Access for Faculty
Your Canvas username is your FAUNet ID. Your password is the same one that you use to access MyFAU. If an instructor wishes to view their course as a student, they can use the Canvas Test Student mode in Canvas. Click here to learn how to use this feature.
Access for Students
Students appearing on the official roster for your class are enrolled automatically in the Canvas course web site approximately 2 weeks before classes begin. This list is updated on a daily basis throughout the semester.
The student username for Canvas is his or her FAUNet ID. A student who does not know his or her FAUNet ID should go to http://myfau.fau.edu and click on "Lookup Username." The student password for Canvas is the same one the student uses to access MyFAU. The student email address in Canvas is set as the student FAU email address (to forward email to another account students should go to MyFAU and select "auto forward" under "options").
Adding Student Users to Canvas Course
In accordance with the university Registration Requirement policy that “No student may attend a course for which he or she is not registered, either as a degree-seeking student or as a non-degree-seeking student," students may not be added to a Canvas course unless officially registered. Students are automatically loaded into Canvas upon registration in Banner. Students whose registration has been withdrawn in Banner will remain in the Canvas course roster but will be listed as Inactive. The integration between Banner to Canvas occurs every hour.
Exception:
A student not currently registered in a course may be added to a Canvas course if they are in the process of completing work for a course in which they were graded an “I” (Incomplete) and the instructor authorizes the access to the Canvas course materials. The student’s grading status must be verified with the Office of the Registrar before the student is added to the Canvas course.
To request a student to be added who is completing an incomplete, submit a help desk ticket.
Adding Non-Student Users to a Canvas Course
There are only three course roles in which a person can be added to a Canvas course:
- Teaching Assistant
- Designer
- Observer
The addition of all users, must come with consent from the course Instructor of Record or from the Dean or Chair of the college.
Adding Non-FAU Users to Courses
Occasionally there is a need to allow Guest or Visiting Instructors access to a Canvas course. To request access of a NON-FAU instructor, instructors (Or Deans/Chairs) must make a request in writing for a Courtesy Account from FAU (Using this service). Once the account is created, the instructor (Or OIT) can then add the user to the course using the role "Guest Instructor". This role has limited access to student information and will be able to do the following within the course
Clearing Attempts
Instructional Technology staff will not clear test/assignment attempts for students unless explicit permission is given by the instructor in writing (through ticket or email). Once permission is given, Instructional technology staff will assist with the clearing of attempts. Instructional Technology staff will also assist instructors on how to clear attempts on their own.
Course Retention/Access in Future Terms
Full access to courses and materials for instructors remains after the semester term ends and also after “Concluding” the course in Canvas.
A course concludes two weeks after the end of the semester, at which point, the course turns into a read only state where grade book entries and student submissions cannot be modified. Instructors are able to un-conclude a course if a grade change is necessary.
Students maintain access to the course in a read only state, this means they can only view published materials and their grades. Students cannot interact with the course or make additional submissions to course assignments.
The conclusion of a course moves the course from the "Active Course" list to the "Past Enrollments" list on the "View All Courses" page within Canvas.
To learn more about different states of a canvas course, view this Canvas Guide.
Course Space Quotas
All Canvas courses are subject to a 500 MB disk space quota. Please submit a help desk ticket if you need to request additional space.
Course Content
OIT will not upload course content to Canvas for faculty. The purpose of the Canvas hands-on training workshops is to teach faculty to do this themselves.
Cross-Listing Courses
Courses that are cross-listed in Banner will integrate to Canvas automatically. Course sections may be cross-listed in Banner if the same instructor is teaching multiple sections and the sections meet one of the following criterion:
- the course sections have the same meeting days/times in the same classroom for the same course.
- the course sections have the same meeting days/times with the Instructional Method of Online Live Lecture (synchronous delivery).
- the course sections have the same meeting days/times with one section in-person and the second section with the Instructional Method of Online Live Lecture (synchronous delivery).
- the course sections have the same meeting days/times in the same classroom for ‘combined’ undergraduate and graduate courses.
- the course sections will meet fully online, either synchronous or asynchronous, for ‘combined’ undergraduate and graduate courses.
- the course sections will meet utilizing a FLEX modality [both sections are In-Person w/Live Remote Option (FLL) or In-Person w/Recorded Lecture (FLR)] for ‘combined’ undergraduate and graduate courses.
- the course sections are designated as Fully Online or Online Live lecture with a specified operational rationale*.
Cross-Listing of Course Sections In Canvas:
If not cross-listed in Banner, the Canvas team can only extend cross-listing for multiple Lab or Discussion sections that are specifically linked to one Lecture section.
