Learning Canvas: Basics
This guide offers support for the Canvas Basics workshops including recordings and links to step-by-step guides.
To learn Canvas at NC State, there are three workshop options offered in different formats/duration. Each workshop covers that same general objectives and content. Find additional information about learning Canvas on the Canvas Teaching Resources page or at the DELTA Canvas hub.
4-Part Canvas Basics Series
- This four-part series of workshops is designed to be taken in order for the best experience. Each workshop is 60 minutes, held on Zoom, and will be offered multiple times a semester.
Canvas Basics Part One: Getting Started and Creating Content and Home Pages
Learn to navigate Canvas as an instructor and review the basic structure and organization of Canvas courses. Create a Canvas Page and set it as the front page of your practice course. Want to get ahead before the workshop starts? Try out Canvas features in this Canvas Student Demo Course and create your own Canvas Project Space.
- Workshop Resources and Links
- Create a Project Space in Canvas
- Canvas Navigation – Resources from Part One
- Canvas Modules and Pages – Resources from Part One
- Check out the Canvas Instructor Guide for additional documentation on using Canvas.
Canvas Basics Part Two: Modules and Assignments
Dive into modules, the core organizational tool of Canvas courses. Create a Canvas Assignment and learn how to duplicate modules.
- Canvas Modules – Resources
- This workshop covers
- Check out the Modules section of the Canvas Instructor Guide for all the documentation on modules!
- Canvas Assignments – Resources
- This workshop covers
- Check out the Assignment section of the Canvas Instructor Guide for all the documentation on assignments!
- Canvas SpeedGrader – Resources
- This workshop covers
- Check out the SpeedGrader section of the Canvas Instructor Guide for all the documentation on SpeedGrader!
Canvas Basics Part Three: Discussions and Quizzes
Create two Canvas assignment types: Discussions and Quizzes. Learn how to grade both and make them available for students.
- Workshop Resources and Links
- Canvas Discussions
- Using the Discussions Index Page
- Creating a Discussion
- Graded Discussions
- Edit or Delete a Discussion
- Publishing and Unpublishing a Discussion
- Responding to a Discussion as an Instructor
- Check out the Canvas Instructor Guide for more Canvas discussion documentation!
- Canvas New Quizzes
- Using the Quizzes Index Page
- How to create a Quiz
- How to edit a Quiz
- How to manage Quiz Settings
- How to grade a Quiz
- Check out the Canvas Instructor Guide for more Canvas New Quizzes documentation!
- Quiz Item Banks
- How to create an Item Bank
- How to manage Item Banks
- How to add content to Item Banks
- Check out the Canvas Instructor Guide for More Quiz Item Bank documentation!
- Canvas Discussions
Canvas Basics Part Four: Gradebook, Communication, Course Publishing, Settings
Set up your Canvas Gradebook and learn more about grading. Learn how to communicate with students in Canvas. Manage your course settings and learn how to publish the course for students.
- Workshop Resources and Links
- Canvas Gradebook – Resources from Part Four
- Communicating in Canvas – Resources from Part Four
- Organizing your Canvas Course – Resources from Part Four
- How do I use the Course Navigation Menu as an instructor?
- How do I organize the Dashboard? (resource coming soon)
- Getting your Canvas Course to Students – Publishing! Resources from Part Four
- Canvas Guide – How do I publish a course?
- NC State Guide to Publishing a Canvas Course – including the Course Management Tool
- Importing from Moodle into Canvas – Recommendations
- Consider waiting until March, 2027 when a migration tool will be available to reduce some of the manual steps listed below and convert Moodle content more successfully.
- Step One – Back Up / Save a Moodle Course and Import into Canvas
- Create a New Canvas Project Space – Name it “[Moodle-Imported] Course Name”
- Back up and Save a Moodle Course then Import into Canvas
- Update Imported Quizzes to “New” Quizzes and Item Banks in Canvas
- Step Two – Make a New Project Space to Design Your Course
- Create a New Project Space – Name it “[Project] Course Name”
- Add the NC State Canvas Course Shell if it fits your needs
- Copy Content from the Canvas Course Created in Step One as needed in the new course
Canvas Basics Intensive
- This in-person four-hour workshop will help participants who want move through the entire Canvas basics and set up process in an in-person setting.
- Register for Canvas Basics Intensive
Workshop Resources and Links
- Workshop Slides
- Canvas Guides
- Global Navigation
- Course Navigation
- Course Settings
- Modules
- Pages
- Announcements
- Assignments
- Discussions
- New Quizzes be sure to review information for New Quizzes rather than Classic Quizzes
- Rubrics
- SpeedGrader
- Gradebook
Canvas Basics Essentials
- This two-hour workshop offered on Zoom will cover fewer topics in less depth but meet the needs of instructors who use more surface-level features of a learning management system.
- Register for Canvas Basics Essentials