UTS academics designing subject sites in the learning management system (LMS) are recommended to follow the nine guiding principles. Each principle provides key benefits for students and staff.
UTS aims for consistent site design across all sites within the LMS. The common layout of Canvas courses should be intuitive, well organised, and easy to navigate.
Key benefits
- Adds to the quality and the credibility of the Canvas course
- Improves learner experience and simplifies the staff experience
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- The Canvas site uses all the Shell page templates and multiple other page templates copied from your Faculty Template site.
- All readings are provided to students through Reading List.
Meets:
- The ‘Get started’ module is based on the standard Shell page templates.
- Each module has an overview and summary page based on the Shell page templates.
- Learning activities and assessments utilise UTS supported learning technologies.
Below:
- The Canvas site uses no Shell page templates and does not follow the Canvas Style Guide.
Within a UTS course, each Canvas course is designed in a consistent way. The Canvas course should support a clear learning experience and pathway for students as they access content and engage in learning activities that is in harmony with other subjects in the same course.
Key benefits
- Enhances students’ learning experiences by developing a sense of belonging in a coherent group of subjects
- Develops a consistent and coherent learning experience and builds in students a detailed understanding of how each subject relates to others across their degree
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- The site references the course(s) from which students might undertake the subject, provides content linkage to preceding subjects and foreshadows learning that will be relevant to future subjects.
- The site invites students to consider how this subject connects to their course and what skills or knowledge they bring to the subject from their previous studies.
Meets:
- The site references the course(s) from which students might undertake the subject.
Below:
- The Canvas site makes no connection to the course(s) from which students might undertake the subject.
A subject site promotes opportunities for active learning by engaging students in the knowledge construction process and in activities that encourage critical thinking and collaborative learning. Active learning strategies can include:
- Problem-based learning
- Addressing and posing scientific questions
- Analysing evidence
- Connecting such evidence and reflection
- Inquiry-based instruction
The use of digital tools also enables students to be involved in collaborative and problem-based activities.
Key benefits
- Transforms the role of students in the learning environment from passive consumers to active producers of knowledge
- Promotes deeper engagement with content through collaboration and problem-solving
- Aligns with learning.futures principles, as active learning focuses on problem-based and inquiry-based learning, where students take an active role in the learning activity
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- The site uses a mix of online activities, situated through key stages of learning, which encourage students to collaborate with each other on problems and knowledge creation.
- The Canvas subject site makes use of online interactive tools (e.g. H5P tools, Kaltura video quiz, etc.) to create meaningful and engaging activities.
- The site contains multiple activities that enable students to apply knowledge and learning to problems through analysis, evaluation and reflection.
Meets:
- The site uses a discussion board/social poll/comments box at key stages of learning that is embedded in the relevant Canvas module/page, to encourage simple engagement with content.
- The site uses one type of online activity, or situates online activity at one stage of learning (e.g. problem sets before/after every tutorial), that encourages students to collaborate with each other on problems and knowledge creation.
- Activities are structured to enable students to use knowledge and learning to analyse problems and apply them to finding solutions.
Below:
- The site has no discussion board (or equivalent) or uses a static content focused discussion board that is not linked to pages/stages of learning, with no other forms of active/collaborative engagement for students.
- Online activities, if present, only engage students on content knowledge/factual recall.
- No opportunities for students to contribute reflections on knowledge or practice online.
Modularisation is a supported way of structuring and delivering content in Canvas. It involves grouping subject content into logical and coherent arrangements, for example by topic, theme or milestone, to provide a clear learning pathway for students. All relevant content and supplementary resources, including interactive activities, are provided in sequential order within a module.
Key benefits
- Students develop a cognitive pattern of how modules are structured within a subject site and experience a consistent learning journey as they navigate between modules
- Academics have the flexibility of reusing modules across different subjects (and potentially in short courses and microcredentials)
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- The subject site is designed around multiple modules that are based on common content areas, with a narrative that spans teaching weeks to provide a blended learning journey for students across synchronous and asynchronous tasks.
- All content and tasks are presented to students with context and framing.
Meets:
- The subject site is designed with multiple modules creating a simple week-by-week learning journey for students.
Below:
- Content is presented to students in pages or attachments only with no sequenced modules or instruction provided.
Canvas courses should make clear all requirements for the subject, the assessment tasks, and expectations for student participation. Similarly, it should be clear what students can expect from the subject learning experience, including key feedback points.
Key benefits
- Helps students to devise their learning strategies to be successful in their course
- Teachers need not discuss these in every class, saving time
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- The ‘How to be successful in the subject’ page is complete and includes detailed information about feedback, participation expectations, and subject delivery. The page also includes information about what the students can expect from their teaching staff.
- Assessment tasks have clear, detailed instructions and students have access to rubrics or marking criteria. Links to the assessment tasks are also provided at the appropriate points within the content modules, and in the ‘Get Started’ Module. Student assessment exemplars are provided where appropriate.
- Expected student engagement in tasks and behaviour in the LMS is clearly articulated and includes clear instructions.
