Displaying Your Syllabus in Canvas
So, what is the best way to make your syllabus available in Canvas? There are a few common places and strategies for getting your students easy access to your syllabus, which we will review in this blog post, but the final decision about how to display your syllabus is totally up to you!
Currently, you can access the Online Syllabus Builder from the faculty tab of myFSCJ. There, you can choose whether you create an online, web-based syllabus or a PDF version. Once created and published, you can simply upload that file directly in Canvas. Although you can add the link or file to any area within the Canvas course, here are a few locations that we recommend, based on feedback from other instructors.
Within a Module
Within Canvas, using a modular structure to provide content for your course is recommended. To learn more about why to use modules, review this blog post. Many instructors have created an introductory module that welcomes students to the course, provides resources they may need throughout the course, and provides a logical access point for their syllabus. This can be done in numerous ways based on your preferences, but here are some references to help you if you’re unsure how of to get started.
Add a link to syllabus as a module item or Add a file as a module item
Add any other content you want to include within the module (bio, resources, etc)
On Your Home Page
One option often used in Canvas is to add your syllabus via link or file upload to your Course Home Page. This is the page that your students land on when entering the course each time, so if access to the syllabus often and easily is a priority, this option may be best. You can also include other information on the home page, such as a faculty biography, contact information, or a welcoming video message, on the home page to personalize it for your students.
Within the Course Navigation Menu
Some instructors choose to use the course navigation menu item titled, Syllabus, to easily direct their students to their syllabus because it has a unique function that is one of my personal favorites. This dual-purpose page will allow an instructor to add their syllabus (via link or file upload) to the top section of the page using the Rich Content Editor (here is some information about how to do this) while the bottom section of the page will dynamically update to display all course assignments as they are created. If assignment due dates are changed within the assignment, the date will automatically update here - providing students with a list of all upcoming assignments by date.
Note that, if not used, the Syllabus menu item can be hidden so students do not go there to view the course syllabus.
*Summer 2023 Update
Stay tuned for additional communication regarding syllabus updates at FSCJ. There is a new tool being reviewed and planned for an improved experience for both instructors and students.
