Navigating the University of Wisconsin Digital Learning Environment: A Comprehensive Canvas Guide

The Universities of Wisconsin (UW) have embraced Canvas as their central Digital Learning Environment (DLE), offering a robust platform for online, hybrid, and in-person courses. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the UW Canvas system, focusing on its structure, key features, and support resources.

Understanding the UW Canvas Structure

The UW Canvas environment is organized into a hierarchical structure comprising instances and sub-accounts. This structure is crucial because it allows for different settings, access rights, branding, and custom URLs across various departments and programs.

The UW Canvas account is divided into three instances:

Instructional Instance: This is the primary instance for academic courses.
Training & Development Instance: This instance is dedicated to training and professional development programs.
Continuing Education Instance: This instance houses courses and programs for continuing education students.

A one-way trust relationship exists between the Instructional instance and the other two instances. Users who log in to the Instructional instance can automatically access the Training & Development and Continuing Education instances, and should see all of the Training & Development and Continuing Education courses they're enrolled in.

Accessing and Utilizing Canvas at UW-Green Bay

UW-Green Bay (UWGB) students can find everything they need to succeed in the Digital Learning Environment (DLE) through Canvas, which serves as a central hub for class materials, assignments, discussions, and more.

Getting Started

Canvas Orientation: UWGB offers a self-paced orientation course to guide students through the basics of Canvas.
Student Guide: The Canvas Student Guide provides quick, step-by-step instructions for using Canvas features.

Support Resources

KnowledgeBase: For detailed steps on accessing Canvas support, visit the UWGB KnowledgeBase article.
Canvas 24/7: Canvas 24/7 support can assist with built-in tools like Assignments and Quizzes. For external tools, refer to the "Other Support Contacts" section.
Missing Course Guide: If a course doesn't appear in the Canvas dashboard, it may not be published yet. Consult the missing course guide for more information.
DoIT Help Desk: In-person support is available at the DoIT Help Desk in the Computer Sciences building at UW-Madison. You can also request a consultation by contacting the DoIT Help Desk.

Mobile App Usage

The Canvas Student mobile app is a convenient tool for staying updated on course information, but it is recommended as a supplement to the desktop version, not a replacement.

Recommended Uses:

Quick Access to Grades: Check grades and instructor feedback on the go.
Viewing Announcements: Stay informed about important updates from instructors.
Tracking Due Dates: View assignment and quiz deadlines and receive reminders.
Participating in Discussions (Short Replies): Post quick replies in discussions.

Activities to Avoid on Mobile:

Assignments & Discussions: Avoid typing long responses, composing essays, or creating projects on the app.
Submitting Assignments: Some submissions may require specific tools or settings not fully supported in the app.
Quizzes & Exams: Always use a computer for quizzes, exams, and any graded activities.

Key Tools Integrated with Canvas

Canvas integrates with several tools to enhance the learning experience.

Kaltura (Video Tools)

Kaltura is a suite of video tools for creating and sharing videos within Canvas courses. It includes:

My Media: A personal media library for storing and managing videos.
Course Media Galleries: A shared space for course-related videos.
Video Quizzes: Interactive video assessments.
Kaltura Capture: A tool for recording screencasts and webcam videos.

Answers to common questions about Kaltura can be found on the UKnowIT KnowledgeBase. Technical support questions should be directed to the IT Service Desk. Kaltura is the most common way that videos are created and shared in UWGB Canvas courses.

Zoom (Virtual Meetings)

The Universities of Wisconsin Zoom contract includes "Premiere+" support, providing end users with access to prompt support via the Zoom Help Center. Students can submit a Zoom support request through the web form or start a support chat via the Zoom web portal. Zoom support chats start with an AI chat bot, but users can quickly connect with a live support agent if needed.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

PlayPosit (Interactive Video)

UWGB staff maintain PlayPosit student guide articles on the UKnowIT KnowledgeBase.

Hypothesis (Collaborative Notes)

Hypothesis is a collaborative annotation tool integrated with Canvas, supporting shared annotations within a course, discussion in response to annotations, and active reading of text. Access guides on using Hypothesis in Canvas from UW-Green Bay and the Hypothesis help site.

Honorlock

Additional information regarding the use of Honorlock at UWGB is available in the Honorlock User Guide for Students article on the UknowIT KnowledgeBase.

Microsoft 365

UWGB IT is the primary point of support for Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneDrive. The UKnowIT KnowledgeBase contains several articles to help you learn and use Microsoft 365 apps. Technical issues and questions can be sent to the GBIT Service Desk.

Leveraging Library Resources

The UWM Libraries offer a wide array of learning materials through their licensed databases, including journal articles, videos, and e-books. These materials are part of the collection of affordable learning materials the UWM Community can share with students. To access these resources from off-campus:

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

Click on the title of a source in your search results to open the item record.
Click on the Share icon.
A dialog box will appear with share options.
A box with an off-campus access URL will appear below the Send To section of the page.
Click on the Copy URL icon in the upper right of the page.

Canvas Functionality and Customization

Canvas functionality is very modular, allowing instructors to pick and choose which features to engage. Most Canvas content is created using the Rich Content Editor. Advanced functions are also available. In addition to traditional credit-based courses, Canvas can be used to deliver noncredit courses.

Staying Updated

Instructure releases updates to Canvas monthly. Please see "Canvas Release Notes" for information on new releases. New releases also generally contain a short video summarizing changes in a release.

Browser Compatibility

Based on feedback from UW-Madison users, Canvas functions best when used with Chrome or Firefox.

Providing Feedback

Is there a feature you’d like to see developed? Let us know by completing this request form.

tags: #university #of #wisconsin #canvas #guide