Region 13 Course Checklists and Planning Guides

Education Service Center Region 13

Canvas Course Publishing Checklist

Course Overview and Introduction

• Course Overview and Introduction
  • Learning Objectives in the Introductory Module
    • Provide clear learning objectives to set student expectations, guide their learning processes, and help them focus their learning time
  • Set Front Page/Home Page
    • Home Page is set to an appropriate landing page with a brief description of the course, important information for students, and navigation to content.

• Learner Support Page
  • Include resources to help students get started in Canvas, and include contact information for Learner Experience and the course instructor in case students need to reach out for additional support
    
• Course Conclusion/Certificate Page

Course Flow and Navigation

• Course Navigation - It is recommended that you simplify this so that users only see what they need
  • It is also recommended that “Modules” be brought to the top of the Course Navigation Menu or included on the homepage navigation buttons.

• Set any prerequisites or requirements in modules
• Publish all modules with student-facing content
• Set appropriate access dates and due dates for quizzes/assignments/discussions
• Ensure appropriate submission types are selected for each assignment

Accessibility and Usability

• Accessibility and Usability (Internal Accessibility Checker
  • Alt text for all images (or decorative image checked)
  • Text passes all color contrasts
  • File names clear without file type extensions (e.g. .png)
  • Closed caption included for all video content 
  • Transcripts included for all audio content

• Link Validator – If there are any broken links, these must be fixed before publishing (including images that may have been copied from other courses). 
  • As an instructor, you can verify links to course content throughout your course to ensure they are valid using the course link validator
  • Tip: use “Student View” to determine whether an image is the cause of the broken link)
• Follow Copyright laws/attributions - (for additional guidance, please see the Copyright and Permissions Section of Our Brand Guidelines )
  • Attributions for all images/materials used
• References for all sources

• Review your Course in Student View - View the entirety of your course using the Student View. This is the best way to ensure your course functions properly and your content is visible to students.

Submit for Publication

Have the following information ready to include in your publication request:

• Confirm access start/end dates
• Automatic Passing in E-campus (Optional) - Recommended for self-directed online courses
• Confirm E-campus Workshop ID(s)
• Submit a request for publishing and E-campus connection to onlinelearning@esc13.txed.net