Storing documents within Canvas

[StephenANDERSO1]

Is it possible for my students to upload a Document/ppx/xlx and then work on the Document afterwards.  Currently from what I see they download a document that I have set for them.  Work on the doc, and then save somewhere else until finished and then upload.  My problems is students that have school loan computers and the consistent loss of work because they have a different laptop each day.   Even if it is possible to save to one drive through canvas, but I cannot work out how.

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hi @StephenANDERSO1 ...

It is possible to connect Office 365 to Canvas so that your students can sign in to their O365 account to attach files they have been working on online.  For example, if a student had a OneDrive PPT or Word document, your course can be set up so that students can upload documents from their own account to assignments.  Generally speaking, the O365 LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) is configured by your school's Canvas administrator or someone from your school's Online Learning / eLearning / Distance Education team.  Once that is done, then students can submit files from their O365 account.  This is the information page on the LTI that you'd want to share with your school's Canvas administrator:

• Edu App Center: Microsoft Office 365

This is a Guide that shows you how you can then set up an O365 assignment:

• How do I create a cloud assignment with a Microsof... - Instructure Community - 684

This is a Guide on how your students would submit an assignment to you:

• How do I upload a file from Microsoft Office 365 a... - Instructure Community - 301 (canvaslms.com)

Now, there are other cloud-based platforms that may also work.  I know that there's a Google Assignments 1.3 LTI that does a lot of the same things that O365 does.  Also, if you're familiar with the website Dropbox, that might also be an option for integrating that LTI.

• How do I create an assignment using the Google Ass... - Instructure Community - 587638
• How do I submit a Google Assignments LTI 1.3 file ... - Instructure Community - 587649 (canvaslms.co...
• Edu App Center: Dropbox

With any of these 3rd-party integrations, it would be best if you have a conversation with your school's Canvas administrator to see if any of these are already integrated into your school's Canvas environment ... or if they would consider adding these integrations for you.

I hope this information will be of some help to you.  Sing out if you have any questions...thanks!

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hi @StephenANDERSO1 ...

It is possible to connect Office 365 to Canvas so that your students can sign in to their O365 account to attach files they have been working on online.  For example, if a student had a OneDrive PPT or Word document, your course can be set up so that students can upload documents from their own account to assignments.  Generally speaking, the O365 LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) is configured by your school's Canvas administrator or someone from your school's Online Learning / eLearning / Distance Education team.  Once that is done, then students can submit files from their O365 account.  This is the information page on the LTI that you'd want to share with your school's Canvas administrator:

• Edu App Center: Microsoft Office 365

This is a Guide that shows you how you can then set up an O365 assignment:

• How do I create a cloud assignment with a Microsof... - Instructure Community - 684

This is a Guide on how your students would submit an assignment to you:

• How do I upload a file from Microsoft Office 365 a... - Instructure Community - 301 (canvaslms.com)

Now, there are other cloud-based platforms that may also work.  I know that there's a Google Assignments 1.3 LTI that does a lot of the same things that O365 does.  Also, if you're familiar with the website Dropbox, that might also be an option for integrating that LTI.

• How do I create an assignment using the Google Ass... - Instructure Community - 587638
• How do I submit a Google Assignments LTI 1.3 file ... - Instructure Community - 587649 (canvaslms.co...
• Edu App Center: Dropbox

With any of these 3rd-party integrations, it would be best if you have a conversation with your school's Canvas administrator to see if any of these are already integrated into your school's Canvas environment ... or if they would consider adding these integrations for you.

I hope this information will be of some help to you.  Sing out if you have any questions...thanks!

[RecycledElectro · Accepted solution]

Storing Files in Canvas: Is "Files" available to your students on their menus (on the left side of the page in Canvas?) If not, you can go into your Canvas course (as the teacher,) click on "Settings" and then on "Navigation." Drag "Files" above the line that says, "Drag items here to hide them from students," so your students can see them.

From my student account, I can click on "Files" and then at the bottom of the screen I can click on "All My Files." From there I can upload files.

The correct solution is to have all your students save their documents to Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive until they are ready to turn them in. There will be many fewer steps, and this is how the technology is supposed to work. It is also how 90% of the world does things.

I don't know if your school uses One Drive or Google Drive more, but asking them to use the one they are more familiar with and that their student email is linked to will yield much better results.

It is possible to turn documents into Canvas directly from OneDrive or Google Drive. 

Integrating OneDrive or Google Drive in Canvas: Go into your Canvas course (as the teacher.) Click on "Settings" and then on "Navigation." Do you see "One Drive," "Office 365," or "Google Drive?" If so, please drag them above the line that says, "Drag items here to hide them from students," so your students can see them.

Then, ask your students to give it a try. They will need to authorize Canvas to access their OneDrive or Google Drive, and it looks a bit scary. After they authorize it and play with it for a few minutes. They will figure it out.

It might be easier to have your students download the document from OneDrive or Google Drive and turn it into Canvas from there.

[Chris_Hofer]

@RecycledElectro ...

I'll just add one point of clarification to your comments on the "Files" area of a Canvas course.  Students are not able to upload files to the course "Files" screen.  However, they can upload files to their own user "Files" (accessed via the "Account" >> "Files" screen).  Clicking on the "All My Files" link at the bottom of the screen will take you to your user "Files" area of Canvas.

I hope this will help to clarify things for you and others who might be reading this topic.