Adding courses on Canvas depends on your role. Are you an instructor creating a new course shell, or a student trying to access a course you're enrolled in? The method differs significantly.
If you're an instructor who needs to create a new Canvas course shell:
Canvas doesn't automatically populate course shells. Instructors typically create them following these steps:
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Open Dashboard: From the Global Navigation Menu (usually on the left side of your Canvas screen), click the "Dashboard" link.
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Create New Course: In the Dashboard sidebar (often on the right side), look for a button that says "Start a New Course." Click it. If you don't see this button, your institution may manage course creation centrally and you'll need to contact your Canvas administrator or IT support.
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Add Course Details: A dialog box will appear. Here, you'll enter the following information:
- Course Name: The official name of the course.
- Short Name (optional): A shorter version of the course name for quick reference within Canvas.
- Course Code (optional): The course code assigned by your institution (e.g., ENG 101).
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Create Course: After entering the details, click the "Create Course" button. This will create a blank course shell.
Important Considerations for Instructors:
- Course Availability: Even after creating a course, it might not be immediately visible to students. You may need to "publish" the course after adding content. Look for a "Publish" button on the course homepage.
- Enrollment: Students are typically enrolled through your institution's student information system (SIS), which integrates with Canvas. You might need to contact your registrar or IT department to ensure students are properly enrolled. Manual enrollment is possible, but not generally recommended for large classes.
- Sandbox Courses: Consider creating a "sandbox" course to experiment with Canvas features and build your course content before the semester begins.
If you're a student trying to access a course you're already enrolled in:
Canvas pulls enrollment data from your school's Student Information System (SIS). Typically, this happens automatically. If you believe you should see a course but it's not appearing, try these steps:
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Check the "All Courses" List: In the Global Navigation, click on "Courses". Then, at the bottom of the courses list, click "All Courses." Here, you'll see a comprehensive list of courses you're enrolled in, even if they aren't displayed on your dashboard. Courses with a star next to them are "favorited" and will show up on your dashboard. Click the star to favorite a course that is missing from your dashboard.
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Confirm Enrollment: Double-check that you are officially enrolled in the course through your school's registration system. If there are registration errors, Canvas won't display the course.
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Course Visibility: Even if you are enrolled, your instructor might not have published the course yet. Contact your instructor to confirm when the course will be available.
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Contact Support: If you've confirmed enrollment and the course is published, but you still don't see it in Canvas, contact your school's IT support or Canvas help desk.
In summary, adding courses in Canvas depends on your role (instructor or student) and whether you're creating a new course shell or accessing an existing one. Follow the appropriate steps above to accomplish your goal.
