The Course Setup Checklist

The first few times you create a new course in Canvas, it's a challenge to remember all of the steps required. The Course Setup Checklist exists to help you remember to cover all your bases before the course goes live. It pops up in newly-created courses to help you with the very first steps of getting started.

Sections of the Course Setup Checklist

Import Content

the Import Content tool allows you to import course materials from other Blackboard and Canvas courses (among others).

WARNING: Even though "Import Content" is the first step in the Course Setup Checklist, we do not recommend starting here if you are newly transitioning a course from Blackboard. We recommend taking the time to build a simple Canvas course from scratch first, and then importing your existing course materials from Blackboard to help you in preserving your existing work. Not only will this save you considerable clean-up time but it will produce better quality courses.

If/when you choose to migrate your materials from Blackboard, we've created a step-by-step tutorial that can walk you through the process.

Add Course Assignments

This area allows you to quickly add your graded assignments and assignment groups as a list. This feature is best when you have your syllabus nearby, as you can quickly list off the graded papers, projects, discussions, exams, and other grades. Grouping your assignments into Assignment Groups allows you to assign weights to certain groups for your overall total grade score. Creating assignments here will also add them to your Calendar, Gradebook, and Syllabus. We will discuss this step in more detail later in Workshop Two.

Add Students to the Course

This will be done for you automatically when your course is created for you. You can skip this.

Select Navigation Links

It is possible for you to hide certain Course Navigation links from students if you do not intend to use them in your course. We will discuss this step in more detail later in Workshop Two.

Choose a Course Home Page

You can decide the first screen your students will see when they enter your course. By default, they will see the Course Stream, but you can change it so they see your Modules or a page you design yourself. We will discuss this step in more detail later in Workshop Two.

Add Course Calendar Events

You can add (graded) Assignments or (un-graded) Events to your Calendar using this tool. Assignments you add here will be automatically added to your Gradebook, Syllabus, and Assignments screen.

Add TAs to the Course

If you have TA's or other Faculty to add to your course, you can do that here. We will discuss this step in more detail later in Workshop Two.

Publish Course

Once you are ready for students to see your course, you can press the Publish Course button! We will discuss this step in more detail later in Workshop Two.

Hands-On: Follow the Course Setup Checklist

Click your way through the course setup checklist. We will discuss each feature in further detail on the following pages.

Import Content
Add Course Assignments
Add Students to the Course
Select Navigation Links
Choose a Course Home Page
Add Course Calendar Events
Add TAs to the Course