At a Glance

Have a question? Explore a list of frequently asked questions about non-standard Canvas sites at MIT Sloan below.

Requirements

Review the following requirements to ensure you qualify for a non-standard Canvas BEFORE submitting your request.

Non-standard Canvas sites:

  • provide educational value to Sloan students;
  • are used for non-credit purposes;
  • cannot be made available to the public;
  • do NOT contain any highly sensitive information (e.g., Social security numbers, credit card information, or hiring materials); and
  • are self-supported by the teaching team.

Requests

How do I request a non-standard Canvas site?

Your request must be submitted at least 30 days BEFORE the proposed start date to allow us time to review it.

To request a Canvas site for a non-standard course, submit this form.

  • Non-standard Canvas site requests must be submitted by a MIT Sloan faculty or staff member.
  • Teaching assistants and students do NOT have access to this form.

What is the process for non-standard Canvas site requests?

  1. You submit the Non-Standard Canvas Sites Request Form at least 30 days BEFORE the proposed start date.
  2. We will review your request and respond within 14 business days.
  3. If your request is approved:
    • You will be notified via email.
    • Your Canvas site will be created within 2 business days.
    • You will be automatically enrolled in your Canvas site as a Primary Course Admin.
  4. If your request is denied:
    • You will be notified via email.

Support

How do I get support for a non-standard Canvas site at MIT Sloan?

Non-standard Canvas sites are self-supported by you and your teaching team.

What if I have a question about Canvas?

Instructure provides 24/7 support to faculty, staff, and teaching assistants by phone or chat. You can also search the Canvas Guides for step-by-step instructions.

If you have questions about using Canvas and its features, you can get help by using the Help menu in the Global Navigation Menu:​
Click Help in the Global Navigation Menu

My students have questions about using Canvas. How do they get help?

Canvas offers 24/7 support for students via live chat and phone. Your students can get help with Canvas by using the Help menu in the Global Navigation Menu (on the left). Canvas also has a comprehensive knowledgebase with step-by-step instructions for students.
Screenshot of Help Menu in Canvas

​Course Enrollments

Are members of the teaching team automatically enrolled in my non-standard Canvas site?

If your request is approved, you will be automatically added to your non-standard Canvas site as a Primary Course Admin.

Any enrollments for other members of your teaching team (e.g., Teachers, Course Admins, Graders, Mentors) are self-managed by you via the Membership Tool.

Are students automatically enrolled in my non-standard Canvas site?

No, all student enrollments in non-standard Canvas sites are self-managed by you and your teaching team via the Membership Tool.

Tip: You can copy and paste MIT IDs in bulk in the Membership Tool. We recommend using MIT IDs instead of MIT email addresses.

How do I add a guest (non-MIT person) to my non-standard Canvas site?

You and your teaching team need to sponsor guest Kerberos accounts for any non-MIT people in your Canvas site.

For more information, refer to How to Add a Teacher-Like Guest to a Canvas Course.

How do I learn how to use the Membership Tool in my non-standard Canvas site?

To learn how to add or remove an enrollment, change the role of an enrollment, or change the section of an enrollment, refer to How to Use the Membership Tool in Canvas.

Classroom Recordings

Are my course sessions automatically recorded and livestreamed?

Your courses sessions are NOT automatically recorded. If you want your course sessions to be livestreamed or recorded using Panopto, submit a support request.

Once your recording request is processed, you can share your upcoming livestream or recording in Canvas.

Building & Managing Your Canvas Site

How do I update the name of my non-standard Canvas site?

To learn how to change the name of your course in Canvas, refer to How to Change Your Course Name in Canvas.

How do I import course content from another Canvas site into my non-standard Canvas site?

You can copy course content such as assignments, modules, pages, and discussions from previous Canvas courses into your non-standard Canvas site. Note: You only have access to copy content from courses in which you are enrolled as a Teacher or Course Admin.

For step-by-step instructions, refer to How do I copy content from another Canvas course using the Course Import tool?

How do I upload and publish files in Canvas?

You can add a file to your course via the Files tool. You can also import files using the Course Import Tool in Course Settings.

Once you have added or imported files to your course, you can edit their permissions, including setting the state of the file (published or unpublished), restrict file access to students who have the link, or schedule availability dates for the files.

For step-by-step instructions, refer to:

How do I create groups in Canvas?

If your students will be working together on group projects and assignments, you can create groups, assign each student to a group, and then create a group assignment to collect their work.

With group assignments, one submission will count for the entire group. Learn more about evaluating group work.

For step-by-step instructions, refer to:

Note: Students should be assigned to groups BEFORE group assignments are published. Grades and submissions may be affected for students who were not in a group at the time of assignment submission but who were later added to a group or students who were removed from a group.

How do I create an assignment in Canvas?

You can create assignments on the Assignments page. You can create an assignment shell, which is a placeholder for an assignment within an assignment group, or you can create an entire assignment with all the assignment details at the same time. For step-by-step instructions, refer to:

How do I add Study.Net or Harvard Business Publishing content to my non-standard Canvas site?

Study.Net or Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) content cannot be used in non-standard Canvas sites.

How do I create a module in Canvas?

Modules are like folders that can contain assignments, discussions, quizzes, content pages, files, and links all in one place. Modules are typically used to organize course content by class session, week, units, or some other organizational structure.

For step-by-step instructions, refer to:

How do I use the Student View Tool in Canvas?

You can view your course the same way that your students view it using the Student View tool. It allows you to:

  • double-check how your non-standard Canvas course looks before publishing it to ensure students can only see what you want them to;
  • double-check that all course content (e.g., Modules, assignments, pages, links) are published and visible to students;
  • submit an assignment as a test student to double-check its settings;
  • submit a quiz as a test student to double-check its content and settings; and
  • troubleshoot any issues reported by your students (e.g., Students can’t view a file or assignment).

For step-by-step instructions, refer to How do I view a course as a test student using Student View?

How do I publish a course in Canvas?

You can publish your course in the Course Home Page sidebar. Note: You must publish a course before students can access it. Students cannot see unpublished courses and content.

For step-by-step instructions, refer to How do I publish a course?

Can I make my non-standard Canvas site available to the public?

No, your non-standard Canvas site and its content cannot be made available to the public.

How do I post an announcement in Canvas?

You can create an announcement to share important information with all students within your non-standard Canvas site and/or with students in specific sections of your Canvas site.

For step-by-step instructions, refer to How do I add an announcement in a course?

How do I grade student work in Canvas?

The SpeedGrader makes it easy to evaluate individual student assignments and group assignments quickly.

For step-by-step instructions, refer to:

How long is my non-standard Canvas site available in Canvas?

By default, your non-standard Canvas site will be available until the course end date that was specified on the Non-Standard Canvas Sites Request Form. After this date, your course will close and become “read-only,” which means: 

  • your course will no longer appear on your Canvas Dashboard (unless you’ve favorited it); 
  • members of the teaching team can no longer post announcements, add or edit course content, grade student work, or change course settings; and 
  • students can view course content and their grades, but can no longer participate in the course (e.g., submit assignments, post to discussion boards).  

You can, however, extend the end date of your Canvas site until the last day of the course.

If your course will be running in a subsequent term, you’ll need to submit the Non-Standard Canvas Site Request Form again.

Related Resources