Whether you’re a faculty member totally new to Canvas or other SMU academic technology, or you want a refresher before the next term, our Faculty Technology Workshops have all you need to hit the ground running and make your courses the best they can be. Let us come together and discover the latest developments and best practices for using the Canvas LMS, A.I. tools, and more in the classroom.
Ready, Set, Pony Up! Getting Started with Canvas
August 13, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Let’s make sure your course (and you!) are ready to start the spring semester in Canvas. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Import course content;
- Update imported announcements;
- Review the syllabus, assignment settings, and gradebook for alignment;
- Set up proctoring tools and adjust navigation links; and
- Check for broken links
Readings & Resources: Organize Course Materials, Track and Improve Student Engagement
August 13, 2024, 11 a.m.
SMU Libraries incorporated Readings & Resources as a tool in Canvas that organizes your course materials in one place and tracks and encourages student engagement. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Add any type of course materials or reserves to a single list in Canvas
- Use analytics and student engagement features to track and encourage students in reading course materials
Use the Calendar to Your (and your students!) Advantage
August 13, 2024, 1 p.m.
The Canvas Calendar is a great way to view everything for all your courses in one place. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- View individual and course calendars
- Create appointment groups for office hours
- Add quick assignments and events
Canvas Assignments: Assess for Success
August 13, 2024, 2 p.m.
Canvas Assignments are a great way to assess student learning. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Create different assignment types;
- Set availability and due dates;
- Access Speedgrader for grading; and
- Add rubrics to assignments, quizzes, and discussions
It’s in the (Simple) Syllabus!
August 14, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Simple Syllabus makes it easy to communicate to your students exactly what will be required of them throughout the course. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Use the Simple Syllabus template tool to add your course information
- Import previous semester’s content
- Create syllabus visibility
Grading – The Good, The Late, and the Extra Credit
August 14, 2024, 11 a.m.
The Canvas Gradebook helps instructors easily view and enter grades for students. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Manage your late policy grades
- Organize your Gradebook
- Weight assignment groups
- Give extra credit
Empower ALL Learners: Strategies for Diverse Learners
August 14, 2024, 2 p.m.
Create an inclusive and effective learning environment by exploring strategies to support diverse learners and enhance the accessibility of Canvas course materials for your students. Join the Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS) office and the Provost Faculty Fellow for Equity and Inclusion as they share best practices for engaging and supporting diverse learners. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Identify the unique needs and characteristics of diverse learner populations
- Apply strategies to make Canvas materials more accessible
- Use PopeTech to identify accessibility areas of improvements
Managing Academic Integrity in Canvas with Respondus and Turnitin
August 15, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
This workshop highlights tools in Canvas to increase the academic integrity of online exams and written assignments (Note: this workshop does NOT address AI detection). In this workshop, you will learn:
- How to use LockDown Browser to prevent digital cheating in proctored testing environments and Respondus Monitor in non-proctored environments to protect exam integrity and confirm student identity
- Review Similarity Reports (not AI detection reports) for written assignments in Turnitin
- The student perspective using each application
- Best practices and tips for success with both applications
Conquering Quizzes in Canvas
August 15, 2024, 11 a.m.
Quizzes are a way of assessing student learning. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Understand Classic Quizzes versus New Quizzes
- Use Question Banks/Item Banks
The Art of Assessment: Using Portfolio for Common Curriculum
August 15, 2024, 2 p.m.
The goal of assessment is to improve student learning. Meet with the Institutional Planning and Effectiveness team to learn about using Canvas for Common Curriculum assessment. In this workshop, you will:
- Learn how to create or link Canvas assignments to Learning Outcomes
- Identify resources for yourself and students for submitting assignments
- Participate in Q&A
Dropout Detective
August 15, 2024, 3:30 p.m.
Help increase student retention by using Dropout Detective to analyze performance data. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- View performance data for your students by class
- Identify students who may be at risk for attrition
The AI Experience: Explore the Possibilities
August 16, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Generative AI – the discussions are happening everywhere these days! But what can it really do? In this session, you will:
- Receive a basic introduction to generative AI
- Take a brief look into some of the tasks AI can do
- Be equipped with an SMU Canvas course with AI resources
Practical Teaching & AI
August 16, 2024, 1 p.m.
Explore practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning. By understanding and integrating AI tools, you can enhance instructional methods, streamline administrative tasks, and provide personalized learning experiences for students. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Identify and utilize AI tools to enhance instructional strategies
- Develop and implement AI-based strategies to improve student engagement and learning outcomes
Student Engagement Using Poll Everywhere
August 19, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Poll Everywhere provides a safe platform for every student to ask questions, participate in group activities, and share thoughts and insights, right from their phone or computer. It can also be used to streamline attendance taking. In this workshop, you will:
- See a demonstration of the multiple ways you can utilize Poll Everywhere in your course
- Learn how to gain access to Poll Everywhere
Using LinkedIn Learning in Canvas
August 19, 2024, 11 a.m.
Did you know you can use LinkedIn Learning in Canvas? The recent introduction of the LinkedIn Learning LTI tool has added a powerful new ability to directly include any content from over 9,000 LinkedIn Learning courses in your own Canvas courses! In this workshop, you will:
- See a demonstration of the multiple ways you can utilize LinkedIn Learning in your Canvas pages, discussion posts, and even graded assignments.
- Participate in Q&A
Using PlayPosit for Active Learning
August 19, 2024, 1 p.m.
PlayPosit is the ultimate instructional design studio that offers content creators simplicity (templates, reusable learning objects, over a million premade learning objects) and power (jumps, website embeds, overlays, complex behavior, choice trees, discussion threads) to create an active learning experience by layering activities, websites, feedback, videos, questions, and more on top of video, audio and text.
- What is PlayPosit & Why/when would you use it?
- Be the Learner! Experience PlayPosit from your students’ perspective
- Build a bulb together
- Supporting your learners
- Resources
- Q&A
AI for Digital Creation
August 20, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
Discover how artificial intelligence can revolutionize the field of digital creation. By exploring AI-driven tools and techniques, attendees will learn to enhance their creative projects, streamline workflows, and produce innovative digital content with greater efficiency. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Explain what AI is and how it works
- Identify AI tools for creative applications
- Discuss use cases of AI in creative fields
- Recognize ethical implications of AI and creativity
- Explore strategies to work with AI creatively
Generative AI Tools for SMU Researchers
August 20, 2024, 11 a.m.
Join SMU Libraries and OIT Research Technology Services as we delve into the fundamentals of generative AI and its impact on research. In this workshop, you will learn how to:
- Recognize Generative AI basics
- Explore Generative AI applications to research
- Investigate guides for researching with Generative AI
- Discuss the ethical implications of generative AI applications involving labor, the environment, and privacy
What’s New in Canvas?
August 20, 2024, 1 p.m.
Canvas has continued to improve, so come learn about new and updated features! In this workshop, you will learn about:
- Updates to Speedgrader
- Gradebook filters and messaging
- Changes to publishing and unpublishing modules
- And more!
