Design Tier Basics

The following suggestions help you build your course in the learning management system. WSU Online, along with other departments, offers training on each of the tools listed below. Instructors are encouraged to consult the design tiers for pedagogical suggestions to drive the design.

Build it in Canvas

• Be familiar with Canvas.
• Create a syllabus in Canvas (see Canvas Syllabus).
• Arrange course content by units or weeks to provide structure and easy navigation (see Canvas Modules).
  • Place course content within each unit (see Canvas Pages and Canvas Files).
• Create assessments to measure student learning using:
  • Assignments and file submissions (see Canvas Assignments).
  • Low-stakes quizzes (see Canvas Quizzes). 
  • Use discussions for students to share perspectives and collaborate (see Canvas Discussions and our Creating Effective Online Discussions workshop).
• For secure testing, use testing centers. If secured testing in testing centers is not feasible, consider using project-based or problem-solving assignments to assess learning.
• Use Canvas Speedgrader to grade the assignments, quizzes, and discussions.
• Use Canvas Gradebook to notify students of their grades and hide and post the grades.
• Communicate to students about class information, updates, and directions (see Canvas Announcements and Canvas Inbox).
• Import the full course template from Weber’s Canvas Commons and use it as a starting point for designing course content.

Record Video Lectures

• Use Kaltura to record your video lectures and/or embed quiz questions in the videos (see Kaltura tutorials).
• Use Annoto to create interactive video lectures.
• Use Kaltura or YouTube to create video lectures with auto-captioning (see How to Improve Course Accessibility).
• Use the Do-It-Yourself studio in Lampros Hall (room 202) to record your lectures with screen capture and/or Wacom writing tablet (contact the CATS team).

Schedule Synchronous Meetings

• Zoom (request Zoom account; see Zoom tutorials) 
• Canvas Conferences (see Canvas Conferences; check BigBlueButton tutorials)
• Google Meet and other tools.

𝌕   To find training on these tools, visit our Training Paths website or contact us at instructionaldesign@weber.edu