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I'm guessing you've probably seen this combo of buttons when grading: Let me guess... you very rarely or have never used it!?  I won't lie... I didn't use it myself until I just became super tired of typing. Let me suggest adding video or audio feedback to save time!  We all are probably super fast at typing, but that still takes longer than sending a message verbally.  In the time it takes me to write this sentence, I could've probably said all of what I needed to say. I know we all are leery of using that record video button... we don't like to see ourselves on camera.  I get it.  But, at least try it out!  Try recording just your voice.   Think about how texts can be read completely different than how they are meant.  That can also happen with teacher commentary.  If students could here the tone of your voice, then reading constructive commentary from their teacher might be less stressful! If you get shy, write a script!  While you may say similar commentary to all students, it is still more personal.  Start with saying something positive about their work first before giving constructive criticism.   In order to take full advantage of all that Canvas has to offer, you sometimes have to take that leap of faith! ... View more

I'll be honest... I didn't use the rubrics much prior to this current school year.  Even though our school has been using Canvas well before the pandemic hit, I still resorted to printing out hundreds of rubrics to hand out to students.  I think this was partially due to the fact that I just didn't want to have to recreate the wheel once again.  I decided to take the step and make an electronic rubric via Canvas, and I'm sure glad I did! Why?  Because I am able to grade simultaneously with clicking parts of the rubric.  Saves me time and energy, as well as trees! For example, I am a Science teacher who has her students complete Science Fair projects yearly.  This means the students have to have several components to turn in; paper, logbook, and scientific reasoning.  Each have their own rubric as well as a final, combined rubric.  Think about how many pieces of paper that is for each student on a grade level! Just taking the 10 minutes to set up the rubric in Canvas helped tremendously with keeping my copy allotment down, as well as save me time in the end! Here is an example rubric: When you go in to grade, you select a box based on the points you want to award.  It will show a green, yellow or red bar based on if the student met the requirements or not.  It then will grade it for you.  There is an additional place to type in comments, which is so much faster than having to handwrite everything. All in all, I would highly recommend using the rubric feature for ANY assignment big or small! ... View more

Have you used the New Analytic feature? Wow!  What a great way to pull averaged data on any activity, assignment or assessment!    Find it here at the bottom of your course nav Once opened, a variety of information can be accessed very easily!  You'll see an overall course average of all graded materials since the start of the class.  You can then filter each section that are within the course.  You can then see a break down of page views for each sub page of your course.  Additionally, you can look up information for each student enrolled in your course, which includes page views, participation, etc.   ... View more

Here’s a few tips to consider:  Title each task with a unique name consisting of 50 or less characters.  Grade passback integrates with assignments, quizzes, and discussions. Infinite Campus rosters MUST be used in some capacity for grade passback to sync. Step 1 - Preparing Tasks to Sync Once you assignment is ready for students… Check Sync to SIS  Assign to every section Set due date Selecting everyone may generate an error message. However, sync will still occur.  To generate different due dates…  Select add if you teach sections on different days From the Assignments Tab... Check to be sure you have set your assignment or quiz to sync. Green check mark indicates Sync to SIS Step 2:  Grade Passback Click the settings tab and select navigation. Drag grade sync up into course navigation.  Save changes Students will not see this but it must be enabled for your grades to sync to IC. Click the grades tab of a grade sync. Select the actions and click Sync to SIS to initiate grade passback  Notice the Success message You can manage your grade sync form the grade sync tab in the course navigation.  Click the history tab to check the history or status of a grade sync. Click the settings tab to initiate grade passback.  Select remaster grade passback Select post grades Step 3:  Aligning Assignments in Infinite Campus High School Click the orange uncategorized assignment tab (the specific number indicates how many assignments passed from Canvas) Select the assignment name, change to final, and select the category for posting destination. Click fill selected Middle School Click the orange uncategorized assignment tab (the specific number indicates how many assignments passed from Canvas) Select the assignment name, change to final, and select the category for posting destination. Click fill selected Elementary School Click the orange uncategorized assignment tab (the specific number indicates how many assignments passed from Canvas) Select the assignment name, change to final, and select the category for posting destination. Click fill selected -------------------------------------------------- In Infinite Campus:   Note:  White spaces will appear for missing, ungraded, or upcoming assignments.  You can manually place a “M” in the space.   ... View more

Our districts provide a wealth of tech tools and programs but they all don't work together.  Luckily, Canvas incorporates a multitude of features including the external tool feature. Recently, I found out that you can create an assignment that can be accessed and turned in through Canvas but comes from a separate website or program.  Additionally, if the external tool is a featured tool from Canvas's list, it will auto log anyone into that program directly in the assignment page. In order to set your assignment up for this type of submission, you need to make sure that the submission type is set to "External Tool".  You then can search the listed programs Canvas "talks to", or you can enter the program URL.               I used Book Creator as an example. ... View more

