Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S2

What is your comfort level with Canvas new Learning

Management System?

I am uncomfortable; I am a BEGINNER and am

unfamiliar with the learning environment

I am somewhat comfortable; I have BASIC skills and

am able to get by.

I am comfortable; I have INTERMEDIATE skills and
am able to perform sufficiently in an online

environment.
I am an expert; I have ADVANCED skills and am a
digital pro

Narration
In this course we will use
Canvas New Learning
Management System
powered by Instructure.
Canvas is a cloud-native
learning platform and
learning management
system. It is used by
millions of students across
the globe.
Id like for you to take a
moment and complete this
survey by clicking on the
empty box that best

If user clicks 1, go to slide 3

Misc Notes:

If user clicks 2, go to slide 4

Navigation buttons exist

If user clicks 3, go to slide 5

If user clicks 4, go to slide 6

Course: Introduction to Tactics

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S3

Interactions, branching and programming notes:

Visual description and/or concept sketch:
If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide 2
If user clicks LEVEL
Next Arrow, go to slide 7

BEGINNER
Level of skill is deficient in one or
more areas. The learner is
unfamiliar with the nuances of
eLearning. May experience slight
discomfort in a digital learning
environment.

SKILLS

With BEGINNER skills learners are

able to:
Demonstrate basic digital literacy
Use software applications
Use the internet to email, share
photos, and view video

Misc Notes:
Narration: You have arrived
Navigation
buttons
to
here because
you areneed
a
be
present
Beginner. No need to worry.
The whole purpose of this
introduction is to provide you
with the skill set to be
successful in an online
environment.
Prior to starting this course you
should be able to use basic
software applications such as a
word processor, presentation
software, spreadsheets, etc.
Take a look at what is expected
of a BEGINNER. If you feel like
this doesnt best describe you,
click the back and try another
proficiency level.

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S4

Course: Introduction to Tactics

Interactions, branching and programming notes:

Visual description and/or concept sketch:
If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide x
LEVEL

SKILLS

If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide x

BASIC

With BASIC skills learners are able to:

Level of skill is sufficient to

successfully find course information.
The learner generally is unaware of
where course content lives, but has
the ability to seek and find through
trial and error.

Discern between the Global

Navigation Menu, Institution Menu,
and Course Home Pages

A person with this skill should be able

to discern between the Global
Navigation Menu, Institution Menu,
and Course Home Pages.

Identify announcements and

messages from the instructor
Locate multiple tools in the course
navigation menu (Calendar, Chat,
Message Boards, etc.)
Take quizzes and submit
assignments

Misc Notes:
Narration: You have
Navigation
buttons
need to
identified your
proficiency
be
present
level
as BASIC. Most
learners self-identify as
being a BASIC user; so no
need to worry!
You should be able to use
basic software applications
such as a word processor,
presentation software,
spreadsheets, etc. Take a
look at what is expected of a
BEGINNER. If you feel like
this doesnt best describe
you, click the back arrow
and try another skill level.
Otherwise click the next

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S5

Course: Introduction to Tactics

Visual description and/or concept sketch:

LEVEL

SKILLS

INTERMEDIATE

With INTERMEDIATE skills learners

are able to:

Possesses knowledge, skill, and

ability of a BASIC user.
Level of skill is required to perform
more advanced functions.
Learners have good familiarity with
web based tools and applications.
Learner and can effectively use
Web 2.0 technologies in a digital
learning environment.

Manipulate the Rich Content

Editor to edit and create content
Link to a URL (create a hyperlink)
Record/upload media
Insert pictures
Communicate via chats, wikis,
and blogs

Narration: You have identified

your proficiency level as
INTERMDIATE. Thats great! You
have probably been a student in
an online learning environment
before and know what to expect.
Take a look at what is expected of
an INTERMEDIATE learner. If you
feel like this doesnt best describe
you, click the back arrow and try
another skill level.
If you feel like you want to take
the end of course quiz now, click
on the Quiz button. Otherwise
click the next arrow and you will
be guided through the module.

Interactions, branching and programming notes:

Misc Notes:

If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide x

Navigation buttons need to

be present

If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide x

If user clicks Quiz Button, go to slide x

Course: Introduction to Tactics

Basic is hyperlinked

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S6

Visual description and concept sketch:

Narration: You have identified

LEVEL

SKILL

ADVANCED

With ADVANCED skills learners are

able to:

Possesses knowledge, skill, and

ability of an INTERMEDIATE user.
Level of skill is required to perform
more advanced functions. Learners
have good familiarity with web
based tools and applications.
Learner and can effectively use
Web 2.0 technologies in a digital
learning environment.

Connect to web services outside

of Canvas (Delicious, Twitter,
Google Drive, Yo, etc)
Leverage more advanced features
in the LMS (RSS, Google Docs
Collaboration, CrocoDoc)
Configure mobile applications to
work seamlessly with Instructure

Interactions, branching and programming:

If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide x

your proficiency level as

ADVANCED. Thats great! You
have MOST LIKELY been a student
in an online learning environment
before and know what to expect.
Take a look at what is expected of
an ADVANCED learner. If you feel
like this doesnt best describe you,
click the back arrow and try
another skill level.
If you feel like you want to take
the end of course quiz now, click
on the Quiz button. Otherwise
click the next arrow and you will
be guided through the module.

