Explore some new features in Canvas!

We would like to welcome all of our new Canvas users and welcome back those who are returning. We love the energy and excitement that come with the beginning of a new academic year and hope your summer was fantastic! Communication is one of our top priorities and we want to keep you informed of a few new features in Canvas.

Draft State is here!

Canvas released a new tool over the summer called Draft State. Draft State allows individual content in Modules, Pages, Assignments, Quizzes and Discussions to exist in an unpublished (draft) state. You can then “publish” any draft module, assignment, etc. when it is ready for students to see! With this new Draft State tool comes a significant, improved look & feel of the Canvas design. So, keep an eye out for the cloud icons on your Canvas course site and make sure to publish materials that you want students to see!

Here is a 4 minute overview on Draft State.
Here is a more detailed guide on how to use it!

Use Canvas to help students plan their degree!

Your Canvas course syllabus page can be made visible in MyPlan. MyPlan is the UW’s online academic planning tool, enabling students to make the most of their time at the UW by helping them to develop a comprehensive academic plan. Students have the ability to browse courses of interest and bookmark them for future quarters. They can then build out a draft schedule of courses for their entire academic journey and audit it as they go!

By building out your syllabus page in Canvas with information about your course, students will be able to view it in MyPlan. Using Canvas to publicize your course description does not commit you to using Canvas for teaching, nor does it make course content beyond the syllabus visible to anyone other than enrolled students. Students love being able to read what a course is about before they register for it. Consider providing this information for them!

For more information and instructions on how you can help students plan their academic success, visit: Use Canvas to Publicize Your Individual Course Description

4.0 Grading scheme is now in Canvas!

The UW 4.0 Grade Scale tool makes it easier to set up a 4.0 scale and apply it to a Canvas course.  Grade scales can then be used with assignments in that course, and instructors can enter 4.0 grades in the gradebook, and display them to students.  4.0 grade scales created with this tool can also be reused in other Canvas courses. 

To use this tool in Canvas, faculty must create a conversion table to to indicate the equivalent percentage is for each grade point in their Create a 4.0 Grade Scale for Canvas Assignments

course. To learn about this process visit:

Training and support

As always, let us know if you have any questions/concerns or if you need help learning about or exploring new technologies!

To fit your schedule, all training is now by appointment for one-on-one appointments or groups of any size.

Email us at athelp@uw.edu or contact Darcy Janzen, e-Learning Support Manager to schedule a training session.