Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

The main reason I wanted to switch these classes from D2L to Canvas was because of the calendar. I really like the features of the Canvas Calendar, especially the grace period option. For this tip, you can think about how you can make best use of the Canvas Calendar given the different options available.

Each instructor will be using the Canvas Calendar a little differently based on how their classes work; here is some information about the Canvas Calendar as I am using it for these classes:

Grace Period. Unlike D2L, Canvas lets me set a grace period as part of the actual assignment. That means Canvas lists the midnight due date for each assignment (for example, the Monday reading is due on Monday by midnight), but I can also include an automatic grace period for emergencies. That means the Canvas Declaration will not disappear at midnight — instead, it is available until noon the next day. I created a grace period until noon for every single assignment with no grade penalty. If you are not able to finish an assignment during the grace period, that's okay too; just move on and make up the points with extra credit whenever that is convenient for you.

Setting Your Own Dates. A lot of students have asked me to change the dates in the Canvas calendar for their individual schedule, but that really does not make sense: that would be technologically complicated, and, more importantly, I should not be the one managing everybody's schedules. Instead, each person needs to manage their own schedule, and the Canvas Calendar synch can let you do that. So, there are assignment deadlines to make sure that you don't fall behind... but the idea is that you can and should WORK AHEAD, setting the due dates that really are convenient for you. You need six hours each week to for this class, and any six hours on any day(s) of the week will work. Contact me if you would like some advice in planning your weekly schedule. Then, if you use a digital calendar, you can synch the Canvas Calendar with that calendar, using the Canvas deadlines to reinforce your own schedule. To get the Canvas Calendar feed, click on Calendar in the left menu, and then click on the Calendar Feed in the lower right menu.

In addition, there are many options available, as you can see in this video: Canvas Calendar.

So, use this Tech Tip to strategize about your time management for this class in general. Then, write up a blog post about your time management strategy and whether you can use the Canvas Calendar to help you with that strategy. Do you use a digital calendar already? Are you synching the Canvas Calendar with your own digital calendar? If you can let me know what type of digital calendar you use (Google? Outlook? other?), that would be great, because then I can write up specific calendar tips for those other calendar applications. If you don't already use a digital calendar, would you be interested in learning how to use one? (Google Calendar is great IMO.)

Finishing Up: If you have reviewed the Canvas Calendar options, you're done! Write up a blog post about your time management in the class right now and if/how the Canvas Calendar is helping you with that.  Make sure to include the phrase "Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar" in your blog post title and also use "Tech Tip" as the label on the post; then you can do the Declaration.