If you are an instructor or TA, the resources below will help you get started with Canvas and third-party tools.
Canvas Instructor Guides
Canvas Student Guides
Canvas 101- Crash course
Classic Vs New Quizzes
Academic Tech- Onboarding
Training for TAs
FERPA Training – TrainTraq Training #11012
Information Security Awareness Training – TrainTraq Training #3001
The School of Public Health has a variety of academic tools available for your courses, within Canvas and outside Canvas as third-party tools.
Look at the table below to identify the tool that could work for your course, students, and yourself.
Type of assignment
Assignments
Discussions
Quizzes/Exam
Individual
Peer review
Statistics assignments on paper
Online Training 3rd Party Tool
Comprehension
Participation/polls
Writing
Portfolio
Other assignments
Canvas discussions
FeedbackFruits discussion
Canvas (classic and new quizzes)
Mediasite quiz- with video
FeedbackFruits Quiz
Group
FF Team Based Learning
Gradescope
How to create assignments
How to weigh the final course grade based on assignments groups
Alternative assessments
How to add outcomes to rubrics in assignments
How to create announcements
Setting up notifications in Canvas (as Instructor)
Notifications settings for students
How to create discussion activities
Instructor guide: discussions
Your Canvas course has a storage limit of 1GB, that includes all files and information in your course.
Instructor guide: Files
How to customize your Home Page
Pages & Templates
Academic Integrity when creating an exam in LMS
Accommodations in new quizzes
Accommodations in classic quizzes
How do I create a quiz using New Quizzes?
How to create a quiz with Classic Quizzes?
How to view an exam log in Canvas
Make-up tests in Canvas
Quizzes: types of questions
Using question banks in Canvas
How to add outcomes in a New Quiz
How do I add an item from an item bank to a quiz in New Quizzes?
How do I edit an item bank item in New Quizzes?
How do I add all items or a random set from an item bank to a quiz in New Quizzes?
How do I move or copy a question from one item bank to another in New Quizzes?
How do I share an item bank in New Quizzes?
How do I manage item banks in New Quizzes?
How do I create an item bank in New Quizzes?
How do I add content to an item bank in New Quizzes?
Instructor guide: Modules
How do I duplicate a module?
How do I send a module to another instructor?
TAMU Guidance for Syllabus
BSPH and Graduate School of Public Health Syllabus (Commons)- Search
How to remove courses from your Dashboard
Customize your Dashboard and courses
Import content from Blackboard into Canvas
Canvas to Canvas- export/import (video)
Canvas to Canvas- copy from a canvas course
Canvas 101-Export/Import section
Grade submission to Howdy from Canvas
Extra credit in Grades
Curve grades
How to import grades in Canvas (csv file)
Instructor guide: Grades
Gradebook features
How to use the gradebook in Canvas
Canvas new gradebook best practices from FSU
Current 3rd Party Tools in Canvas
Mediasite videos in Canvas (video)
Enabling Mediasite for Canvas
Poll Everywhere in Canvas
Google Drive in Canvas
Proctoring with LockDown Browser in Canvas
Zoom recordings (Cloud recording access)
Canvas Test Analytics
Download files from Canvas courses
Instructor guide: Outcomes
Student view
There are several tools in Canvas you can use to create assignments. See the table below to identify the tool you could use.
Class participation using Poll Everywhere or FeedbackFruits (interactive presentation)
Google assignments
Online videos using Linkedin assignments
Peer reviews (Canvas, Peerceptiv, FeedbackFruits)
Porfolium
Statistics assignments on paper using Gradescope
Social reading with Perusall or FeedbackFruits (interactive document)
Writing assignments using Turnitin, Softchalk, or FeedbackFruits (Automated feedback)
Surveys using Qualtrics
FeedbackFruits (Discussions on skills or topics)
Canvas quizzes
Options:
Mediasite quiz
Group peer reviews (option to add: self-assessment)
Group member evaluation
FeedbackFruits Team Based Learning (IRAT/TRAT)
Gradescope quizzes
FeedbackFruits is a pedagogical tool suite integrated into Canvas that allows you to boost student engagement and group work in multiple course designs. It fully integrates with Canvas, faculty, and students work with it in the same Canvas space, from creating the assignment to passing grades back to the Grade Center.
The tools tackle different pedagogical aspects, and you can choose which ones are most applicable to your courses. It will be available as a pilot for TAMU Health from December 2022 to June 2023 for all academic courses. See more information here.