I am guessing that some of you were probably reluctant to use the newer quiz features.  I felt like it looked too different and would take too much time to set up.  I'm not saying that I'm wrong, but it just takes a good leap of faith one day to see how amazing these new features are.   I am going to focus on the "Hot Spot" feature in this post. In this quiz that I gave to my students, I was assessing their knowledge on the relative positions of the Sun, moon and Earth during the moon phases..  In class, we used a diagram to show the positions of these objects during each moon phase.  Students needed to be able to understand where the moon was in its revolution around Earth, in relation to the Sun's light, as well as why it appears to change shapes.  Big concept for 6th graders! Considering our pandemic circumstances, at this time, I am teaching all of my students virtually.  My normal mode of giving this quiz is through a paper-pencil assessment.  Students are given 8 squares that represent the 8 moon phases.  Each square already has the Sun and Earth placed in their respective positions.  Each square has a random moon phase, not in order, and they must draw a moon in each square where the moon would be to create this phase.  It is the same information and form that they completed information on the Earth's layers. Well, the virtual-ness of this year poses a problem with giving that type of an assessment.  I knew that the new Canvas quiz features would come in handy. I decided to give the Hot Spot quiz tool a go.  And it proved to be successful.  I am giving this example, of a Science related assessment, because I have already made the assessment, students have taken it, and it seems that compared to the paper-pencil assessment data from previous years, students had the same success completing this quiz virtually. I made graphics prior to making the quiz, so that is something you may want to think about.  The graphic I made is shown below.  The quiz had 8 questions and each graphic was the same picture.  The key to this is the hot spot selection tool.  Below, you will see the area on the picture that students should choose in order to show mastery.  If they click anywhere other than this area, they get the question wrong.  Your area can be however small or large.  It is up to you.   ... View more

I am guessing that some of you were probably reluctant to use the newer quiz features.  I felt like it looked too different and would take too much time to set up.  I'm not saying that I'm wrong, but it just takes a good leap of faith one day to see how amazing these new features are.   I am going to focus on the "Categorization" feature in this post. In this quiz that I gave to my students, I was assessing their knowledge on the physical characteristics of the Earth's layers.  In class, we made a chart which laid out each layer and specific physical characteristics, like temperature, composition, depth, etc,  This chart is essentially turned into their assessment. Considering our pandemic circumstances, at this time, I am teaching all of my students virtually.  My normal mode of giving this quiz is through the use of small cut up note cards.  It is the same information and form that they completed information on the Earth's layers.  I simply set up stations around the room and ask students to place information in the correct spot.  I then go over to check to see what information is right based on layer name.  Well, the virtual-ness of this year poses a problem with giving that type of an assessment.  I knew that the new Canvas quiz features would come in handy. Here is an example of how I set up the quiz in teacher mode:   I used labels to create the layer names, and the created content that should be dragged to the correct layer name. This is how it looks for students when they take the quiz:     Students then have to drag the randomly assorted facts to the correct label. I found that students did just as well with this as they would have in person with the notecards!  A win-win for us! ... View more

Using the Modules feature of Canvas, you will be creating a collaborative and interactive escape room to help students either complete a new concept or review. Let's start from the beginning of where this concept came from -  What is BreakoutEDU? Breakout EDU was inspired by the Escape Room movement Students solve puzzles to open locks and collaborate to meet an end goal These games foster critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving and can be used in all content areas Fun & engaging hands-on learning Why Use Canvas? Digital Learning Management system adopted by many public, private schools and universities. Students already have understanding of how to use Canvas Sections can be password protected (locked) Easily add pictures without the picture being broken or blocked How Do You Make an Escape the Room Using Canvas? How do you create and share BreakoutEDU   "Escape the Room" using Canvas?   1. Make a module by titling – make sure you publish it! 2. Step 2: Add a “quiz” named “Lock 1” and create instructions, or a description, of what your escape the room is about. You may or may not choose to add a passcode to Lock 1. Make sure you publish it! 3. Add a “quiz” for each additional lock you intend to have – make sure you publish it! Your access code for the next lock should be the answer or combination of answers from your puzzles from the previous lock. For example, the content puzzle answers for Lock 2 will be the access code to open Lock 3. Remind students that access codes can be case sensitive, if you chose. Allow students to have multiple attempts Use the questions tab at the top and use one question to add content. Chose the “Text (no question)” question type 4. Add content to each lock –If you are creating pictures from an external source, please screen clip to make sure your students can see it. All links you provide for puzzles may or may not work depending on filters. You may want to check the links, pictures, and interactive features on as student’s account just to make sure all of them work and aren’t blocked. 5. Make sure to remember to tell students to hit “Submit Quiz” and then click “Next” to get to the next lock. They will have to click “Take the Quiz” and then enter the access code they think will unlock the next lock. 6. Create a worksheet where students can write down puzzle and hint answers to keep track – and create a list of passwords for yourself in case you make some interesting passwords! You can also see your access codes on each of the quiz descriptions in teacher view on Canvas. I have created a template that can be edited and added to, that you can find in the Canvas Commons:  https://lor.instructure.com/resources/6ff0a0d01f6b4b29be62cb0c569e30a0?shared Essentially you need to complete a rough draft of what you want your escape the room to be: 1.  What standards is it covering? 2.  Lessons topic(s)? 3.  What graphics or puzzles will need to be created prior to creating the module?  For example, will you be using an outside source to add to one of your locks?  Do the students need to decode or solve something to get the password? Here is a document that will help you create your puzzles:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-HgK4DPgwWIa6SCTlnS9Jo4SL8dbYPR_38uyFj6Mrpg/mobilebasic From there, create each lock using content from a lesson or a review.  I have done both, and the students have so much fun completing this, whether alone or in groups! Also, please either print or have students make their own copy of the hints/passwords on a worksheet you create or electronically.  This way, if students have to wait to complete, they can easily start where they left off.  ... View more