Misc Notes: Navigation

buttons need to be present

If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide x

If user clicks Quiz Button, go to slide x

Course: Introduction to Tactics

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S7

Visual description and concept sketch:

Narration: This is the typical

interface you are going to find
inside of Canvas Learning
Management System. Like most
LMSs it is composed of three
parts.
*The Global Navigation Menu
*The Course Home Page
*And The Institution Menu
(sometimes referred to as the help
corner)
I want to take some time to go
over the arrangement of this
screen so you are aware of the
LMS features.

Interactions, branching and programming:

If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide 2

Knowing how content is packaged

Misc
Notes:
Navigation
and where
course
materials live,
buttons
need
toofbe
present
will save you
a lot
time
and
energy.

If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide 8

Course: Introduction to Tactics

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S8

Visual description and concept sketch:

Narration: Youll notice I highlighted the three areas that are of most
importance. The Institution Menu is highlighted in Purple, the Global
Navigation Menu in Yellow and the Course Navigation Menu/Course
Home Page in Red.
Its important to note that Canvas allows for the customization of the
user interface. Depending on your exposure to courses within the
eLearning community, you may or may not have seen some of the other
layouts. Our University has chosen to stack the Institution Menu (again
some people may refer to it as the help corner) in the top right corner.
Its important to note that these links will take you to websites on the
web. The reason I dont particularly like the Help corner is because the
name is misleading. Clicking on one of these links will take you away
from the LMS and to a site on the internet. None of your course content
will be housed in this menu.

Interactions, branching and programming:

If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide 7

Next youll notice the Global Navigation Menu in Yellow. Global

Navigation links appear at the top of every Canvas page and provide
access to frequently used Canvas features. These links show information
about all of your courses. You will need to click on one of the areas
highlighted in yellow in order to be taken to an individual Course Home
Page.
What you see in red is the Course Home Page. The Course Home Page
has three features that you need to be concerned with: the Course
Navigation, the Course Content Area, and if applicable the Sidebar.

If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide 9

Misc Notes: Navigation buttons need to be present
Course: Introduction to Tactics

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S9

Visual description and concept sketch:

Interactions, branching and programming:

If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide 8
If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide 10
Course: Introduction to Tactics

Narration: I wanted to show you this real quick. What you

are looking at is another possible rendering of your interface.

The third Column is the Sidebar. Some people like it; some
people dont. If you dont, you can customize your interface to
hide the sidebar. I personally prefer to have the sidebar
closed. I like to have two columns instead of three, it allows
me to see more of the course content. But thats just my
preference. The sidebar is an elective feature that you may
customize under Options. The key takeaway here is that
regardless of whether you see two or three columns, this is the
meat and potatoes of the online course. The first Column on
your left, denoted by the Orange Star, is where all of the
Features of the course live. Think of this as your course
navigation menu. When you want to navigate within your
course you will click on one of links. It will either redirect you
to another page or populate the content, in the middle column.
In the course navigation menu, you will typically see Syllabus,
Modules, Discussion Boards, Calendar, Wikis and drop boxes,
as well as links for tests and quizzes. Drop Boxes are used to
submit assignments. If you ever have to turn in a paper or
assignment, you need to submit it via a dropbox. Drop Boxes
will be created for individual assignments. If you are required
Misc Notes
can
here
to post or contribute to a discussion
you
do go
so under
Discussions. Do not submit your posts via the dropbox. The
middle column with the orange star is the course content area.
Whenever you click on a feature it will populate in the course
content area. For example if you click on Syllabus from the
course navigation menu you would see the actual document
displayed in the content area. Sometimes, depending on how

8
Misc Notes: Navigation buttons need to be present

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.S10

Visual description and concept sketch:

Narration:
Now that you know how to access information I want to explain
how to add richness to your posts. It would behoove you to
spend some time learning the formatting features present in
the The Rich Content Editor. It will make your life easier.
Let me first say upfront, this tool is very finicky. It can give you
fits, if you dont use it as it was intended. Remember Canvas is
a web based platform and there is a lot of code happening
behind the scenes. If you try to make the RCE perform like
Word, Pages, or Google Docs, it wont and it will give you
problems. To ensure this tool is a multiplier and not a
diminisher we have to use it properly.
I would advise you, just as a preventative measure, to type up
your content in a word processor. The fact that Canvas
currently doesnt have an auto recovery feature or an auto
save feature can be scary. So type up your work elsewhere,
copy it, and the paste it into the RCE.

Interactions, branching and programming:

If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide 8
If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide 11

When you paste your work from another document, dont add
any formatting. The source document needs to be in plain text
and in a basic format. Markups such as italics, alignments,
tables, and links should be done from the RCE, NOT FROM
WORD NOT FROM PAGES.
Click on discussion and open a thread. While in the RCE, hover

Misc Notes: Navigation buttons need to be present

Course: Introduction to Tactics

Introduction to eLearning: Becoming familiar with your LMS

M1.L1.11
Visual description and concept sketch:

Narration:
At this point you have learned how to navigate Canvas new
Learning Management System:

ASSESSMENT

You should be able to identify the Global Navigation Menu, the

Institution Menu, and your individual Course Home Page(s).
You should also be able to identify the course navigation menu,
course content area, and the Sidebar.
You should also have spent some time in the RCE learning its
features and capabilities.
Next up is a quick low stakes evaluation. If you dont feel
comfortable and need to review click the Back arrow and it will
take you to the beginning of the tutorial. If you feel
comfortable with what we have covered click the next arrow
for a short mini quiz.

Interactions, branching and programming:

If user clicks Back Arrow, go to slide 7
If user clicks Next Arrow, go to slide 12
Misc Notes: Navigation buttons need to be present

Course: Introduction to Tactics

10

Course: Introduction to Tactics

11