expected, without incident. However, there may be instances when the “norm” is disrupted due to factors outside of our control like severe storms, health risks, or other emergencies. To ensure instruction can move forward, WashU has several tools available within Canvas at your disposal. Leveraging these tools, such as those listed below, will help you continue teaching throughout the disruption.
Integrating the Library into Canvas
Best Practices for Using Canvas
Canvas YouTube Channel
Canvas Enhancements and New Features
Canvas Service Requests
Adding a person to a course request
Request a person be added in a guest, guest student, or observer role to your Canvas course. Other roles must be added in the Student Information System (SIS) by departmental WashU Course Listings (WUCRSL) admins or school registrars – they cannot be added in Canvas only.
Non-Curricular course request
Request a Non-Curricular Course for courses that are needed for purposes outside the regular curriculum. Courses in the regular curriculum are scheduled through WashU Course Listings (WUCRSL). Courses outside the regular curriculum are referred to as Non-Curricular Courses (in Blackboard, these were called “Organizations"). A Non-Curricular Course is a course that isn’t part of the regular curriculum, but delivers required content to students.
Canvas demo course request
Request a demo course to help you get started. A demo course serves as a “sandbox,” a place where you can give Canvas a try and experiment with features of the LMS.
Support for a Canvas external tool request
Request help for integrated External Tools (such as Kaltura, Turnitin, Poll Everywhere, and others). External Tools (also known as "applications," "apps," and/or "LTIs") are developed by other third-party vendors to integrate with the Canvas LMS. Request help via this form.
Communicating in Canvas
What is the inbox?
What are announcements?
How do I download the Canvas mobile app?
How do I manage my notification settings as an instructor?
How do I leave feedback comments for student submissions in speedgrader?
Creating Assignments in Canvas
How do I create an online assignment?
How do I create a discussion as an instructor?
How do I create a quiz with individual questions?
What options can I set in a quiz?
Once I publish a quiz, how do I use moderate quiz?
What is the difference between assignment due dates and availability dates?
What are rubrics?
What are student annotation submissions?
Digital Teaching Tools
Artsci Digital Teaching Tools
Grading in Canvas
How do I use the canvas gradebook?
What is speedgrader?
Using Canvas with EGrades
How do I view course sections and rosters in WebFac?
How do I use Gradescope?
How do I cross-list/merge a section in a course as an instructor?
How do I post grades for an assignment in the gradebook?
Academic Integrity at Washington University
Merging Courses in Canvas
How do I cross-list a section in a course as an instructor?
Cross-listing allows you to move section enrollments from individual courses and combine them into one course. This feature is helpful for instructors who teach several sections of the same course and only want to manage course data in one location. Instructors can allow students to view users in other sections or limit them to only view users in the same section. Section names do not change when they are cross-listed; the section is just moved to another course. Cross-listing should be done while courses are unpublished. Coursework is retained with the course, not with the section enrollments, so if a published course is cross-listed, all cross-listed enrollments will lose any associated assignment submissions and grades.
To cross-list a course, you must know the name of the course or the course ID into which you are cross-listing. However, using a course ID is a better way to confirm you are cross-listing a section into the correct course. You can find the course ID by opening the course and viewing the number at the end of the browser URL (e.g. account.instructure.com/courses/XXXXXX).
Sections can only be in one course at a time. Once a section is cross-listed, you can re-cross-list the section into another course if necessary.
How do I de-cross-list a section in a course as an instructor?
If you cross-listed a section from a course, you may be able to cross-list the same section back into the original course. This process is called de-cross-listing and returns all student enrollments back to the original course section. However, once you de-cross-list enrollments, all grades and student submissions are removed from the course (since the course can no longer associate the information with any course enrollments). If you need to retain student grades and put them in the original course, you should export the Gradebook and import it into the original course before de-cross-listing the section.
How do I view differentiated assignments with different due dates in a course?
Differentiated Assignments is a Canvas feature that lets you create different due dates and availability dates for assignments, quizzes, and discussions. Assignments and graded discussions can be differentiated for individual students, sections, or groups; quizzes can only be differentiated for individual students or sections. You can designate if the assignment will be limited to those students, sections, or groups or if it will also be assigned to everyone else in the course.
When using differentiated assignments with the Gradebook, the assignment appears as a column for all students, but grade cells are grayed out for students who have not been included in the assignment. Grades cannot be assigned for students who have not been included in the assignment. Additionally, assignments that are not assigned to students—whether individually or as part of a section, group, or entire course—are not factored into overall grades. Differentiated assignments are also respected in Multiple Grading Periods.
On the student grades page, students can only view assignments that have been assigned to them. Differentiated assignments do not affect your students since they will only see the assignment that have been assigned to them. However, when an assignment includes more than one section, group, or user, Multiple Due Dates will appear across your entire course including Quizzes, Assignments, Discussions, Syllabus, Modules, Course Analytics, Calendar, and SpeedGrader.
