Canvas LMS Minimum Requirements 2018/19
The LMS Minimum Requirements propose a progression from baseline (2017/18) to Enrichment (2018/19) and Transformation
(2019/20) whereby the Transformation stage is student centred and student owned (including students as partners, codesigners, co-producers and co-researchers). This approach aligns with the (draft) Education Strategy.
This was approved by the LMS Programme Steering Group on 18 June 2018.
Glossary
Modules / module refers to the Canvas content tool called Modules with a module being a unit within Modules.
“Module” refers to an ARU module within a course/degree programme.
“Modules” are referred to as courses in Canvas.
“Course” refers to an ARU course.
Homepage
Purpose
Entry point to the “module” on
Canvas comprises introductory
information and supports students
to engage with their module,
its assessment and associated
pedagogies.
Note: Recording is subject to
hardware and software provision
including thin client and virtual
desktop.
Information on Tool
Page [this may be the Syllabus
or other tools] set as landing
page and pre-populated text
(template). The scaffold text
must be edited, or replaced, by
the module leader. This is the
first page students see when
they access a “module”
via Canvas.
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
Enrichment 2018/19
ESSENTIAL
1. Provide essential “module”
information ( a) and b) automatically
provisioned in module title):
a. “Module” title & code
b. Semester/Trimester and year of
delivery
Module Leader / Tutor Information
(contact details)
2. Edit template text
3. Either update or change the “module”
homepage after two weeks from the
start of the “module” (e.g. videos and
“module” homepage information) to
reflect progress through “module”
and maintain interest.
4. Announcements pinned to
Homepage (please refer to section on
Announcements)
ESSENTIAL
1. Provide essential “module”
information (Module Leader
/ Tutor Information (contact
details))
2. Update template text
3. Announcements pinned to
Homepage (please see section
on Announcements)
4. If there is a change to (the items
on) the Homepage, the course
team / course leader needs to
be consulted.
DESIRABLE
1. Create a video introduction to
the module
DESIRABLE
1. Video introduction (Tutor
introduction using the Canvas
tool)
2. Video introduction / tour
of Canvas course – where
everything is (using Personal
Capture or similar screen
capture tools) (Essential for
distance learning)
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
1. Video introduction / tour
of Canvas course – where
everything is (using Personal
Capture or similar screen
capture tools tool)
Modules (Content)
Purpose
Information on Tool
Modules tool which uses
modular units (called
module) consisting of
different elements (Pages,
Assignments, Discussions,
Quizzes, Internal and External
Links etc.). Selective release
can be set to one tool /
“Module”-specific sections
element within a “module”
of the Module Information
and learners can be required
will be set up as the first
Module within the Modules to work through a sequence
tool with different templated of activities.
pages that need to be
completed with the specific Note: It is advisable to
information for this delivery. seek support to use tool
appropriately.
*Note: When using student
assessment as samples,
written permission must be
collected, and identifiers
removed from the work.
The Modules functionality
provides a space to create
“module” content in a
modular sequential format
allowing selective release
if required.
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
ESSENTIAL
1. Edit the “module” guide and
complete with the information
relevant to this delivery.
2. Provide examples of previous
assessment *.
DESIRABLE
1. Provide additional/supportive
assessment information as a short
video (see Assignment)
Enrichment 2018/19
ESSENTIAL
1. Edit / Update the “module” information and
complete with the information relevant to
this delivery.
2. Provide examples of previous assessment
(Exemptions need to be approved by the
course leader or the DLT).
DESIRABLE
1. Provide assessment information as a short
video (see Assignment)
2. Include an assignment- specific discussion
board for ongoing support and clarification.
3. Add information / guidance specific to
the “module” / “course” /community site
e.g. employability, sustainability, student
community, co- and extracurricular
opportunities.
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
1. Edit / Update the “module”
information and complete with
the information relevant to this
delivery
2. Provide examples of previous
assessment (Exemptions need to
be approved by the DLT).
3. Provide assessment information
as a short video (see Assignment
4. Include an assignment-specific
discussion board for ongoing
support and clarification.
5. Add information / guidance
specific to the module /
“course” /community site e.g.
employability, sustainability,
student community, co- and
extracurricular opportunities
Modules (Content) continued
Purpose
The modules can be
organised as required e.g.
Week 1, 2, 3, etc. or Topic A,
Topic B, etc.
Note: Content structure
can be designed in different
ways for students to access
and navigate (e.g. separate
modules per content unit or
one module for all content
units in the Modules tools
or using linked up (web)
Pages which are located
in Modules (website
approach). It is up to the
academic judgement of
module leaders which
approach is taken but the
approach needs to be
agreed across a course
team to ensure consistency.
