Start of Semester Checklist

Copy a course (or course content) from a previous semester into your new course shell (no need to rebuild everything from scratch). After you copy it over you can make any necessary adjustments / changes.

More information: How to copy a full or part(s) of a course

You must publish/"turn on" your course to make it visible to students. Students cannot access a course until the Instructor publishes it.

Publishing your course does not mean all of your course content is visible. Individual modules, pages, and course content can be turned on or off — so you still need to make sure the content items you want students to see by a certain date are published! (Leave the content you don't want students to see immediately, "turned off.")

More information: How to Publish your course

"Favorite" your course to make it show up at the top of your Canvas Dashboard.  Click on the "Courses" link in the side navigation, then click "All Courses", then click the star next to the course name to favorite it. Then click back on your dashboard navigation and you should see your course. (see screenshot below). 

More information: How to set up Canvas Dashboard and Favorite your Course 

You might need to change your dashboard view to card view by clicking the three dots in the upper right hand corner of your dashboard to view the drop down list. (see screenshot below)

Note: Let your students know how to "favorite" a course. They can set up their Canvas Dashboard the same way you do, so your course is at the top of their Canvas Dashboard, if wanted.

• When your course is created in banner, the course start and end dates are automatically populated.   You can view your course dates by clicking on the "Sections" tab at the top, you can not edit these dates, again they are set when the schedule was created. 
  
  Instructors do not have the ability to manually adjust their course start and end dates in settings. If your course participation is set to "Course" it allows you to enter dates, but these do not impact your actual course start and end dates. Selecting "Term" is a better option as it gives students viewing privileges for two weeks after end of term.
• You may give students viewing access by changing one setting; then students will be able view the course, and course content. You can change this behavior by editing this in settings: 

  • Uncheck the box that says "Restrict students from viewing the course before the Start date" 

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  Note:  Students will not be able to submit any assignments before or after the term the dates visible under sections!

Navigational links are the links on the left side of your course page. If you leave too many navigation links visible you run the risk of confusing students with too many places to visit, or allowing them to visit private files, or jump ahead to quizzes or discussions you don't want them to see just yet.

So remove navigation links before the course opens. Navigation links can be added or removed at any time.  Recommended links to include:  Home, Announcements, Syllabus, Modules, Discussion, and Grades. 

More information: How to Remove unnecessary Navigational Links

After you have checked all the course settings and your course has been published; you can use the Conversations (inbox) in Canvas to send your students a welcome message and invite them to your course, remind them of the materials they need to obtain prior to the first day of class, invite them to view the Canvas Tutorial, and send information on how to access your course. 

More information: How to Email your students in Canvas or Emailing Students from Roster (3 ways)

Set up a direct link to allow students to purchase course materials from the Cuesta College Bookstore via your course. Students can jump to the bookstore from the "Purchase Course Materials" link in your course navigation.

You may disable this link if desired (see the section: "Customize Navigation Links in a course", below)

More information: How to set up Purchase Course Materials

If your course will use first day access to your digital materials, ensure you add the link, "Course Materials (First Day Access)" to your course navigation.

Please view the detailed instructions on how to set up Inclusive Access, and important messages you can provide to your students.

More information: How to set up Inclusive Access Course Material