Vol 1.2 #3ThingsWorthSharing: Names, Canvas Tours, and Feedback

3 Things Worth Sharing. ITSS Academic Technology & Course Design. University of Minnesota Duluth.

Check out #3ThingsWorthSharing for March 2023, courtesy of the ITSS Academic Technology and Course Design Team.

1. Use Meaningful Names for Files & Pages

Type written note stating "Hello, My Name is"

Want to cut down on your maintenance time and the amount email correspondence you receive? Consider employing a naming convention for your files and modules.

For Files:

Try using a SUBJCOURSE# + WEEK# + TITLE + TYPE to provide additional context for you and your students. This naming schema organizes items by week, by activity and document type:

  • PHYS3300_W01_GravityCalculation_Slides
  • WRIT1120_W04_CommaSplice_Document

Take a look at these instructions on renaming your files in Canvas.

For modules:

If you choose to use Modules to create narrative structure, you can employ a WEEK# + DOCUMENT ORDER + NAME such as:

  • 1.1 - Weekly Introduction page
  • 1.2 - Discussion - Introductions/Meet your classmates

Or try using Abbreviations with action words:

  • WK1: Review Slides on Thermodynamics
  • WK1: Complete/Explore Entropy Assignment

Explore the Canvas instructions on how to rename modules.

Before you embark on this quick update to your course, choose the naming convention that works best for you. Overall, this one time investment in renaming carries benefits from semester to semester.

2. Provide a Tour of Your Canvas Course

Canvas Left Hand Navigation Pane

Every Canvas course is different, and students can experience 3-4 widely varying experiences per semester. As part of your first day, spend time navigating through your Canvas Course:

  • Demonstrate the left hand navigation by sharing the home page, modules, syllabus, grades, etc.
  • Discuss due dates and what types of files you are expecting
  • Share and explain how your office hours work.

You can tie this short demo to a short, low stakes quiz or a syllabus quiz. This shared exploration will pay dividends throughout the semester by reducing confusion.

3. Feedback & Challenges

Stick note pinned to a cork board Text: Problem - Solution

“The greater the challenge, the higher the probability that one seeks and needs feedback, but the more important it is that there is a teacher to provide feedback and to ensure that the learner is on the right path to successfully meet the challenges.”

― John A.C. Hattie, Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning
Unlimited Ebook Version available from the Kathryn A. Martin Library

Share Often, Share Widely

3#ThingsWorthSharing is curated and created through many conversations with many instructors and support staff from the UMD Teaching and Learning community. This edition is written by Adam Brisk, UMD ITSS Academic Technologist, and Karen Jeannette, UMD ITSS Instructional Designer.