Introduction
Canvas is Virginia Tech's learning management system (LMS). Instructors use Canvas to manage teaching materials like assignments, quizzes, feedback, and student grades.
- Official courses are automatically created in instructors' Canvas accounts.
- Enrolled students are automatically added.
- Instructors can reuse teaching materials by importing them to a new course site.
- Canvas provides 24-7 support by phone (833-639-7621) and chat (click Help on any Canvas screen).
The Canvas Instructor Guide has full instructions on using Canvas. These instructions are specific to Virginia Tech.
Contents
- Learning to Use Canvas
- Canvas Topics
- Canvas Updates
- Canvas Release Notes
- Feature Idea Conversations
- Getting Help
Instructions
Learning to Use Canvas
- Go to the Professional Development Network website and enroll in a Canvas workshop.
- Explore the Canvas Instructor Guide.
- Read this article. Click on each Canvas topic below to learn how to navigate and use Canvas.
Canvas Topics
Click on each topic to learn more about how to use Canvas. To see more topics, please see the Canvas Guides.
- Logging into Canvas
- Using Your Account
- Setting up Canvas Course Sites
- Creating Teaching Materials
- Teaching with Canvas
- Creating Quizzes
- Using Canvas as a Departmental Administrator
- Applying Best Practices for Canvas Course Design
- Requesting and Using External Tools (LTI Tools)
Canvas Updates
- Canvas is updated by Instructure every month.
- Canvas is updated over the weekend.
- Canvas is not taken offline when updates occur.
- Instructure has published a schedule for Canvas Updates.
Canvas Release Notes
Feature Idea Conversations
Idea conversations allow you to initiate or contribute to conversations about desired enhancements to Canvas functionality.
Getting Help
For instructions on resolving common issues with Canvas, see:
- Troubleshooting Canvas (for Instructors)
- Recommended Browser Privacy and Security Settings for Canvas
Instructure, the creators of Canvas, provide 24-7 Canvas support, including live chat and a support hotline.
To get Canvas help, click Support on any Canvas screen and choose from help options:
- Search the Canvas Guides: Search Canvas documentation.
- Chat with Canvas Support: Open a chat window in Canvas (or call the phone number).
- Contact Virginia Tech 4Help: Submit an incident on 4Help or call 540-231-4357.
- Browse Virginia Tech Resources: See other Canvas Knowledge Base articles.
- Report a Problem: Submit a Canvas support case by filling out a short form.
- Ask the Community: Go to Canvas user community resources.
- Submit a Feature Idea: Search a list of current feature idea conversations. Add to an existing conversation or start your own!
In Canvas, use the new Help Docs button located near the Support button that will provide quick access to a knowledge base located inside Canvas.