Author: amcdonnell

Google Docs Keeps Getting Better

amcdonnell Uncategorized

About a year ago, Google launched smart canvas.   I already talked about some of these features a few months ago. This week, Google added a new feature that I really like. Google docs now has drop-down menus!

It’s a really helpful feature for those managing group projects or students’ progress. Perhaps your grade team planning a big event or trip. It’s a good way to keep track of how everyone’s doing and the status of different components.

I am thinking we could also use this with students who maybe need to have more formal check-ins on their progress. 

 

Canvas Tip #5- Adjust the Assignments Default Due Time

amcdonnell Uncategorized

This is a nice update that just came out on April 16. We can now modify the Default Due Time Field for assignments from the current and hitherto unchangeable 11:59 pm.  It’s been a bit tedious to always adjust the due time, and I forget about once every three weeks to change the default due time. Currently, since the due date is 11:59 pm, students can tell me that they thought it was due that evening instead of before class. Perhaps you’ve heard that to?

Here’s how I changed my default due time from 11:59 pm to 8:00 am. (BTW, if you like the step by step tool below, it is called IORAD and it is a Google Chrome Extension.)

7 STEPS

1. The first step is to open Religions and Revolutions (McD) 21-22

Step 1 image

2. Scroll down and click Settings

Step 2 image

3. Scroll and click Account default (11:59pm)

Step 3 image

4. Select 8:00am

Step 4 image

5. Pick the time of your choosing. Note, this feature is still adjustable. It just sets a new default time.

Step 5 image

6. Scroll down and click Update Course Details

Step 6 image

7. That’s it. You’re done.

Step 7 image

Here’s an interactive tutorial

** Best experienced in Full Screen (click the icon in the top right corner before you begin) **

https://www.iorad.com/player/1950781/Friendscentral-Instructure—How-to-untitled-task-name

 

Canvas Tip #4- The Redirect Tool

amcdonnell Uncategorized , ,

One of my favorite Canvas “hacks” is using the Redirect Tool app to add features to my course menu.  The Redirect Tool can be found under settings > apps. It’s a curving blue  arrow as seen on the right and it allows you to add any webpage to your navigation menu.

 

(the picture below is from Yale’s tech help site)  Click the picture to see detailed step-by-step directions on how to configure the tool. The FCIT team is also available to help you set this up.

I have used this tool to add links to older course websites before I migrated all my material to Canvas. These days, I use it to link to the history reading packet. I’ve also used it to post a “suggestion box” which allows students to give me feedback on the course via a link to a Google Form. Below is a screenshot of how I have used the tool this year.

Here’s a video showing how to do it.

Canvas Tip #3: Clean the Dashboard.

amcdonnell Google ,

I am enrolled in and have published a lot of Canvas Courses. I’m in 14 of them and they’re still active, but I need not see them all the time. To clean up my dashboard, I customized the course cards that are displayed upon login. From the dashboard menu on the left, I click on “courses” then “all courses.”

Try it. You’ll see a small star icon next to your courses. Get rid of the star next to courses you don’t want on your dashboard. Suddenly, you have a much cleaner front-page interface to work with. Here’s how. Click “Start” below.

4 STEPS

1. The first step is to click courses

Step 1 image

2. Click All Courses

Step 2 image

3. Scroll down and click highlight

Step 3 image

4. That’s it. Now only these cards will appear on my dashboard. Note: If all courses are unstarred- ALL of them will appear on the dashboard.
BTW, if you like this tutorial tool, it is called IORAD and it is a Chrome Extension.

Step 4 image

Here’s an interactive tutorial

** Best experienced in Full Screen (click the icon in the top right corner before you begin) **

https://www.iorad.com/player/1937386/How-to-clean-up-the-Canvas-Dashboard-

 

Canvas Slam: Tip 2 Undelete

amcdonnell Uncategorized

Bookmark this one…  It may just save your bacon one day. 

If you accidentally delete something in Canvas, you can find and re-add it by adding the word undelete to the end of the course address. The course address is the URL of the home screen.

Example: Here’s mine from Religions and Revolutions with the word “undelete”
https://friendscentral.instructure.com/courses/859/undelete

Doing this brings you to the Restore Deleted Items page, which will include a list of recent restorable items. These will have brief descriptions that include what type they are, the date of their creation, and the last update.
Restore Deleted Items

Canvas Slam Tip 1

amcdonnell Uncategorized

First in a series of quick tips about Canvas.   

Last year, several people asked me about the best way to collect journal posts in Canvas. At the time, I recommended making discussion groups of 1 and having students make multiple submissions through Discussions. This year, I’m doing it differently.

  1. I have created a comments-only rubric and have attached it to an assignment I have labeled “Journal due”
  2.  I move the “Journal due” assignment forward every two weeks.
  3.  In submission attempts, I made it unlimited.

Thus, I can now easily reuse the same assignment, allowing for multiple submissions but in the end only one final grade.

Here’s how to do it.