Canvas

General Information

Canvas replaced Blackboard as the University's primary learning management system (LMS). Training and documentation are available to help faculty learn Canvas. The Center also migrated select Blackboard course sites into Canvas (e.g., courses that are to be offered in the future). 

Intersession & Spring 2023 courses are now available on Canvas.
Read further and attend training to learn about Canvas.

Logo_Canvas_BW_Vertical

Quick Links:

Access and Documentation

JHU Canvas Site: 

https://canvas.jhu.edu

This site not only provides access to the Canvas login page, but provides an overview of the evaluation process that led Johns Hopkins to choose Canvas along with helpful University updates and resources.

It also contains helpful documentation that the Center created in collaboration with other instructional support centers on getting started and using popular tools in Canvas: https://canvas.jhu.edu/faculty-resources/.  

Training - Canvas Training Schedule

Training is available in several formats and arenas. The details below are updated regularly.

Recorded Training

Canvas Overview Session (0:57 minutes)
This recorded session provides a general overview of the basic tools and features in Canvas; it also highlights several differences between Canvas and Blackboard. Recorded transcript of the Canvas Overview Session (Word document)

Upcoming CTEI Trainings

"Canvas Overview and Introduction"

New to Canvas for Spring 2023? Need a refresher before the start of the new semester? This session provides a general overview of the basic tools and features available to faculty on the Canvas platform. Training runs one hour, with an additional 30 minutes for questions if needed.

Premium Canvas Training

After logging in to Canvas, scroll to the bottom of the left-side menu, and click on Help.  Scroll down to the Training Services Portal to access the premier training offered by Canvas that the JHU community can access until end of February 2023.

We recommend the following trainings in this order if possible (all are 60 minutes, presented by Canvas, and provide a downloadable help guide):

  1. Leveraging Modules
  2. Course Communication Tools
  3. Assignments
  4. Managing Quizzes
  5. Gradebook & Speedgrader
  6. Accessibility

New Features

In addition to the robust features already in Canvas, JHU has approved some great new features. Learn more by accessing the university’s page on New Canvas Features

Grades and Canvas

Calculating Weighted Grades

To use weights to calculate your gradebook, please follow these instructions: How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?

Note: By default, the Total grade column in Canvas is not visible to students at KSAS and WSE.

Importing Grades into SIS

To import your Canvas grades into SIS, you must enable a grading schema for your course before importing your grades into SIS. These instructions outline the step-by-step process: SIS Grade Import.

Accessing Migrated Courses

The University migrated many Blackboard course sites to staging sites in Canvas.  Login to Canvas at https://canvas.jhu.edu/ to see which courses have been migrated from Blackboard. Your migrated course sites will be in a special STAGING site with the course names beginning with "STAGE_" to view what Blackboard course sites were migrated to Canvas:

  1. Login to Canvas: https://canvas.jhu.edu/
  2. Click "Dashboard" on the left-hand Global Navigation Menu (This is also the default landing page after logging in).
  3. Scroll Down to "Unpublished Courses" to view which courses have been migrated. Migrated sites are tagged with pre-fix "STAGE_".

Note: STAGING courses will only be used to migrate content from Blackboard and to allow faculty to clean up content. When content is ready, it needs to be copied into the "real" SIS-based courses.