Meets:
- The ‘How to be successful in the subject’ page is complete and includes detailed information about feedback, participation expectations, and subject delivery.
- Assessment tasks have adequate, detailed instructions and students have access to the rubric or marking criteria.
- Tasks have clear instructions and expected outcomes.
Below:
- The ‘How to be successful in the subject’ page is incomplete or lacks the detail needed for students to fully understand subject requirements.
- Information about assignments is general and no rubrics or marking criteria are provided.
Subject learning outcomes and learning objectives are clearly communicated to students within the Canvas course.
Key benefits
- Articulating learning objectives at a granular level helps to increase students’ awareness of the need for the knowledge or skill presented
- This also helps to ensure that students are practicing the skills developed within or required by the curriculum
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- Each module has an ‘Overview’ page and ‘Summary’ page that includes details of which SLOs students will develop/have learned through the module.
Meets:
- Relevant SLOs are included in the Assignment descriptions.
Below:
- SLOs are included only in the Subject Outline.
The design and facilitation of a subject can communicate that the teacher is present and actively involved. The Canvas course provides an engaging learning environment through creating opportunities for students to interact with academics and peers. It also creates opportunities for providing constructive feedback on students’ work in a timely manner that is personalised and specific. Teacher presence in the online teaching space encourages a personal connection with the cohort and their learning process.
Key benefits
- Promotes students’ continued engagement with the learning resources and activities by encouraging them to ask questions
- Helps to build a sense of belonging in the online environment by building rapport with the students to optimise approachability
- Enhances students’ learning experience, and influences student satisfaction
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- In addition to the ‘Your teaching staff’ page and subject welcome video, throughout the Canvas subject site, lecturers and tutors clearly demonstrate how their academic and professional experience relates to the subject content through the use of, for instance, personal anecdotes, examples taken from personal experience, the inclusion of personal opinion and short talking-head videos. Lecturers and tutors use first person language to directly address students.
- There are multiple opportunities for students to interact with subject co-ordinators and tutors via discussion forums, comments boxes, polls and embedded social media widgets. Students receive regular replies to their posts, in which teaching staff correct misconceptions, offer insights from their greater content knowledge, and provide relevant links and resources to support student learning.
- All learning materials and subject resources are accompanied by a clear description of their contents, direction as to key points to look out for, and questions promote a deeper understanding on the material being studied.
- There are multiple opportunities for students to receive constructive, cumulative formative feedback throughout the session (e.g. via multiple practice tasks, staged draft submissions or multiple staged low-stakes assessments).
Meets:
- In addition to the ‘Your teaching staff’, there is a subject welcome video in which students are introduced to their lecturers and tutors, the subject content and their assessments.
- There is an FAQ discussion forum where students can ask questions about the subject, and where the subject coordinator and tutors regularly post replies.
- Most learning materials and subject resources are accompanied by a sentence or two briefly describing their contents (e.g. “In this video, you will hear from…”, “This journal article introduces you to…”).
- There is an opportunity for students to receive formative feedback prior to the submission of a major assessment (e.g. via practice tasks, draft submissions or low stakes assessments).
Below:
- The ‘Your teaching staff’ page is the only place in Canvas where students are introduced to lecturers and tutors.
- There are no asynchronous online spaces (e.g. discussion forums, comments boxes) where students can ask questions of their teaching staff.
- Learning materials and subject resources are presented to students as a series of links without accompanying text situating them in the context of the discipline/subject and without clear direction as to what students should focus on when engaging with them.
- There are no opportunities for students to receive formative feedback.
Canvas courses should be built to ensure that all students can engage and participate by meeting digital accessibility requirements. Encouraging inclusive practices that foster belonging will help students feel part of the UTS community at both subject and course levels.
Key benefits
- Promotes student engagement and inclusion
- Supports all students (e.g. alt text assists students with poor internet connections, captions assists students studying in English as a second language)
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Exceeds:
- There are ongoing opportunities for students to interact with their peers and engage in social learning online.
- The site and all uploaded learning materials are designed following all of the accessible content practices (e.g. meaningful alt text for all images, no images of text).
- All video and audio media includes reviewed captions and transcripts.
Meets:
- There are opportunities for students to introduce themselves and interact with their peers through MS Teams or a Canvas discussion.
- Subject is developed with accessible content practices in mind (e.g. alt text on important images, clear content structure, correct use of headings, accessible tables).
- All video and audio media includes auto-generated captions.
Below:
- There are no opportunities for students to introduce themselves and interact with their peers online.
- Canvas Accessibility Checker errors are not addressed.
Canvas courses articulate and adhere to UTS policies and legislative requirements. Links to policies or direct references are provided and accessible to students from the Canvas course.
Key benefits
- Complying with policies and legislative requirements supports student learning, ensures safe online communications and maintains privacy of student data and subject information
What does this look like in a Canvas site?
Use this as a guide to identify areas of good practice and others for improvement.
Meets:
- The site complies with all relevant policies and legislation.
Below:
- The site does not comply with all relevant policies and legislation.
- Private student details are published on Canvas.