Canvas integrates with Google Drive (LTI 1.3) making it easy for you to share content and collaborate with others, students and instructors alike. Visit Google Drive LTI 1.3 to vie the instructions:
Google Assignments gives educators a faster, simpler way to distribute, analyze, and grade student work - all through the collaborative power of G-Suite. See how to use Google Assignments.
Gradescope is a feedback and assessment tool that reduces the time associated with grading exams, homework, and other assignments. It is widely used for delivering assessments remotely and enables instructors and graders to provide better and more timely feedback, resulting in improved learning outcomes. View more info on how to sync Gradescope with your course.
Grading
Course management
Assignment Workflow
Tutorials for students
LinkedIn Learning can be used in Canvas as a playlist or as a learning pathway. To add videos as assignments, view the tutorials below.
It is possible to add a quiz in Mediasite and then track the results in Canvas. View the tutorials available to create assignments with Mediasite and or just add a quiz to a video.
Peerceptiv® a research-validated peer assessment technology, creates a virtuous cycle of feedback in your classroom that improves writing and critical thinking skills. This online peer assessment tool allows students to receive quick and actionable feedback from their peers to improve their writing.
Assignments using Peerceptiv
Knowledge Base for faculty
Individual Peer Assessment
Group submissions assignment (video)
Group Peer Assessment
How to build a rubric
How to manage rubric library
Enter a teacher review
Peerceptiv grades: detailed explanation
How to update deadline times
Perusall is a tool that aims to change how students view the reading of material from a solitary experience to one that is engaging and collaborative with classmates and instructors. Published textbooks, open educational resources (OER), and personal instructional materials can be assigned to students with just a few clicks of a button. Perusall automatically grades students' engagement with the assigned materials and once prompted, will upload grades to Canvas.
If you would like to use Perusall, what is next?
Five easy steps to set up your Perusall assignments in Canvas
Poll Everywhere is an online service that allows teachers to ask their students a question. The students answer the question using their mobile phones, Twitter, or web browsers. Both the question and the students’ responses are displayed live in Keynote, PowerPoint, and/or on the web.
All SPH faculty has access to a Higher Ed license. Contact us if you need assistance.
For graded participation, you have two options:
Poll Everywhere’s Attendance Management offers automated attendance tracking and reporting combined with a full suite of interactive polling activities, arming presenters with every tool they need to motivate their audiences and improve learning outcomes.
Consult the instrructions here: Get Started with Attendance Management
Portfolium is a space where students can showcase their achievements to potential employers and connect with other Folio users. Folios not only display tangible examples of students' work, they provide proof of competence and skill mastery. Any student with a Canvas login can create a free Folio for life—they can start in high school or college and continually update it with the relevant experience they gain over the course of their careers.
Portfolium website
What is Portfolium?
How to add projects to Portfolium
Canvas Portfolium guides
Our school has access to Qualtrics TAMU if free online services are not an option for you. Check out these resources before you submit an application for a Qualtrics account with IT Help Desk Central
What is Qualtrics?Why should I use Qualtrics instead of free online services such as Survey Monkey?
Make sure to submit your application before using Qualtrics. After receiving your Qualtrics account username and password, log in at tamu.qualtrics.com.
Qualtrics is a powerful online survey tool that allows one to build surveys, distribute surveys and analyze responses from one convenient online location.
Check out how to create assignments in Canvas: Qualtrics in Canvas
The University Writing Center has a collection of SoftChalk modules that instructors can integrate into their Canvas courses. These modules provide lessons on writing. The instructions below discuss how you can use these modules for grades/credit through your Canvas course.
Contact us if you have questions about how to add these modules to your canvas courses.
Consult the tutorials on how to use Turnitin on the Academic Innovation website: Turnitin Tool in Canvas
The following table provides an overview of the tools available at the School of Public Health
Type of Proctoring
Systems Sync/Registration
This is REQUIRED If you are planning to use ExamSoft (Examplify or Scantrons).
Examsoft recently migrated our website to the Enterprise portal, therefore tutorials on how to manage the platform are new. For more information, please contact Patty Luna at pluna@tamu.edu
Recommendations
Technical Support with ExamSoft
Local Academic Technology: sph-at@tamu.edu (Office hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Online course: Examsoft & Examplify Training
Respondus LockDown Browser
This is a tool that works in Canvas, and prevents students from accessing other applications on their desktop/laptop, including other browsers and communication channels, during an exam. Respondus Monitor is a tool used in conjunction with Respondus Lockdown Browser in Canvas to record students taking the exam using Artificial Intelligence. This algorithm flags any testing irregularities for review by the faculty member and/or TA.
Respondus Monitor builds upon Respondus LockDown Browser, using a student’s webcam and video analytics to prevent cheating during exams. Make sure you add it to the settings.
For instructors
For students:
Respondus 4.0
This software enables the creation and management of printed and online exams. You can create exams directly within Respondus, import existing exams from word processor files, or pull content from publisher test banks.
We provide a university-wide site license for Respondus, which is available at no cost for instructors.
Visit the Texas A&M Software Store to download Respondus at no cost. Note: The software licensing expires annually and must be updated.
The Aggie Proctoring Center (APC) provides a pool of Aggie Proctors assigned to proctor exams via Zoom. The APC attempts to replicate the in-classroom experience for the students and the faculty member. The faculty member conducts the proctored exam session in the same manner that faculty member conducts non-exam class session using Zoom. More information on APC website.
Texas A&M University has centrally funded Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Creative Cloud licenses, for up to two devices, for the 2023 fiscal year. The license covers specific TAMU System entities listed below. The license does not include students or student workers, though students may use their NetID@tamu.edu account to access Creative Cloud applications in all main campus computer labs or on any University-owned devices provisioned with an Adobe Creative Cloud “shared device license” by an IT Administrator. Working retirees employed by the university are included in this license, but non-working retirees are not.
Note: All Adobe Creative Cloud licenses will be distributed and assigned to licensed entity faculty and staff NetID@tamu.edu addresses. As a result, any existing Adobe licenses assigned to a boutique TAMU address (e.g. @mays.tamu.edu) will require manual asset migration to the new NetID@tamu.edu account.Shared device licenses are not applicable in Virtual lab environments where a named user license is still required. For licensed entity members previously licensed for Adobe products from their department please contact your IT administrator or Help Desk Central at 979.845.8300 if you require assistance migrating your Adobe Cloud files. You may also see our migration documentation in KB0021592.
How to access the Adobe Creative Cloud at Texas A&M University
Adobe Help Center
Troubleshooting issues with your ACC account.
Adobe Express is free to use in education, also included with your Adobe CC license. Adobe has tutorials, courses, lesson plans and video guides on the Adobe Education Exchange, ready to help teachers and students start their creative journey and cultivate creative skills for college and career. Visit the Adobe Education Exchange website.
Audacity is a multi-track audio editor and recorder app. It is a free app.
Camtasia can be used to edit both audio and video and to record your screen. TAMU has licenses for staff, faculty, and students. Go to TAMU Software Store to get the license and installation file.
We have a small inventory of loaners in case you need some devices. Catch boxes, webcams, and an iPad Pro. Contact us for more details.
Your course has access to Mediasite, the university's standardized streaming media system that provides either public or private access to video and audio content. Since your course has a storage limit, Mediasite offers you a limit of 10GB for videos. You can find more tutorials here: Mediasite TAMU or watch this video to learn how to embed a video in your Canvas course Mediasite and Canvas Video
The School of Public Health offers to all faculty the generation of transcripts and closed captioning services for all lecture materials that need to be posted on Canvas or public websites. To request these services, please fill out this form: Transcripts or CCs (Descript tutorials)
Video tutorials:
The Studio provides specialized services and tools for creating and editing graphics, video, audio, and multimedia projects. Our goal is to provide the Texas A&M University community with multimedia tools, expert assistance, and educational programming to support the creation of media-enriched instructional projects. Check their availability here: Online scheduling. The Studio is located at the Evans Library Annex. You can contact Bob Perez for more information.
This is another option, but make sure your recording is unlisted: How to make your YouTube video unlisted.
Texas A&M University students and employees have access to a Zoom Pro Account. This software gives you the ability to:
Getting Started with Zoom Guide The following is a checklist when scheduling or joining a Zoom Meeting. To get started, go to the TAMU Zoom website. For more details about your account, consult this website: Zoom Videoconferencing
Important Updates
NOTE: To report technical issues with your Zoom account, please send an email to tamu_helpdesk@tamu.edu
The following is a checklist when scheduling or joining a Zoom Meeting (Checklist (PDF))
During Meeting
To learn how to use Zoom in Canvas, please consult this page
