Canvas Commons FAQ

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Canvas Commons is a great place to find and share course resources with your colleagues or to save a backup copy of an item for yourself. This article will cover the most commonly asked questions about Canvas Commons use at Florida SouthWestern State College. If you require more information not included in this article, we have linked below the official Canvas guides covering every possible option and feature of Canvas Commons.

 


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Who can use Canvas Commons?What can be shared with Canvas Commons?When would I use Canvas Commons?Where would I access Canvas Commons?How do I use Canvas Commons?      Import Canvas Commons Material      Share Course Material to Canvas Commons      Share a Course to Canvas CommonsCanvas Official Guides to Commons

 


Who can use Canvas Commons?


All faculty have access to Canvas Commons. You can share your course material with either the entire School or just store a backup copy for yourself. Think of Canvas Commons as a  place to copy course material created by you or your peers into your current semester classes.

Students do not have access to Canvas Commons, so you can be sure your content will not be viewable by students until it is in your class.

 

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What can be shared with Canvas Commons?


The great thing about Canvas Commons is that almost any item can be uploaded and shared through Canvas Commons. Discussions, Assignments, and Quizzes are the most common items faculty members are sharing currently at FSW. In Canvas Commons, you will see various icons that represent what each item is. This makes it easy to identify or search for specific course material quickly. You will not be able to share your 3rd Party Tool integrations.

Canvas Commons Keys

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When would I use Canvas Commons?


Your use of Canvas Commons is up to you. It is advised that you import Canvas Commons material before your Canvas course is made available to students so you can review the imported content and make any adjustments to it that you would like. You can access and import Canvas Commons material anytime after being assigned a Canvas shell for the current semester. 

Possible uses could be

  • Backup your entire Canvas course to Commons
  • Import a Canvas course template
  • Share an assignment with your colleagues 
  • Locate and import course materials supplied by your colleagues
  • Create your instructor information page once and copy it into any of your Canvas courses
  • Import a common assessment created by your School 

 

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Where would I access Canvas Commons?


Canvas Commons can be accessed through Canvas in the Global Navigation bar. Locate and click on the Commons icon to be taken to the home page of Canvas Commons.

Canvas Commons icon image located in global navigation bar of Canvas

 

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How do I use Canvas Commons?


Import Canvas Commons Material


When you are on the homepage of Canvas Commons.

Search for an item to import by using the Search box.

Canvas Commons image of the Search text box

You can sort items by Most Relevant, Latest, Most Favorited, or Most Downloaded using the "Latest" drop-down menu.

Latest drop down menu

Also, you can filter items in commons by course, module, assignment, quiz, discussion, page, document, video, audio file, or image.

Filter results window displaying icons

After locating an item, you want to import, click on the title to view the course detail.

Image of a quiz with the title outlined

Once you click on the title, the detail window will appear. To Import or Download, click on the "Import/Download" button.

Image with import and download button

Once you click on the "Import/Download" button, a window will display to the right. 

import download selecting courses to import image

Click the box to the left of the course or courses you want to import this item into.

NOTE: DO NOT CLICK "ALL"

Import Download image with box selected

Click the blue "Import into Course" button to start the process.

Image with Import download button outlined

 

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Share Course Material to Canvas Commons


Click on the "courses" link located in the Global Navigation bar on canvas. Then, navigate to the course that contains the resource you would like to share.

global navigation bar with courses image outlined

Once in the course, select the name of the resource you want to share. 

Image of the course menu with assignment outlined

Locate the resource you would like to share and click the Kabob icon. Select "Share To Commons" from the drop-down menu

.Share to Commons Image

You will then select whether to share with FSW or just yourself.

Set the type of licensing for the content.

Image demo of sharing to commons menu

 

You must include a Title, Description, and an Image.

Menu image from commons showing title and image options

Select the appropriate grade level using either the sliders or the drop-down menu next to "Kindergarten" and "Graduate."

When you are ready to share with commons, click the "Share" button.

Image showing grade level and share button

 

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Share a Course to Canvas Commons


Click on the "courses" link located in the Global Navigation bar on canvas. Then, navigate to the course you would like to share.

global navigation bar with courses image outlined

Once you are in the course, click the "Settings" link.

Image with settings outlined

Look to the sidebar located to the right of the page and click on the "Share to Commons" link.

Sidebar menu with share to commons outlined

You will then select whether to share with FSW or just yourself.

Set the type of licensing for the content.

Image demo of sharing to commons menu

You must include a Title, Description, and an Image.

Menu image from commons showing title and image options

Select the appropriate grade level using either the sliders or the drop-down menu next to "Kindergarten" and "Graduate."

When you are ready to share with commons, click the "Share" button.

Image showing grade level and share button

 

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Canvas Official Guides to Commons


Visit the Canvas Commons Guides 

 

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