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The blueprint is a template that will provide all published MSU Denver courses with a similar structure and implement many best practices for online learning. For example, the blueprint creates a Course Information Module and adjusts the course navigation menu and homepage settings in every course. The information and design consistency provided by the blueprint will help students easily navigate all of their courses.



2020 Blueprint Template Update Report

The purpose of this new Canvas blueprint is to enhance and improve the previous Blackboard 2017 Institutional Template, and adapt it for updated best practices and implementation within the Canvas learning management system. Click the button below to read the full report.



Blueprint: Course Information Module Overview

The Course Information module in the new 2020 Master Blueprint Template is built to house important information for a course. This new module in your course will allow information in the syllabus to be drastically reduced to increase readability and make the syllabus page more user-friendly for students.

It is important to note that some pages in the Course Information module are locked and cannot be edited, such as the “Navigating this Course” page and the “Institutional and Departmental Policies” page. For more information on which pages can be edited, see the outline of the Course Information module below:

  • Course Information Module
    • Introduction Section:
      • Overview (Read Me First)- [Editable]
      • Course Grading Policy- [Editable]
      • Navigating this Course- [Locked]
      • Instructor Introduction- [Editable]
      • Discussion: Student Introductions- [Editable]
    • Policies Section:
      • University and Departmental Policies- [Locked]
      • Etiquette Expectations- [Locked]
      • Privacy Policies of Course Tools- [Editable]
      • Accessibility of Course Technologies- [Editable]
    • Resources Section
      • Course Alignment Map- [Editable]
      • Academic Research- [Locked]
      • Student Services and Academic Support- [Locked]
      • Virtual Student Services - [Locked]
      • Technical Assistance- [Locked]

 

Note: For a detailed tutorial on how to edit pages, please see the “Edit an Existing Page in Canvas” tutorial.

To view the Course Information module in your Canvas course, follow these steps:

Directions:

 

  1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
  2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
  3. Log in to your Canvas account.
  4. Select the course you’d like to work in.
  5. Click Modules on the navigation menu on the left side of the page. 
    • The Course Information module will be the first module that appears. 
  6. Click on the title of the individual pages under the Course Information module to explore the contents of each page.

Blueprint: Introductions Section Overview

The 2020 Master Blueprint Template for Canvas includes a new Course Information module, which houses important information for a course. This new module in your course will allow information in the syllabus to be drastically reduced to increase readability and make the syllabus page more user-friendly for students. The Introductions section of this new module is where you can customize your course overview page, instructor introduction, grading policies, and student introductions.

Note: For more information regarding the “Policies” and “Resources” sections in the Course Information module, please refer to the “Blueprint: Course Information Module Overview” tutorial.

Introduction Section Outline:

  • Overview (Read Me First) Page
    • This page is editable and contains the following sections:
      • Welcome Message
      • General Course Overview
      • Outline of Course Topics
      • Course Learning Objectives or Outcomes
      • Measurable Module/Unit Learning Objectives
  • Course Grading Policy Page
    • This page is editable and contains the following sections:
      • Course Grading Policy Overview paragraph
      • Assignment/Assessment Point Values Table
      • Late Work Policy
      • Grading Scale
      • Criteria for Evaluation
      • Types of Assessment/Assignments descriptions
      • Response Time and Assessments/Assignments Feedback
      • Practice Opportunities and Feedback
      • Tracking Your Learning Progress
  • Navigating this Course Page
    • This page cannot be edited. It provides descriptions of every section of the course navigation menu included in the Blueprint template.
  • Instructor Introduction Page
    • This page is editable and contains the following sections:
      • Instructor name
      • Instructor photo (or video introduction) placeholder
      • Contact Information
      • Communication Policy
      • Background
  • Discussion: Student Introductions
    • This discussion board is editable and provides students with easy-to-follow steps for introducing themselves to the class.

Note: For detailed instructions on editing these pages in Canvas or editing the student introductions discussion board, please see the “Edit an Existing Page in Canvas” and “Edit a Discussion in Canvas” tutorials.

To view the Course Information module in your Canvas course, follow these steps:

  1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
  2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
  3. Log in to your Canvas account.
  4. Select the course you’d like to work in.
  5. Click Modules on the navigation menu on the left side of the page. 
    • The Course Information module will be the first module that appears. 
  6. Click on the title of the individual pages under the Course Information module to explore the contents of each page.

Blueprint: Policies Section Overview

The 2020 Master Blueprint Template for Canvas includes a new Course Information module, which houses important information for a course. This new module in your course will allow information in the syllabus to be drastically reduced to increase readability and make the syllabus page more user-friendly for students. The Policies section of this new module is where students can view institutional and departmental policies, etiquette expectations for online communication, privacy policies of course tools, and accessibility statements for technology used in the course.

It is important to note that the University and Departmental Policies page and the Etiquette Expectations page are locked and cannot be edited.

Note: For more information regarding the “Introductions” and “Resources” sections in the Course Information module, please refer to the “Blueprint: Course Information Module Overview” tutorial.

Policies Section Outline:

  • Institutional and Departmental Policies Page
    • This page is locked and cannot be edited. 
    • It contains links to information regarding university-wide and departmental policies that should be available to students at all times. 
  • Etiquette Expectations
    • This page is locked and cannot be edited. 
    • It contains information regarding the etiquette expectations of any student enrolled in an online course at MSU Denver and should be available to students at all times. 
  • Privacy Policy of Course Tools
    • This page is editable. 
    • It contains links to privacy policies of tools such as Canvas, Yuja, and YouTube and should be available to students at all times. 
  • Accessibility of Course Technologies
    • This page is editable. 
    • It contains links to accessibility statements of tools such as Canvas, Yuja, and Microsoft Teams and should be available to students at all times.

 

Note: For a detailed tutorial on how to edit pages, please see the “Edit an Existing Page in Canvas” tutorial.

To view the Course Information module in your Canvas course, follow these steps:

  1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
  2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
  3. Log in to your Canvas account.
  4. Select the course you’d like to work in.
  5. Click Modules on the navigation menu on the left side of the page. 
    • The Course Information module will be the first module that appears. 
  6. Click on the title of the individual pages under the Course Information module to explore the contents of each page.

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