Information on Tool
Within the Modules tool you
can organise your content
in weeks, topic units called
modules in Canvas.
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
Enrichment 2018/19
ESSENTIAL
1. Create the relevant weekly or
topic-based modules for your
delivery with a student engaging
activity and resources per week or
topic. Within academic discretion
content may include presentations
slides, notes, handouts, images,
videos and recordings (lecture or
personal capture or other media),
and clear activity instructions
2. Uploaded content needs to
comply with copyright
3. Make lecture / seminar materials
available to students before the
teaching takes place.
ESSENTIAL
1. Create the relevant weekly or topic-based
modules / units for your delivery.
2. Create a clear content structure e.g. pre, during and post class activities, and
resources which engage students. Within
academic discretion content may include
presentations slides, notes, handouts,
images, videos and recordings (lecture or
personal capture or other media), and clear
activity instructions
3. Use a consistent format for activities (activity
templates)
4. Uploaded content needs to comply with
copyright regulations.
5. Make core learning materials and resources
available to students before the teaching
takes place (see Accessibility). Update
materials following teaching as necessary.
DESIRABLE
1. Use selective release (prerequisites) to
scaffold learning where appropriate
Extend student learning through additional
activities and resources.
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
as in Enrichment 18/19 plus
1. Design activities for students
to collaborate and become
co- producers, designers and
researchers.
2. Produce and comment on
resources including video
3. Extending student learning
through additional activities
and resources (including cocurricular)
DESIRABLE
1. Organise content in nested
pathways.
Accessibility and Inclusion
Purpose
Provide all uploaded materials and
resources created within Canvas in
an accessible format using agreed
ARU accessibility guidelines and
templates
*1) Note: Consult the list of ‘mobile
approved’ tools and functionalities
such as quizzes, pages, Canvas video
etc. Technical issues relating to
Apps use need to be identified and
addressed.
*2) Note: Providing notes and
transcripts with video / audio
recording will depend on the
availability of appropriate software
to support this delivery.
Information on Tool
Use the Rich Text Editor in
Canvas to produce and tag
accessible content.
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
Enrichment 2018/19
ESSENTIAL
ESSENTIAL
1. Agree a consistent style across
1. Agree a consistent style across
“modules” in a “course” (style
“modules” in a “course” (style sheet)
sheet)
• Use Headings in the Rich Text
• Use Headings in the
Editor to structure your content.
• Rich Text Editor to structure
• Labeltables (summary, header
your content.
row, etc.)
• Labeltables (summary,
• Include an ALT tag with images
header row, etc.)
2. As far as possible content needs to
• Include an ALT tag with
be available off and online (e.g. by
images.
providing downloadable versions or
2. Upload/create content to ensure
a print-to-PDF option)
3. Content needs to be designed with
students get material in advance
according to inclusive materials
access through the mobile apps in
policy.
mind. *1
DESIRABLE
1. Provide notes or transcripts with
videos / audio recordings you
produce *2
DESIRABLE
1. Content needs to be designed
with access through the mobile
apps in mind.
2. Provide notes or transcripts with
videos / audio recordings you
produce
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
As Enrichment 2018/9 plus
1. Involve students in re- designing
/ customising materials to cater
for the purposes of their learning
community
2. Enable students to work in an
environment inclusive of diverse
individuals e.g. discussions,
group activities (e.g. a “module”
group might be divided into
learning sets using the group
tool and different activities set for
different groups)
Assignments
Purpose
Information on Tool
Assignments is a tool in Canvas
which provides a way of setting
up and managing formative
and summative assessments.
You can provide information
about a specific assessment,
define release and access dates,
grading criteria, summative
*Note: The Outcomes, Rubrics and
Learning Mastery functionalities
(contributory) or formative (noncontributory) assessment, etc.
need to be piloted and evaluated
It is connected to the Calendar
before wider implementation to
avoid risks in relation to assessments tool (where the assignments
are signposted), the Gradebook
and certification. *
(which keeps a record of
students’ performance on
different assignments) and the
Outcomes tool (which links to
outcomes, marking criteria
and rubrics)
The Assignments tool is prepopulated with scaffolding text
for formative and summative
assessment and an Assessment
for Learning Group (for formative
assessments you may use)
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
ESSENTIAL
1. Edit the pre-populated scaffolding
text for formative and summative
assessment and add your own
assessment description and
marking information.
