Does your Canvas Page need a makeover? Large chunks of words on a Canvas Page can be a bad experience for students. Consider the following tips provided by one of Northeastern’s instructional design consultants, Megan Reinle, PhD.
- Add videos: Create videos to help break up all the page text using Canvas Studio or Panopto.
- Use Adobe Express: Adobe Express has a variety of photo options to add exciting elements related to the module’s theme. Consider using the same photo to show consistency in the module.
- Wrap a photo or video: Use Cidi Labs or HTML code to add wrap text around a photo or video. This helps break up the Canvas Page and helps students naturally understand the content’s structure better.
- Add headings and bullets: Headings provide additional structure to a Canvas Page and make the course more accessible for those who need it. Do not be afraid to use bullet points to help make Canvas Pages smaller and easier to read.
- Insert dividers: The native divider in Canvas also does an excellent job of breaking up large chunks of content to help form natural breaks for students to pause, think, and reflect about the content they just read.
Example courses
For more ideas to upgrade a Canvas Page, check out the Academic Technologies example courses, which highlight the best workflows and technology integration. Example courses allow instructors to focus on the course creation and student experience and leave it to AT’s experts to worry about the latest technology. You can also view different ways your course can be laid out for the students. The example courses have the same elements based on the course templates:
- Clean navigation menu
- Accessible
- Helpful homepage
- Student support resources are added throughout
- Modules are thoughtfully organized
- Integrated tools use Canvas integrations
To view content as a view-only teacher in the Academic Technologies Example Courses, fill out the AT Canvas Example Course Enrollment form. Schedule a Canvas Course Design Consultation with an instructional design consultant for additional help and getting started!