Instructor Tools in Canvas

Environment

Canvas Learning Management - Ann Arbor

Issue

How do I use the Instructor Tools?

Resolution

Visible only to instructors in the Canvas course navigation, Instructor Tools offers a streamlined storefront that allows instructors to enable productivity tools, such as U-M Maizey and Canvas Course Manager. This app is designed to make it easier for instructors to manage and optimize course content. The app will be continuously updated with tools as they become available.

Instructor Tools allows course owners to:

• Search for an integrated app by name or category
• Understand the use and functionality of an app 
• Add or remove an app with a single click
• Find help documents and other support resources for an app

Who Can Use This Feature?

• Canvas Root Account Administrator
• Canvas Sub-Account Administrator
• Anyone with the Teacher role in a Canvas course

Adding Instructor Tools to your Canvas course

• By default, Instructor Tools is enabled in all Canvas course sites
• Instructors can choose to turn instructor Tools off: navigate to the course Settings tool, then choose Navigation tab, find the Instructor Tools and then disable it

Authorizing the App

The first time you access Instructor Tools you will be prompted to authorize the tool.  You can revoke your authorization in your Canvas Account settings at any time.  Future updates to the Instructor Tools code may require you to reauthorize the tool.

Using Instructor Tools

Tool cards are representations of instructor productivity tools that can be enabled/disabled in a Canvas course. 

• From the Canvas course, click on "Instructor Tools" in the course navigation menu to access the tool
• View the list of tool cards or enter a tool name or keyword in the dynamic search field at the top of the screen to find an tool of interest
  • Instructor Tools will search all Name and Description fields and return any app cards that match the search term
  • Delete the search term to once again display the default set of app cards
• Each tool card will show the name and a short description of the tool
  • Selecting the "More" button to expand the app card will show additional content, including:
  • A longer description of the app
  • An image of the app’s user interface that can be enlarged for greater detail
  • Details on the data privacy of the app
  • Placement - where in your course you will find the tool
  • Links to app documentation and other support resources, such as who to contact if you need additional assistance with using an app
    • Select the "Less" button to return the card to its default size and content
    • Use the Enable/Disable tool button to add/remove the tool to/from Course navigation menu

TIP: You may need to refresh your screen to see the added tool (the first time you add/remove a tool on a course an alert will display to let you know that the page needs to be refreshed). 

• Clicking "Help" in the application bar at the top of the Instructor Tools screen in Canvas will open this document from within Instructor Tools

Additional Information

Instructor Tools is supported by the ITS Teaching & Learning team. 

• Check out the new Academic Technology@Michigan website for course planning resources from across U-M
• Visit the Canvas @ Michigan site for faculty including the U-M Instructor Guide with links to additional support resources from across campus
• Check out the Canvas and MiVideo tutorials

For additional questions, please contact the ITS Service Center.