What in the world is Canvas?  OSU’s Learning Management System (LMS)

See a short video demo of the interface here: Canvas Overview (6 minutes)

• How do I get to OSU’s Canvas?
  • From the OSU-Cascades home page, click on “Online Services” at the top of the page. Or bookmark the link: oregonstate.instructure.com 
• How do I get started with Canvas?
  • For an overview, see the tips and tutorials at
    http://canvas-transition.oregonstate.edu/canvas-tutorials 
• I don’t see my course in Canvas. Where is it? 
  • You may need to look in Canvas and click on the Courses tab, then “All Courses” at the bottom of the list to see the unfavorited courses. Courses may be favorited by clicking on the star next to them in the list, but only 12 courses will show up in the Dashboard in any case.
    Here is a guide about customizing your course list: http://guides.instructure.com/m/4152/l/48284-how-do-i-customize-my-courses-list
• Is My Canvas Course Ready?
  • Before you publish your Canvas course site, use this checklist (PDF) to make sure your site is ready.  
• I’ve taught my upcoming class before. How do I copy the materials from the earlier term?
  • Use these directions to copy a course.
• How do I email my entire class? 
  • You have 2 options for emailing all the students in a class:
  • 1) Within Canvas, follow these directions using the “Inbox” feature in the top right corner.
  • 2) Sometimes Canvas has delays in sending out messages so an alternative approach is to login to https://myosu.oregonstate.edu/, go to the Faculty/Advisor tab, and under My Classes you’ll be able to email your students.
• Where do I get help?
  • When you are signed into Canvas, click on Help in the upper-right corner of the screen. Choose the online chat or phone number to contact a support person 24/7. They’re really good at what they do! 
• How do other faculty use Canvas?
  • So many options! Here are several examples:
  • guides.instructure.com/m/15170 
  • and here are more detailed descriptions with examples from Dartmouth.

This is great and all, but I just want to jump in. Are there some videos I can watch to get going?

You bet! Here are a few to start with but more are available at Canvas Guides. Or you can follow the Canvas Instructor Orientation course for step-by-step training.

What should my students know about Canvas?

5 Things for OSU Students to Know about Canvas – take a look at this general guide for students; you may want to include a link in your course site, or in your communications with students at the start of the term.