Publishing a Course in Canvas
How do I publish a course?
How do I validate links in a course?
How do I view a course as a test student using student view?
Syllabus Reporting
WASHU will be checking for syllabus submissions for all undergraduate courses (100-400 level) worth 3 or more credits that are not independent research, independent study, internship, music lessons, or performance credits, except for College Writing sections. You are certainly welcome to upload syllabi for everything.
Merging and Cross Listing Sections
Setting Up A Course in Canvas
Starting the Semester with Remote Teaching
Using Canvas while teaching in person or fully online promotes a consistent user experience for students and ensures materials are included with each new course. This page provides links to Canvas tutorial guides and videos as well as some best practices to get you started in customizing course content. This page can help save time in searching for the appropriate guides and can empower faculty to take their course to the next level by exposing them to Canvas guides on different tools and functions.
Where do I login to MyCanvas?
Are you an instructor who is new to the University and having issues signing in to Canvas? You will only have access to Canvas and be able to log on after your department has assigned you a role in a course through WUCRSL.
How do I use the course setup checklist?
How do I change the course home page?
How do I copy a course into a new course shell?
How do I manage course navigation links?
How do I add a module?
How do I add course content as module items?
How do I create an online assignment?
How do I use the syllabus as an instructor?
What are pages?
What are profile and user settings?
How do I use the people page in a course as an instructor?
How do I use the dashboard as an instructor?
How do I view a course as a test student using student view?
How do I create a Microsoft Office 365 collaboration as an instructor?
How do I use Box in Canvas?
How do I use Kaltura in Canvas
How do term dates, course dates, and section dates work in Canvas?
Using Zoom with Canvas FAQ
Need Help with Canvas?
Who do I contact for help with Canvas?
Canvas 24/7 Support
Click “Help?” within Canvas (bottom left global navigation link) to contact Canvas Support specialist by chat or phone.
- Canvas support is your first line of support available to all WashU faculty, staff, and students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Support provides one-on-one assistance by Canvas experts over chat or phone.
- Canvas support can navigate into your course to see what questions/issues you are experiencing and can provide solutions, tutorials, and workarounds.
- They can assist with all Canvas tasks such as copying a course, adding due dates, creating announcements, building assignments and rubrics, creating discussions, quiz settings, using video, formatting courses, and more!
- Check the Current Operational Status of Canvas
Search the Canvas Community Website
- Join the Canvas Community and type your question in the search area to view instructions & resources about the topic.
- Canvas Community provides step-by-step instructions, videos, ideas, troubleshooting for all things Canvas. The Community allows users to post questions and receive answers/suggestions from Canvas experts and other users.
- You can also submit feature requests and see updates about new tools in Canvas.
A&S Canvas Support Team
- Email us at: artscicanvas@wustl.edu
- Sample requests include: adding users to a course (Guest, Guest Student, Observer), creating demo courses, merging/cross-listing course sections, can also assist with design ideas, best practices, and training
- Help with tools including Lockdown Browser, Turnitin, Poll Everywhere, Zoom, Kaltura, Gradescope, Box, and Zoom
- Request an instructor Demo Course
- Request to add a guest, guest student, or observer to a Canvas course
- 'Observer' is the default role for requests. Requests for 'Guest Student' will require permission from the registrar's office.
- Canvas course roles and permissions
- Please visit the A&S Canvas Support Page for additional resources
WUCRSL Department Contact
- Your WUCRSL Department Contact can assist and answer questions about adding teaching/support roles in WUCRSL (AI, TA, Grader, Support, TA, AI), course listings/sections/enrollments, and adding/removing users from a course (incompletes).
- Arts and Sciences Policies & Procedures
School-Level support contacts
For additional help, contact your School Canvas Administrator
Student support
Canvas offers students 24/7 technical support. Simply click the Help button from the Global Navigation Menu and select Chat with Canvas Support (Students) or Canvas Support Hotline (Students). You can also Search the Canvas Guides to find answers or Report a Problem.
Canvas training services portal
The Training Services Portal offers real-time sessions presented directly by Instructure, the makers of Canvas, at a variety of dates and times. These webinars are offered free of charge to WashU participants through a subscription sponsored by WashU. Access the Training Services Portal through the “Help” button in the Canvas main menu.
Canvas overview videos
The Canvas Community offers valuable video collections on many topics relating specifically to students, instructors, admin and all users roles.
WUCRSL department contacts
Your WUCRSL Department Contact can assist and answer questions about adding teaching/support roles in WUCRSL (AI, TA, Grader, Support, TA, AI), course listings/sections/enrollments, and adding/removing users from a course (incompletes).
Registrar and Dean’s Offices - Office of the University Registrar