<<<This page is designed to be customized and edited prior to publishing your course.>>>

Welcome to the IU Canvas Course Homepage!

A home page introduces your students to you and provides course expectations to set students up for success, which is a best practice for high-quality courses.

ATTENTION: This homepage was designed to help you get started building your Canvas courses, but it’s your choice if/how you use it. On this page, you will find customizable elements, along with guidelines for how to add your own content.

In addition, there are instructions for how to apply a full Canvas template designed for in-person, online, or a blend of these instructional approaches. This template was designed with input from faculty across IU as well as experts in teaching and learning. If you choose to use the Canvas template, both you and your students will benefit in the following ways:

1. 1. 1. The template follows evidence-based course design practices.
    2. This template addresses common questions students have in online and hybrid courses.
    3. Students will have a familiar course design across their classes, allowing them to focus on your content rather than spending valuable time trying to locate important information and resources within Canvas.

Want to use the full Canvas course template for your course?

Warning: If you have already made changes to your course settings or navigation, they may be overwritten once you apply the template.

You can preview the full template before deciding if you would like to apply it to your course.

Click to apply the full IU-developed Canvas course template.

1. Click on "Settings" in the left navigation menu.
2. Click "Apply Course Template" in the right sidebar menu.
3. You'll see a pop-up with information about the template that will be applied to your course.
4. Click "Submit" to apply the template. Again, if you have already made changes to your course settings or navigation, they may be overwritten once you apply the template.
5. After applying the template, you will want to look at the Modules section to make sure the full template has been applied. Avoid applying the template multiple times. Importing content takes time, so give it about 10 minutes and refresh your browser until you see it.
6. Next, read and follow the instructions for customizing the course syllabus, assignments, pages, and discussion topics.
7. Throughout this IU template, you will find instructor notes on each page in [brackets]. Please make sure to remove the bracketed comments from the template before publishing your course as these notes are for you, not your students.
8. Finally, you'll need to update this page. First, click "Edit" and delete all of the text above the header labeled - To Begin the Course. Then update the content in each section to reflect your plans for the course.
9. Click “Save”.

For more detailed instructions, review "Apply the IU Course Template to your Canvas course"

A preview of the template is available for your review.

Do you want to keep, remove, or swap out this homepage?

Click to learn more about your homepage options.

To edit this homepage:

1. 1. To edit this page, click the "Edit" button at the upper right of this page.
  2. On this homepage, you will find instructor notes under each section in [brackets]. Please make sure to remove the bracketed comments from the template before publishing your course as these notes are for you, not your students. Then, update the content in each section to reflect your plans for the course.
  3. Highlight and delete all of the text above the course banner or course title below.
  4. Click “Save”.

To remove this homepage:

1. 1. Go to the global navigation menu under "Course Status" on the right-hand side of this page.
  2. Click "Choose Home Page".
  3. Choose your preferred home page (For example: Course Modules or Syllabus).
  4. Click "Save".

For more information, review "How do I change the Course Home Page?"

To swap out for your own homepage:

If you have already imported content from another Canvas course that has a homepage you would like to use, you need to manually set that page as the course homepage to replace this one.

1. Go to the Pages tool in the course navigation menu on the left.
2. Find your preferred homepage. If you're not sure which one it is, you can click on the page title to view the page.
3. Click the three vertical dots to the right of the page name of your preferred homepage and select "Use as Front Page."
4. Click Home on the left side navigation to return to the home page of your course and click the "Choose Home Page" button in the course tools in the right sidebar. The course tools buttons may be at the bottom of this page if your screen is narrow.
5. Choose "Pages Front Page" as your preferred home page and click "Save."

Want to learn more about the IU resources available to you?

Click for some helpful resources.

1. Teaching.IU is a website full of teaching strategies and Canvas resources.
2. IU eTexts: A Faculty and Staff Introduction (IU login required) is a self-enroll Canvas resource, home to all the basics of the initiative.
3. Check out the IU Pressbooks ebook: 4 Weeks to Canvas Kapow
4. Check out the IU Pressbooks ebook: A Canvas Semester Checklist

<<<End of Instructions: Delete above and customize below>>>

[Course Code - Course Title - Term]

To begin the course

[Note for instructors: Please make sure to remove/add instructions. For list item #2 below, link to the very next discussion, assignment, etc. that you would like students to do after reading the syllabus.]

Read the syllabus - located in the left navigation menu.
Complete the [insert next item to complete here]
Set up the technology you'll need (use resources below for help).
Gather the required materials:

[For a bookstore order] Purchase the following textbook(s):

- AUTHOR. (DATE). TITLE. Xth Ed. PUBLISHER. (ISBN XXX-X-XXXX-X)
- AUTHOR. (DATE). TITLE. Xth Ed. PUBLISHER. (ISBN XXX-X-XXXX-X)

[For an IU eTexts order] As noted in the Schedule of Classes, I will be teaching this class with IU eTexts. For more information, please see: "The Student Guide to IU eTexts”.

- [As appropriate] Please familiarize yourself with the etext on Engage (linked in the main menu) before the first day of class.
- [As appropriate] Links to the required courseware/tools are in the Modules section/main menu.
- [As appropriate] I will be providing you with an access code.

Syllabus

Learn more about
the course.

Modules

Explore the
course materials.

Meet your instructor

[Note to instructors: Provide a few sentences to introduce yourself. Consider adding a photo or video.]

Email: (e.g., Canvas e-mail is my preferred means of contact. I will return your e-mails within 48 business hours. In case of emergency only email me at johndoe@indiana.edu. Please be clear in the subject line as to what the message is concerning.)

Phone:

Office:

Office Hours:

Need help?

Visit the Learning.IU website for information and resources about learning at IU.
UITS Tech Support: Open 24/7 to help with your technology questions.
Enroll yourself in The Student Guide to IU eTexts to learn all the basics about the initiative, and view tutorials for using Engage.