Setting up Canvas courses every semester can be daunting and time-consuming, especially when balancing new content and updating assignments. With the right strategies and shortcuts, you can save time, stay organized, and create a more effective Canvas page for you and your students. The following tips will help you save time with course creation and management.
Include All Relevant Course Materials
It is beneficial to create a centralized space in Canvas that contains all your course materials. Physical copies can be great as supplementary materials for your students, but they can be lost easily. It is especially important to include key course materials, syllabi, assignments, and handouts for easy access. When doing so, sort these materials into modules.
Create a Q&A Discussion Board
Consider creating a discussion board dedicated to questions and answers. This way, students can refer to questions that their classmates have asked and see your answers, saving students the time of reaching out for questions, and saving you from answering repeated questions. If you receive questions via email, you can also post them to this board.
Duplicate Course Items
If you have created an assignment, page, or discussion board that you are happy with, you can save time by using the duplicate button to maintain the same formatting and adjust content instead of manually creating a new one. You can do this while in module view by selecting the options of an item in your course.
Utilize Course Links
Rather than copying a URL to a specific page on your Canvas course, insert a Course Link instead. Doing so will ensure that the link is stable, even if you alter said page to have a different URL. When you copy the course format for a new semester the links will transfer to the new course instead of connecting back to the previous one. You can do this by highlighting the text you want to be your link, selecting the link tool on the toolbar, and selecting “Course Link.”
Set Due Dates in Assessment Settings
Any item with a due date set will be added to the student calendar and their To-Do list. This helps both students and instructors keep track of assignments. Do not include dates in the instructions or on pages that will require individual adjustment each semester.
You can adjust due dates from the assignments tab. Here, all graded assignments will be listed together. So, you can edit the due dates in a batch or individually. This eliminates the need to open each assignment to edit the dates and allows you to see all due dates in one view.
Use Kaltura for Videos With Captions
If you are using videos for your course, you can utilize the Kalutra video platform to generate captions for your recordings automatically. After recording a video, you should immediately check over and edit your captions to ensure you remember everything you said. Doing so will save you time compared to having to recollect what you were saying.
For further help with Kaltura reference this workshop: Editing Kaltura Captions
Create and Utilize Rubrics
By creating rubrics for your assignments, you will provide students with beneficial guidelines that they can use to make their submissions more successful. You can provide them with information to help them prepare. Creating a rubric will also provide a clear framework for grading and providing feedback on submissions. Thus, it is extremely beneficial to both students and instructors.
Get Help From Clemson Online
It is never a bad thing to reach out for help! Follow these links to get in contact with Clemson Online:
- Schedule a one-on-one meeting – Consultations
- Send us an email – Contact Page
- Enroll in a training course – COFFEE Series
- Attend workshops – Calendar of Events
By incorporating any of these tips, you can enhance your workflow and Canvas course, while also providing a more efficient experience for your students.
Upcoming Events
E-Learning Preparedness Training
October 15th, 1:30-2:30 PM
This training will prepare you for Clemson’s “E-Learning Day” on Monday, November 3, 2025. Learn about helpful resources, tips, and suggested activities to keep your students engaged during an online class day.
This training session will be held over Zoom. After completing the registration form, you will receive an Outlook calendar invitation, including the Zoom link. All registrants will be sent a copy of the recorded training.
Click here to register and receive the Zoom link!
Facilitated by Millie Tullis, Digital Learning Strategist.
Contact Millie Tullis with any questions about this session.
E-Learning Preparedness Drop-ins
- Monday, October 20th, 1:00-3:00 PM
- Wednesday, October 22nd, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Friday, October 24th, 1:00-3:00 PM
- Tuesday, October 28th, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Thursday, October 30th, 1:00-3:00 PM
Whether you have a quick question or want assistance preparing for “E-Learning Day” on Monday, November 3, 2025, Clemson Online is here to help!
Click here to join via Zoom! Ensure you are logged into Zoom with your Clemson ID to access this meeting.
Contact Millie Tullis with any questions.
Workshop Wednesday: Fostering Student Engagement and Community in the Online Classroom
November 5th, 1:30-2:30 PM
Join this training to learn more about the Community of Inquiry Framework, and how to increase student engagement by building learning communities in online spaces.
This training session will be held over Zoom. After completing the registration form, you will receive an Outlook calendar invitation, including the Zoom link. All registrants will be sent a copy of the recorded training.
Click here to register and receive the Zoom link!
Facilitated by Leslie Fuller, PhD, Digital Learning Strategist.
Contact Millie Tullis with any questions about this session.
Clemson Online Fall 2025 Events Calendar
Review our Fall 2025 Events Calendar to see what Online Instruction Development opportunities await!
We have a robust lineup of topics and live training formats to support your use of Canvas and other e-learning tools. Topics cover demonstrations of using Kaltura, engaging your students, and workshops to get your Canvas site ready to teach!
All of our live training is recorded. Registrants will automatically receive a link to that day’s video after it has been processed.
Contact Millie Tullis with any questions regarding these sessions.
Clemson Online – Where Tech and Teaching Meet
