Questions
- How do I get started with Canvas at Bowdoin?
- What is Canvas and how is it used for my courses?
- How do I find my current and past courses in Canvas?
- How do I add content to my Canvas course?
- How do I publish my Canvas course so students can see it?
- How do I control which menu items are visible to students in my Canvas course?
- How do I set up modules, pages, or assignments in Canvas?
- How do I customize my Canvas notification settings?
- Where can I get training or live help for Canvas?
- How do I request support for my Canvas course?
Environment
This article applies to faculty and staff who teach or manage courses in Canvas at Bowdoin College. Canvas is browser-based and accessible from any modern browser on a Mac, Windows PC, or iPad.
- Platform: Any supported browser — no software installation required
- Audience: Faculty and staff (course instructors and administrators)
- Student view: Students have their own Canvas access; this article focuses on the instructor experience
Resolution
The Canvas Dashboard
The Dashboard is the first thing you see when you log in to Canvas. It displays your current courses — both Published Courses (visible to students) and Unpublished Courses (visible to you only). Courses remain unpublished until you explicitly make them available to students.
The Left-Hand Navigation Menu
The left-hand menu (also called the global navigation menu) is visible throughout Canvas. Key areas include:
- Account: Customize your profile and notification preferences. You can choose to receive notifications immediately, daily, or weekly. These settings apply only to you — students set their own notification preferences. Canvas notifications come from notifications@instructure.com.
- Courses: Access both current and past courses. Previous semester courses move out of the Dashboard at the end of the semester but remain accessible here. To find older courses, click Courses, scroll to the bottom of the sidebar, and select All Courses.
- Calendar: Displays upcoming assignment due dates, color-coded by course. You can also create office hour sign-ups and other course-related events here.
- Help: Access Bowdoin's support system, submit a request directly to Canvas support staff, and browse the Canvas Guides for how-to documentation.
Note: Past semester courses become read-only after the end of the semester. Only current and future courses are editable.
Building Your Course
Click any course in the Dashboard to open it. The main tools for organizing course content are described below.
Modules
Modules let you organize course content and guide the flow of your course. Students use Next and Previous buttons to move through content in the order you set. You can require students to complete items in sequence before moving forward. Click the + button in any module to add items such as pages, assignments, files, or external links.
Pages
Pages are web-based content areas where you can add text, images, links, and embedded media. To create a page, click the + in a module, choose Page from the drop-down menu, select Create Page, give it a name, and click Add Item. Click on the newly created page from the module and select Edit to add content. Click Save and Publish when the page is ready for students.
Assignments
To create an assignment, click the + in a module and choose Assignment from the drop-down menu. Select Create Assignment, give it a name, and click Add Item. Click on the new assignment and select Edit to configure it. If you want the assignment to appear in the Calendar, set a due date. Click Save and Publish when the assignment is complete.
Files
Upload course files (syllabi, lecture notes, readings, etc.) and link to them from Modules or Pages. The Files section in the left-hand menu is hidden from students by default — share files by linking to them directly from a Module or Page.
Publishing Course Content
As you create modules, pages, and assignments, each item starts unpublished. To make content visible to students, click the circle with a slash icon next to the item to publish it. When the icon turns into a green circle with a check mark, the content is published and visible to enrolled students.
Course Settings
Course settings let you update the left-hand navigation menu and the course card that appears in the Dashboard.
- Navigation: Click the Navigation tab at the top of the Settings page. You will see two lists of menu items — items in the top list are enabled and visible to students; items in the bottom list are disabled and hidden. Drag items between the lists to control what students see in the course menu. Click Save when done.
Course availability: Canvas courses from prior academic years are eventually made unavailable on a rolling basis. Contact the Service Desk if you need access to a course that is no longer visible.
Getting Help and Training
Canvas Open Labs are held regularly during the semester and offer drop-in help for faculty. Registration and the current schedule are available on the Workshops and Open Labs page in CampusGroups.
If you need help with your course in Canvas, use the Canvas Request form to have someone from IT contact you.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources