Canvas Professional Development Sessions

Overview
Facilitators: Time Frame:
Mary Forgione, Elizabeth Stover, Ruth Walker 1, 1.5-hour weekly session over 10 weeks (3/5 – 5/14)

Audience: Dates of Initiatives:

Elementary teachers 3/5, 3/13, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14

Course Objectives: Initiative Description:

- Create proficiency in navigating and using critical attributes of Canvas
- Use Canvas as a communication tool to increase school to home
communication
- Critically examine and evaluate the benefits of using Canvas
- Implement Canvas functions and tools independently
- Show independent knowledge of skills by screenshotting evidence of
each objective
- Create an individualized Canvas classroom resource page
Canvas is Howard County’s Learning Management System (LMS). Many teachers
that are new to teaching or new to the county struggle to utilize the many
benefits of Canvas. My proposed initiative will provide these teachers with the
opportunity to learn about Canvas as a whole (through basic navigation), learn to
utilize important Canvas functions to increase communication with parents, and
used what was learned to create an on-going resource page to provide
individualized support to learning at home. Sessions will take place
synchronously in a face-to-face classroom setting with access to teacher laptops.

Weekly Objectives:

Session 1(3/5/19)- Basic Navigation Session 6 (4/9/19)- Adding Multimedia

Session 2 (3/13/19)- Homepage Session 7 (4/23/19)- SpeedGrader and Rubrics
Session 3 (3/19/19)- Announcements/ Assignments Session 8 (4/30/19)- Classroom Integration (Basic and Advanced)
Session 4 (3/26/19)- Quizzes Session 9 (5/7/19)- Classroom Resource Page
Session 5 (4/2/19)- Adding Multimedia Session 10 (5/14/19)- Conversations and Discussions
 *Session 1*
Session Objectives Time Frame
- Create a copy of the session’s assessment document 3:30-5:00pm on 3/5/19
- Navigate through Canvas’ Dashboard, Sandbox, and Commons
- Create and explore Sandbox

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Canvas Training Session 1 Slides 1) Review the agenda (via slideshow)

Read 2) Introduce “My Canvas Artifacts” slides
My Canvas Artifacts Slides

sticky-notes 3) Hand out sticky-notes for participant questions during the session
Reflect

How to Create a Sandbox? 4) View and follow along with the navigation of the main Canvas dashboard
Display What is Canvas Commons? 5) View and follow along with the navigation of creating a Sandbox
How do I use Commons? 6) View and follow along with the navigation of Commons

7) Create a copy of the Canvas Introductory Scavenger Hunt

Canvas Introductory Scavenger Hunt (File → Make a copy… → Save)
Do 8) Navigate through your Canvas page to complete the following Scavenger Hunt.
9) Before our next session, post a screenshot of your completed scavenger hunt into your
“My Canvas Artifacts” slides.
 *Session 2*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Creating and editing a Homepage 3:30-5:00pm on 3/13/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Canvas Training Session 2 Slides 1) Allow 5 min to explore Canvas Homepage Information link independently
Read
How do I use the course homepage?

2) Hand out sticky-notes for participant questions during the session

Reflect sticky-notes 3) Ask- What is the purpose of a homepage?

4) Review what a homepage is (link to my homepage)

5) Review homepage requirements (Student Privacy and Digital Tools statements included)
Guided review through the projector 6) Review how to edit a homepage:
Display - Accessing the Edit button
My Homepage - Copying templates from Commons
- Adding images
7) Review “Student Privacy” and “Digital Tools” statements and Policy 8040

8) Participants will work to create their customized homepages

My Canvas Artifacts Slides 9) Participants will include a screenshot or link to their completed homepage in their “My Canvas Artifacts
Do Slides”
 *Session 3*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Announcement and Assignments 3:30-5:00pm on 3/19/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Announcements 1) Explain the purpose of Canvas Announcements

2) Explain the purpose of Canvas Assignments
Read Announcements video 3) Participants independently explore links and videos for 5-10 minutes to gain some background knowledge

Assignments

Assignments video

sticky-notes 4) Hand out sticky-notes for participant questions during the session
Reflect 5) Ask- Why should you utilize Canvas Announcements and Assignments?

Announcements Page 6) Show my Announcements page

Display 7) Review how to add an Announcement (Screencast)
Announcements Screencast 8) Review how to create Assignments

9) Participants will practice writing and posting announcements

10) Participants will practice creating individualized Assignments
Do My Canvas Artifacts Slides 11) Participants will include a screenshot or link to a created announcement and assignment in their “My Canvas
Artifacts Slides”
 *Session 4*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Quizzes 3:30-5:00pm on 3/26/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Canvas Training Session 4 Slides 1) Review the agenda (via slideshow)

Read

sticky-notes 2) Hand out sticky-notes for participant questions during the session
Reflect

When Do I Use Quizzes 3) View and follow along with the navigation of the Quizzes
Display 4) View and follow along with the navigation of creating a Quiz
Quiz Overview Video 5) View and follow along with the navigation of Quiz Features

Quiz Options

My Canvas Artifacts Slides 6) Before our next session, post a screenshot of your completed quiz into your “My Canvas Artifacts”
slides.
Do Google Form 7) Before our next session complete the Google Form to provide feedback on the sessions
 *Session 5*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Adding Multimedia (Day 1) 3:30-5:00pm on 4/2/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Session 5 Slides 1) Review the agenda

2) Review what multimedia is
Read https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyaI3JdJ3_c 3) Watch the videos for background information and perspective

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS4go60EJEI

4) Reflect on where multimedia can be used on Canvas

Reflect sticky-notes 5) Share out potential uses of multimedia

6) Review and practice adding images using the two different toolbars
-How do I embed images from the web in RCE? 7) Review and practice adding videos using the two different toolbars
8) Review and practicing using Creative Commons to cite free images
-How do I add course images into RCE using the Content Selector?

-How do I embed images from Flickr Creative Commons in the RCE?

Display
-What types of files are supported in Canvas? (Links to an external site.)

How do I upload a video using RCE?

How do I embed a YouTube video?

How do I embed a (non YouTube) video on a course page?

How do I link a YouTube video using RCE?

Creative Commons Images

 9) Before our next session, post a screenshot of an images and/or video
Do My Canvas Artifacts Slides into your “My Canvas Artifacts” slide.

*Session 6*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Adding Multimedia (Day 2) 3:30-5:00pm on 4/9/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Session 6 Slides 1) Review the agenda

2) Review what what learned about multimedia last session
Read 3) Read the slides regarding the “External Tools”

4) Reflect on and share out when multimedia would be useful for classroom and/or home use
Reflect sticky-notes

Screencast-O-Matic 5) Display how to use the external tools icon and allow participants to explore the content
6) Display how to record and upload original media
Display 7) Allow participants to explore and sign-up for a Screencast-o-matic account

My Canvas Artifacts Slides 9) Before our next session, post a screenshot or link to an external tool and/or an original video into your “My
Canvas Artifacts” slide.
Do
 *Session 7*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Speedgrader and Rubrics 3:30-5:00pm on 4/23/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Session 7 Slides 1) Review agenda

Read 2) Review what Speedgrader and Rubrics are and why participants should use them
How Do I Access 3) With a partner, explore the Speedgrader and Rubrics websites and videos or background information
Speedgrader?

How Do I Use Speedgrader?

Speedgrader Overview Video

Canvas Rubrics

Rubrics Overview Video

4) Reflect on and discuss the following two questions:

Reflect sticky-notes - Which subjects would be easy to use Speedgrader for?
- Which subjects may not be the best for Speedgrader?

Speedgrader Slides 5) Participants will follow along as I navigate through accessing Speedgrader for Quizzes and Discussions
Display 6) Participants will follow along as I navigate through accessing, creating, and reviewing Rubrics

My Canvas Artifacts Slides 7) Before our next session, post a screenshot or link to a graded quiz or discussion and/or a created rubric into
your “My Canvas Artifacts” slide.
Do
 *Session 8*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Classroom Integration (Basic and Advanced) 3:30-5:00pm on 4/30/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Session 8 Slides 1) Review the agenda

2) Post, read, and discuss the responses of participant’s and his/her use of Canvas in the classroom
Read Padlet

3) Reflect on why Canvas should be utilized in the classroom. Discuss how students can benefit.
Reflect Sticky-notes

Math, Content, 4) Guided exploration and discussion of Canvas use in a math class
Display Reading/Writing Slides 5) Guided exploration and discussion of Canvas use in a content class
6) Guided exploration and discussion of Canvas use in a reading/writing class

7) Participants will take the time to use the mentioned integration ideas and begin planning for use of Canvas in
My Canvas Artifacts Slides their classroom.
Do 8) Before our next session, type a brief reflection on your plans for future use of Canvas in your classroom. If
you’ve taken our time together today to create or plan a way to use Canvas in your classroom be sure to include a
screenshot!
 *Session 9*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Classroom Resource Page 3:30-5:00pm on 5/7/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

https://menu.clever.com/hcp 1) Review the agenda

ss 2) Take 5-10 minutes to explore and evaluate the HCPSS Digital Tools Menu for resources that students should have
Read access to at home
Need help finding resources? 3) Read/review how to create a new Page through the linked website and/or video

Creating a new Page on

Canvas

Creating a new Page video

Session 9 Slides

Reflect Sticky-notes 4) Reflect and response to the Dotstorm- “What digital or tactile resources are important for your students and
parents to have access to at home?”
Dotstorm link

5) Show my classroom resource page as an example of one (remember to show from my computer- the link won’t
Display My Classroom Resource Page be accessible to participants)

https://firstgradetses.weebly.
com/math.html
 My Canvas Artifacts Slides 6) Work to set up your classroom resource page. Be sure to add your resources of choice to the page in an
organized, user-friendly manner.
Do 7) Before our next session, include a screenshot of your Classroom Resource Page to your My Canvas Artifacts
Slides. Be prepared to share your page to begin our next session together.

*Session 10*
Session Objectives Time Frame
-Conversations and Discussions 3:30-5:00pm on 5/14/19

Resources Description of Learning Activities/Assessments

Canvas Conversations 1) Review the agenda

2) Read each participant’s Classroom Resource Page- share out what they like/think should be added/changed
Read Canvas Discussions 3) Take 10 minutes to read/explore the following links

Canvas Discussions video

4) Reflect on the following questions-

Reflect Sticky-notes “What is Canvas Conversations?”
“Why should I use Canvas Conversations?”
“What is Canvas Discussions?”
“Why should I use Canvas Discussions?”

Session 10 Slides 5) Review and practice creating a Conversation

Display 6) Review and practice creating a Discussion
 My Canvas Artifacts Slides 7) Before our next session, include a screenshot of your Classroom Resource Page to your My Canvas Artifacts
Slides. Be prepared to share your page to begin our next session together.
Do 8) Ask participants to complete the feedback form on the overall experience of the Canvas PD sessions before
leaving for the day.