New to Canvas?

The following two pages provide an overview of the main Canvas features that you will work with as an instructor.

NOTE: The Vimeo player that serves these video is not accessible within Canvas, if you're using assistive technology. Please see the matching text resources linked below each video or access the video through the originating site by clicking the Vimeo link in the lower right-hand corner as depicted in the picture below. One of the advantages of using Panopto at WCU is that any captions that you have created will be displayed when you embed a Panopto video directly to a page. The method of providing an alternative transcript is also acceptable.

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The Canvas Interface

500 - Canvas Interface Overview on Vimeo and Canvas Interface Overview Script

NOTE: The course navigation provides links to the different areas of your course, the links can not be renamed.

Setting your Notifications

By default, your notifications will go to your WCU email address and will be displayed inside the Canvas system on your home page. There are other notification methods such as text messaging, but we have not found them to be universally reliable on every system in Western North Carolina and so cannot recommend them.

TIP: An important thing to note is that students set their own notification preferences. They can choose what notifications they want to receive immediately, daily, weekly, or not at all.

Canvas Guide on Setting Notifications and Notifications Video Script

Adding your Profile Picture

Whenever you send a message in the Canvas Inbox, post to a Discussion, or send an Announcement your message or post will feature your profile picture. It is very helpful to have a picture so students easily recognize what messages are coming from you versus what messages are coming from classmates.

To add a profile picture, click Account and choose "Profile." Click the grey placeholder profile picture icon to get a pop-up window where you can add your picture. Click the Upload a Picture tab and either choose a picture or drag one from your desktop and drop it into the uploader. Canvas will automatically store a copy of the new profile picture in your personal files.

Canvas Guide on Setting Your Profile Picture and Profile Picture Video Script

Email in Canvas

An important thing to note about the Canvas email (called Conversations) is that your Inbox is linked to all of your courses. Email from all of your courses appears in the same inbox. Your Canvas email will also forward to your external email and you can respond in your external email without going into Canvas. At WCU, the Canvas emails will also be delivered as a copy to your Outlook mailbox.

Canvas Guide on Inbox (aka Conversations) and Communication Overview Video Script

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