DESIRABLE
1. Provide assessment information as
video
2. Use the assessment submission
features of Canvas for formative
assessment. (Ensure that
assignment is muted when writing
feedback)
(Note: Do not use the Outcomes tool for
2017/18).
DESIRABLE
1. Use ARU’s Assessment Protocol
(https://www.anglia.ac.uk/anglialearning-and-teaching/goodteaching-practice-and-innovation/
assessment -and- feedback/
assessment-protocol) to inform
assessment design.
Enrichment 2018/19
ESSENTIAL
1. Provide multi-modal assessment
information to students - e.g. a
combination of text, graphic or
video format.
2. Use ARU’s Assessment Protocol
to inform assessment design.
3. Continue to use Canvas
assignments with ‘no
submission’ (as Turnitin
Grademark stand alone will
continue for 18/19), however,
available assessment data at
Element level will be populated
from ASTRA. Academics will
need to manually ‘edit’ the
element and components where
they exist to add assignment
description and instructions.
4. Early formative assessments
activities (early warning
indicator) via use of available
assessment tools (e.g. Canvas
Quiz, Poll Everywhere).
DESIRABLE
1. Low stakes summative
assessment pilots using Canvas
Quizzes (or its successor
Quizzes.Next), as agreed with
LMS Steering Group.
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
1. Student assessment activity will
be fed by live ASTRA data (to
ensure timeliness and currency),
and the student e-Assessment
process will be managed through
Canvas to provide a unified,
streamlined student experience
2. Use ARU’s Assessment Protocol
to inform assessment design
3. Involve students in developing
assessment criteria (assessment
literacy), designing formative
assessments, design and be
involved in self – and peer
assessment.
DESIRABLE
1. Micro-credentialing of skills,
co- and extracurricular activities
(badges / capstone badges).
2. Explore and develop usage of
Outcomes and Learning Mastery
tools – dependent upon upscaled
implementation of Rubrics.*
Support and Scaffolding: Announcements and Calendar, Discussion and Inbox
Note: A strategic approach to effective communication across the different Canvas communication tools (Announcements, Inbox, Discussion, Email and related
Notifications) should be adopted at module, course and community level.
Announcements and Calendar
Purpose
Information on Tool
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
Tool to communicate
updates, assessment news,
and other essential “module”
information. This should be
used instead of cohort emails
concerning essential “module”
information.
Announcement tool pinned to
Homepage (set at the latest two
announcements). These are
pushed to mobile devices as
notifications and therefore need
to be managed when these are
sent. All announcements are
stored in the module for future
student and staff reference. It
should be noted that students
can control how they receive
announcements and they can
turn features off
ESSENTIAL
1. Set up a welcome announcement
2. Continue to use the announcement
tool throughout the “module”
3. Use announcements instead of nonconfidential email
DESIRABLE
1. Enrich announcements with
images, and multimedia.
Enrichment 2018/19
ESSENTIAL
1. Set up a welcome announcement
2. Continue to use the announcement
tool throughout the module
3. Use announcements instead of nonconfidential email
4. Scaffold progress through “module”
(message what comes up, what to do,
deadlines). Announcements can be
written at the start of the module and
time-released relating to core dates.
5. Enrich announcements with images,
multimedia and intra- Canvas links.
DESIRABLE
1. Enrich announcements with media
2. Add external links to announcements
3. Announce events, other resources >
extending learning
4. Use Calendars to scaffold/pace
progress within module, send
reminders and schedule office hours.
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
1. Enrich announcements with
media and link announcements
to other elements within Canvas
2. Scaffold progress through
“module” (message what comes
up, what to do, deadlines)
3. Add external links to
announcements
4. Group announcements by group
leader / student (managed)
announcements
5. Use Calendars to scaffold
progress within “module” and
schedule office hours.
DESIRABLE
1. Link to social media (e.g. blogs,
Twitter, Facebook) specific to this
module
2. Announce events, other
resources > extending learning
Inbox
Purpose
Targeted one-to-one and group
communication which can support
specific groups and communities.
Information on Tool
The Inbox tool is a means for
one-to-one and targeted group
communication.
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
It was recommended not to use the
Inbox tool.
Enrichment 2018/19
DESIRABLE
Messages tailored to specific groups
of students.
(Community site level
communication)
Transformation
(student-centred)
Messages tailored to specific groups
of students and
Community level communication
Discussions (see also: Collaboration and Communication)
Purpose
Discussion forums provide
an opportunity for students
to engage asynchronously
in threaded posts. Forums
can be set up for students
to ‘Like’ each other’s posts,
prioritise posts by Likes and
peer assessment as well as
to enable students to create
their own discussions.
