• Posted on 27 Mar 2020
  • 6-minute read
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Descriptive transcript

Hi, I'm Faye. I'm a student at the University of Technology Sydney. I'm here to walk you through how to navigate Canvas, our new online learning platform.

Canvas is used at UTS for most postgraduate coursework subjects.

In Canvas, you'll access all of your course announcements and content, submit assignments, and receive your grades and feedback. You can also interact with your teachers and classmates in Canvas.

First, open your preferred web browser and head to canvas.uts.edu.au. To log in, enter your UTS student number and password.

The first thing you'll see when you log into Canvas is the dashboard. All the subjects you're enrolled in that are in Canvas will appear as tiles here.

On the right side of the dashboard, you can see any upcoming due dates, recent feedback you've received, and any marks your teacher has made available to you.

On the left side is the global navigation menu. These are quick links to frequently used Canvas features. You can return to your dashboard at any time by clicking Dashboard on the global navigation menu.

At the top of the global navigation menu is your Account. This is where you can manage things like notifications, settings, and contact details. You can also upload a profile picture to help your classmates and teachers identify you in course discussions.

You can customise how and when you receive notifications. By default, you'll receive an email notification to your UTS student account when something important happens in Canvas. Make sure your notification preference is set to "notify me right away".

When you're ready, navigate back to the dashboard and then click onto the course that you want to view. This will take you to your course homepage.

On the left side of the homepage is your course navigation menu. This is where you can jump to announcements, assignments, and your course modules.

Your online learning materials for each course are split into modules. Each module can contain files, discussions, and other learning resources depending on the course delivery. The first module contains important information about the course, like how to contact your subject coordinator and subject resources, so make sure you look at that one first.

Click on Assignments to look at all of the assessment tasks for that course. Click on the name of the assessment to learn more about it, including the due date and instructions on how to submit the assessment once you've completed it.

If you ever run into any trouble, you can reach out to Canvas 24/7 support by clicking Help at the bottom of the global navigation menu. And don't forget, if you have any questions about your subject, you can always speak to your teacher.

Canvas also has a student app, so you can access your courses on the go. You can download it for free from the App Store or from Google Play. It's important to allow notifications, as teachers may communicate room changes to you through Canvas announcements.

So good luck with your learning and welcome to Canvas.

To help you make the most of your new online learning space, here are some tips from other students on the most useful features of Canvas.

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Keep track of assignments in one place

Never worry about missing a deadline again! Assignments will automatically show up in your calendar once your teacher makes them available. You can view available dates for all your subjects on the one page, or you can filter the view to see a specific subject.

TLDR: To use the calendar, click on the Calendar icon on the Canvas menu on the left side of the browser window.

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Personalise how, when and what notifications you receive

Find out when your assignment has been marked, when a due date changes or an announcement has been posted. You can choose to receive notifications instantly or daily. Each notification is already set to a default preference.

TLDR: To personalise your notifications, click Account at the top of the Canvas menu, and then click Notifications.

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Go mobile

Canvas has a free app for Android and iPhone that you can use to access Canvas on your mobile device. Stay current with your course anywhere you go – from the couch, to the kitchen, to the backyard, and back to the couch again. Yay, social distancing!

TLDR: Download the Canvas student app from Google Play or the App Store.

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Save longer posts outside of Canvas

If you’re writing a longer response to a discussion thread, it’s a good idea to write your reply in Word and then post into Canvas. This way, if you lose your internet connection, you won’t lose any of your perfectly composed words.

TLDR: Type longer posts in notes or Word before pasting in discussion thread.

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Preview files before downloading them

In Canvas, you can view your files like readings or lecture notes on your screen first instead of needing to download. This is extra helpful for those of us with a little data that needs to go a long way.

TLDR: Click the small paper + magnifying glass icon next to a link to preview the document. Then you can decide whether to download it now or wait until later.

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Access course material for the entire length of your degree

Before Canvas, you couldn’t access subject resources after the session ended. Now you can! You won’t be able to edit content, but you’ll be able to view past assignments or readings – handy if you need to reference them later on!

TLDR: All current course material will be visible on your Canvas dashboard. Find past courses by clicking on the Courses icon on the Canvas menu.

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Access 24/7 help

Late night study session? No problem. If you need help at any time of the day, you’ve got the Canvas experts right at your fingertips.

TLDR: Click the Help icon at the bottom of the Canvas menu. Here you can search for topics or ask questions via live chat support - real people sitting behind real computers, ready to help you out. You can also get in touch with ASK UTS or the IT Support Centre for help.

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