Welcome to a new semester! The resources on this page are a quick guide to some common questions we encounter at the beginning of a new semester. If you have questions or would like to talk about your course, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Whether you’re new to Middlebury, or just need a refresher, we recommend reviewing our Faculty Technology Orientation modules, a series of self-paced, online modules that covers a variety of topics including:

Middlebury Faculty Technology Orientation Online Modules

If you encounter any trouble along the way, check out our troubleshooting guide. You can also jump to our toolshed for an overview of the tools available to you to support your teaching.

The Digital Teaching Resources page includes information that can be utilized for all modalities of teaching, including on ground, fully online, and hybrid modalities, to ensure that you have developed flexible and student-centered courses. The page includes links to the Asynchronous Cookbook, Camp Design Online, Middlebury Online Course Design Rubric, tips for creating accessible materials, discipline-specific information, and more.

Here are some quick-tips specifically related to getting your Canvas sites up and running, starting at the Course Hub.

1. Check your Course Roster on Course Hub

Review a dynamic course roster with student names and pictures
Tutorial: How To View Class Roster

2. Upload your Syllabus

Provide students with your course syllabus before the first day of class
Tutorial: How to Add Course Syllabus to Course Hub

3. Link your Course to a New Canvas Site

Set up a new (empty of content) Canvas site for the next academic term. You need to do this step even if you are planning to import content from a previous term
Video: How to Add a Canvas Resource in Course Hub

4. Import a Canvas Template from Canvas Commons

If you’re creating a new Canvas course and are pressed for time, save yourself a few steps by using one of our customized Canvas templates
Video: How to Use the Canvas Commons

5. Copy Content from One Canvas Site to Another

After you create a new Canvas site, you can copy over material from your other course sites. You can select specific content or copy the entire course.
Tutorial: How do I copy content from another Canvas course using the Course Import tool?

6. Link Your Course Hub to Library E-Reserves

Simplify student access to your course Library E-Reserves
Video: How to add a Link to Library E-Reserves

7. Make your Canvas Site Visible to Students

By default, when a new Canvas resource is added to your Course Hub, the site is set to be invisible to students, allowing you to set up the site without them seeing it “under construction”.
Tutorial: Step-by-Step instructions to Update Canvas Resource Visibility

8. Tech Support

If you need some tech support while you work with Canvas, refer to the 24/7 phone and chat support available to you (and your students) via the Help tab in Canvas (you have to be logged in). You can also email Canvas for Help at support@instructure.com

9. For a deeper dive into teaching and learning with Canvas, check out: 

MiddCreate provides space on the web for students, faculty, and staff to explore and connect their learning, experiment with digital tools for teaching and learning, and create a digital identity that is owned and managed by them. Faculty can install a variety of teaching and learning tools on their MiddCreate spaces (e.g., WordPress, MediaWiki). Learn more and get started with MiddCreate.

We invite you to make an appointment for a one on one consultation with a DLINQ instructional designer (in person or via Zoom) to talk through your course questions and ideas.

We encourage you to subscribe to the DIRT, DLINQ’s email newsletter, for monthly updates related to digital learning, and DLINQ workshops and events.