Canvas features

In this section

Benefits & Features of Canvas

Canvas is a web-based learning management system, so there is nothing to download or install. You can access Canvas from the tile on the Okta dashboard or from https://canvas.pugetsound.edu

Need help with Canvas? Contact Educational Technology, review the Canvas instructor guides, or explore the list of core tools and the glossary of terms below.

Contact Information

Educational Technology

For questions about how best to use Canvas, or to add a course/lab assistant, grader, or librarian to your course, please email:

edtech@pugetsound.edu

Core Canvas tools

Announcements

Assignments

Calendar

Chat

Collaborations

Discussions

Files

Gradebook

Groups

Mastery Paths

Modules

Outcomes

Pages

Peer Reviews

People Tab

Quizzes (Classic Quizzes)

Quizzes (New Quizzes)

Rubrics

SpeedGrader

Syllabus

Below is a glossary for many important terms used in Canvas, along with the relevant links in the Canvas Guides.

Activity Streams

The Global Activity Stream is part of the Canvas Dashboard. It shows recent activity for all courses. The Course Activity Stream is on a course home page and shows recent activity for a specific course.

Use the Course Activity Stream

Canvas Dashboard

The Dashboard shows all courses and groups, recent activity, to-do items, upcoming assignments, and recent feedback. The Dashboard provides an overview of all Canvas activity for a user.

Use the Canvas Dashboard

Canvas Help Button

The Help button is the last icon in the far left (Global Navigation) menu. It allows users to get help in Canvas by searching documentation or submitting a support ticket to Technology Services.

Use the Canvas Help Button

Course Home Page

The Course Home Page is the first landing page that students see in a course. The Course Home Page can be the syllabus, modules, or customized to display content based on an instructor's preference.

Change the Course Home Page

Course Navigation

Course Navigation is a menu on the left side of a Canvas course. Course Navigation consists of navigation links directed to all the feature areas within a course. Instructors can customize Course Navigation for each course.

Use the Course Navigation menu

Course Notifications

Notifications allow users to determine how and how often they will be notified about activity in Canvas. Each user can adjust the notification preferences in their profile to alert them via email or SMS on a schedule that fits their needs.

Set Canvas Notifications

Rich Content Editor

The Rich Content Editor (RCE) is a space for creating and formatting content within Canvas. You use it throughout Canvas to create your pages and other course materials. Use it for text, HTML, multimedia content, and mathematical notations.

Use the Rich Content Editor

Student View

Student View allows instructors to see the course as a student views it and have a test student in a course. Use Student View to determine how your students view announcements, assignments, discussions, modules, quizzes, and other features of Canvas.

Use Student View