by Eric Royer, Program Director, Reinert Center
I want to focus on three recently added features to Canvas in this blog post.
These new features include:
- The ability to add custom links in course navigation menus: Instructors can now add custom links directly to their course menus.
- A new Canvas dashboard option for students: Students now have access to a new, customizable dashboard that displays grades, announcements, coursework, and other information for all of their courses.
- The Notebook tool: Students can now take and organize notes directly in Canvas.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these, focusing on how they work, how they might change the ways we (and students) interact with Canvas, and what they might mean for student learning.
Adding custom links to a course navigation menu
Previously, we had some control over which links appeared on our course navigation menu, but these choices were limited to existing Canvas tools (e.g., the Discussions tool or the Syllabus tool) and approved external integrations (also known as LTIs).
With this new feature, you can now add custom links to external resources or internal Canvas content directly to your course navigation menu. For example, you might add a permanent Zoom link for regularly scheduled class meetings or student office hours. You might also link to a discipline-specific tool or database that students will use throughout the semester. Or, you might add a specific Canvas activity, module, or resource to help students navigate your course. For more information, and the specific steps you’ll need to take to add these links, refer to this Canvas guide: How do I add custom links to course navigation?
Pedagogically, just because we can add more links to our course menus doesn’t necessarily mean we should. Too many navigation options can clutter up the course menu and make it more difficult for students to find what they need. This is an opportunity to continue making intentional choices about what links are available to students to support their learning, and about which links you think are still best to keep hidden to not confuse students, especially those that they won’t use or don’t need access to. For each custom link you choose to include, using descriptive text that is meaningful can help students quickly identify what it is and where it will take them.
Students now have access to a new dashboard view that they can customize
Students now have access to a new dashboard option in Canvas, which they can enable by clicking the “Switch to New Dashboard” option. The new dashboard uses customizable widgets to display key information for all of their courses, including grades, upcoming assignments, and announcements. Students can remove or add widgets and rearrange where they appear. For more information on this update, see this Canvas guide: How do I customize my dashboard as a student?
Pedagogically, this might be just one more way, and possibly a very centralized way, for students to keep track of their coursework. But, as is the case with many Canvas features, such as Canvas notifications or how grades appear to students, this is entirely up to students to decide for themselves. What we can do is help them prioritize widgets that allow them to better organize and manage their learning. For example, we might encourage them to filter their coursework by due dates to help them plan ahead.
Students can now use the Notebook tool to take and organize notes directly in Canvas
Canvas has also introduced the Notebook tool, which can be used by students to take and organize notes directly in Canvas. Currently, this tool is only available for students to use on Canvas Pages, meaning students cannot use the tool to take notes on documents, files, assignments, or quizzes. These notes are only available for students in Canvas, so they won’t be able to download these notes or refer to them outside of the LMS.
Similar to the previous dashboard update, the Notebook tool is only available to students and automatically appears in their course menu. This means you won’t see this feature when viewing a course as an instructor. You can test/see how this feature works by viewing any of your Canvas courses in student-view. For more information, see this Canvas guide: How do I use the Notebook in Canvas as a student?
Pedagogically, this new feature provides students with one more way to actively engage with our course content. It offers opportunities for students to check their understanding by flagging concepts they find unclear and may need to revisit. They can also mark information that’s important, which they may need to return to later, such as when preparing for an exam, participating in a discussion, or completing an assignment.
To schedule a consultation to talk further about these Canvas updates or anything else Canvas-related, please contact the Reinert Center at cttl@slu.edu or by scheduling a consultation with Reinert Center staff. Please also consider sharing advice, examples, or ideas in the comments section below. We’d love to hear your thoughts and perspectives on how you (or your students) use Canvas to enhance learning!