Rationale:
Courses that do not meet the university’s cross-listing definition cannot be cross-listed in Canvas as students in one section of the course would be able to view and communicate with students in another section of the course, thus violating the student’s privacy. The university must adhere to the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) to protect the privacy of students’ educational records. The university has defined specific student record data elements as ‘Directory Information’ (see FAU Regulation 4.008 – Access to Student Records). A student’s class enrollment, however, is not considered directory information. Students cannot remain anonymous in the classroom even if they opt out of directory information disclosure. Students enrolled in courses that meet the university cross-listing definition (or exception to) fall under this same requirement.
*Requests for cross-listing due to an operational rationale would be reviewed and approved by the University Registrar.
For additional information on FERPA, please visit: http://www.fau.edu/registrar/records/ferpa.php
Copying Courses
Instructional Technology staff will assist instructors with copying their course. The instructor must be enrolled in both courses before the copy can take place. If the instructor is not, we must have written permission from the current instructor, dean, or department chair before the course material can be copied.
Incomplete Grades – Adding Students Completing an Incomplete
Instructors that need to add a student to a course to complete an incomplete, should submit a ticket to our online Help Desk using this service, SERVICE. Submission of this ticket initiates a process that requires the Registrar to verify the enrollment and grading status of this student. Upon approval from the Registrar, the student will be added into the active course to allow them to complete the required work in order to satisfy the requirements of their incomplete.
Logging in as User
It may be necessary for individuals with admin accounts (i.e. OIT staff) to log in as an instructor or student to aid in troubleshooting an issue, this is called "Masquerading". There are logs associated with this activity and be assured that no changes will be made without the explicit written consent from the instructor (i.e. resetting student quiz attempts, changing availability dates of assignments, etc). For all users the privacy of your information is of utmost importance.
New Instructors with Incomplete On-Boarding
Access to your courses is dependent upon a number of factors. The hire process and on-boarding must be complete before you will be added as the instructor of record of a course in Banner. Your department must ensure through the Registrar’s office that this process is complete. You must be set as the instructor of record to gain access to the course in the LMS.
You may attend training in advance of gaining access to your course in order to familiarize yourself with the LMS.
Deans and Chairs may request access to assist in adding course material.
Online Quizzes/Exams
FAU has purchased a site license for Respondus, a powerful tool for creating and managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Canvas. Whether you are a veteran of online testing or relatively new to it, Respondus will save you hours on each project. If you wish to request a copy of this software, please submit a ticket through the FAU Help Desk at http://helpdesk.fau.edu.
The first test your students take online should NOT be their midterm or final exam. Your students should have taken at least one other online quiz or exam using Canvas so they are familiar with the system (even if its just an un-graded practice quiz). Make sure you know how to create, deploy and manage exams in Canvas well ahead of time if you plan on using Canvas for your exams.
Publishing Courses
Global Term dates have been set for each Canvas course. These dates are 1 week prior to the posted start date of the semester. At this time, the course will move from "Future Enrollments" to "Active Enrollments" for both instructors and students. However, students will not be able to view or participate in the course until the course is published by the instructor. Course publication is not done automatically.
Resetting Tests/Assignments Past the Due Date
Instructional Technology staff will not reset a test, assignment, quiz, or other graded item for a student where the due date has passed or the number of attempts has been exceeded. Students should contact the instructor/TA first. Exceptions to this will be evaluated on a case by case basis and must include written permission from the instructor if Instructional Technology team is involved.
Resetting Tests Due to Technical Issue
Instructional Technology staff will not reset, clear, or give an additional attempt for a quiz, unless explicit permission is given by the instructor in writing (through ticket or email). Once permission is given, Instructional technology staff will assist the instructor with the resetting of exams.
Sandbox Course Creation
Instructors who are actively assigned to a course(s) in LMS will have the ability to create courses for Sandbox, professional development, student academic societies, etc as required. Instructors will be responsible for adding users as needed. If a course requires the addition of a large number of users, then a ticket request can be made for Instructional Technology staff to assist.
Student Access to Course Content
Students first and foremost should contact the instructor or TA if content within the course is unavailable. The instructor may contact Instructional Technologies for support via a ticket if assistance is needed with this. Instructional Technologies staff will not make content available with out the permission of the instructor.
Training
Canvas training is not required but is highly recommended. We offer scheduled hands-on training workshops as well as one-on-one appointments. Our goal is to help faculty be comfortable with Canvas and to introduce them to our policies and procedures.
If you have a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Assistant (GA) who will be assisting you with Canvas, we encourage you to bring him/her to the training sessions.