Information on Tool
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
The Discussions tool is a
DESIRABLE
container for all the discussion
1. Set up an ‘Ask the Tutor’ Forum
forums you may use in your
as a pinned discussion including
“course”. You can pin discussions
an invitation (post) for students to
to the top of the list to prioritise
post questions relevant to other
them.
students (this needs to work and
be facilitated alongside email for
questions specific to individual
students as well as the social
media platforms used as part of a
“module”).
Transformation
(student-centred)
Enrichment 2018/19
DESIRABLE
1. Ask the tutor? Change to Ask a question
(both tutors and students can respond)
- needs a “course” level communication
agreement (context dependent/
rationale / learning outcomes)
2. Use discussions to encourage student
engagement e.g. for pre-learning and
post lesson clarification. (* resource
permitting).
3. Support assessment using a discussion.
Move towards Collaboration
Collaboration and Communication
Purpose
Provide students with
opportunity and a space to
work together
Information on Tool
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
Enrichment 2018/19
Canvas has a number of
collaboration tools available at
course and course group level.
The Group space (under
People) provides a Canvas
learning space with different
tools for students to
communicate and collaborate:
(a) Asynchronously e.g.
Shared Files, Announcements,
(Wiki), Pages (Canvas Groups)
Discussions
(b) Synchronously, e.g. Office
365, Skype for Business,
Canvas chat
(c) Through Webinars e.g. Big
Blue Button, Adobe Connect.
(d) And the e-portfolio tool on
its own.
DESIRABLE
One method of group collaboration is
used for each module. (The choice of
collaboration method is at the discretion
of the module leader)
Every module in a course uses the same
collaboration method.
ESSENTIAL
Tutor led and scaffolded collaborations
e.g. group work for assignment
purposes; discussions; building a sense
of community
This can be an in-class activity or pre or
post session activity.
Examples of activities:
• Collaborate on document / wiki
tasks;
• Collaborate on media tasks;
• Group roles assigned by tutor
(and rotating);
• Audio / video / text conferencing;
• Student collaborative activities
in Canvas groups; e-portfolio >
student commenting on each
other’s evidence and reflections;
• Class group-work and outputs
uploaded into Canvas.
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
Enrichment 2018-19 and
Student led collaborations e.g. project
work; sharing ideas
1. Students as co-producers
2. Student organised group / peer work
and collaborating in group activities
3. Group roles are self- assigned
Examples of activities:
• Collaborate on document / wiki
tasks;
• Collaborate on media tasks;
• Students design discussion
questions / tasks and facilitating
discussions;
• Group roles assigned by students
(and rotating);
• Audio / video / text conferencing;
• e-portfolio > student commenting
on each other’s evidence and
reflections;
• Student collaborative activities in
Canvas groups;
• Class group-work and outputs
uploaded into Canvas.
Reading List (Talis)
Purpose
Provide students with links to
“module” reading and resources
Information on Tool
This tool is linked into Canvas on
the left-hand navigation. You can
also integrate links to specific
sections of the reading list (e.g.
Week 1 Reading) in pages in
your modules.
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
ESSENTIAL
Set up the digital “module” reading list
on ReadingLists@Anglia
DESIRABLE
Revise the digital “module” reading
list to correspond to the LMS Course
structure on Modules (Content), e.g.
readings by week; topic etc.
Enrichment 2018/19
ESSENTIAL
as 2017/8
Align reading list to “module”
structure i.e. pre, during and post
teaching session, and link content to
resources in the reading list.
Transformation
(student-centred)
ESSENTIAL
as 2018/9
DESIRABLE
Respond to discussions/questions
based on reading.
Profile Page
Purpose
Information on Tool
Provide students with a picture,
Profile page under People
contact details and a short biography REMOVE FROM REQUIREMENTS
of the module leader / tutor
AND REPLACE WITH INFO
ON HOMEPAGE
Baseline/Threshold 2017/18
ESSENTIAL
Add module leader and tutor contact
details
DESIRABLE
1. Add a picture (where appropriate
and if not automatically
provisioned)
2. Add a short staff biography
3. Add links to professional profiles
e.g. ARU profile, LinkedIn
Enrichment 2018/19
REMOVE FROM REQUIREMENTS
AND REPLACE WITH INFO
ON HOMEPAGE
Transformation
(student-centred)
REMOVE FROM REQUIREMENTS AND
REPLACE WITH INFO ON HOMEPAGE