In response to student feedback, the School of Media, Arts and Humanities (MAH) have made a new template for modules on Canvas. This new template should make the experience of Canvas more user-friendly, accessible, and consistent across modules and courses.

The Main Changes

• Weekly content pages have been expanded and reordered
• Assessment Information has also been expanded and clarified
• Canvas has been better-optimised for mobile device

Weekly Content

• The list of weekly topics on module homepages replaced with  'Module Content' link, which brings you to the ‘units’ page
• The new format will be easier for tutors to edit throughout the semester
• Weekly pages have more sections, making it easier to read and work through:
  - Topic (brief outline of the weekly topic
  - Preparation (work for outside contact hours, like readings and reviewing notes)
  - Synchronous Hours (details and topics for lectures, seminars, workshop etc)
  - Reflecting and Consolidating (further learning activities and revision)
  - Reading (link to the reading list)

Assessment Information

• 'Assessment Information' will be the new location for assessment details, containing:
  - Assessment Details and Expectations (specific assessment info like title, word count, learning outcomes, and referencing)
  - Assessment Criteria and Feedback (details of the assessment criteria you'll be marked on and how to access feedback)
  - How to Submit Your Work (a link to Turnitin and a checklist to go through before you submit work)
  - Support with Academic Skills (academic skills help and links)
  - Academic Integrity and Avoiding Academic Misconduct (misconduct guidelines, including plagiarism, cheating, and misuse of AI services)

Mobile Optimisation

• Unnecessary images have been removed
• Long list of links has been removed from the homepage
• Guidance made available to staff about uploading documents instead of long pages of text
• New template has been tested on various mobile devices and operating systems
  
  

Read the full update here