Canvas Content Sharing: Online and On-Ground
Instructor Inquiry
Dear Online Learning Team,
I am writing to ask you about the best way to share some content from my Canvas course with a colleague. I have created some modules, pages, and quizzes that I think would be useful for their course as well. Could you please advise me on how to do this in a safe and efficient way?
Thank you for your time and attention.
Professor Cole Aballator
Online Learning Team Response
Instructors are the best collaborators, and we appreciate your desire to share your knowledge with others. The best way to do this depends on the mode of your course – online or on-ground. In these two contexts, you have different options and features available to you in Canvas. Let’s explore the main differences between these two delivery methods in Canvas.
Sharing Content: On-Ground Courses
One of the main differences between online and on-ground courses is related to importing and exporting content. Importing and exporting content allows you to reuse or share content from previous or current courses, such as modules, pages, quizzes, assignments, etc.
If you are teaching an on-ground course for Alliant, you can import and export content from your course by going to the course settings and selecting the Import Course Content or Export Course Content option. Then, you can choose what type of content you want to import or export and follow the instructions on the screen. Importing and exporting content can save you time and effort if you teach multiple sections or courses.
Another way to share content from a course taught on-ground is by using the “Send to” option. This option allows you to share a module, assignment, or quiz by choosing “Send to” and entering the other person’s email address.
Then, the other person will be able to access what you shared in Canvas by clicking on Shared Content in their Account area. This is a convenient way to collaborate with other instructors or share best practices.
Sharing Content: Online Courses
If you are teaching an online course, you cannot currently import or export content. You can download files and share them via OneDrive or as email attachments, but you cannot share pages, modules, or quizzes. This is because online courses are designed and developed by the Online Learning team in collaboration with Subject Matter Experts, Program Directors, and others, and they follow a specific format which includes having specific deadlines for attendance purposes and other requirements that need to be met by you and your students. Therefore, some features in Canvas are limited for online courses.
Despite that, you can share a file with another instructor. They can view it, but they cannot import it into another online course. Nonetheless, they could import it into a course being taught on-ground. Similarly, if you want to import online course material into an on-ground course, you can do that, but you will need to contact the Online Learning Team for assistance.
Conclusion
We appreciate this question and the opportunity to provide awareness of how the setting in which you teach affects what you can do in Canvas. If you have any further questions, concerns, or need help, please contact us. No matter what setting you currently teach in, you can reach us by email at onlinelearningstaff@alliant.edu.