FAQ-Setting up your Canvas Course

This article answers common questions about setting up a course in Canvas. Linked articles include detailed instructions and videos from Instructure.

FAQ Questions

How do I migrate my Moodle content into Canvas?

• Migrate Your Course from Moodle to Canvas (instructions in Moodle)
• Migrate Your Course from Moodle to Canvas (instructions in Canvas)

What is the Elon Template?

• Courses for Fall 2026 will include the Elon University Canvas template, which offers a structured set of pages and modules with placeholders for common course content.
• The template is designed to:
  • Help instructors organize course content clearly
  • Give students a consistent navigation experience in Canvas
• Using the template is recommended but not required. Instructors can customize their courses to best support their teaching and student learning.

What pages are included in the Elon Template?

• Two Front page options: one with weekly buttons and one without
• A Student Resources page
• Instructor and Student Canvas Resource pages
• About your Instructor pages
• Template Image Customization page with resources instructors can add to their Canvas content
• Weekly Overview and To Do List pages (14 total)
• Customizable Syllabus content

How do I set up an assignment?

• Instructure Article: How do I create an assignment?

What is a module in Canvas?

• Instructure Article: What are modules?

How do I merge two classes into the same section?

• Instructure Article: How do I cross-list a section in a course as an instructor?

How do I move content into a different module?

• Instructure Article: How do I move or reorder a module?

Where do I access Settings and Navigation options?

• Instructure Article: How do I use course settings?

How do I embed YouTube and Kaltura videos?

• Instructure Article: How do I link to or embed a YouTube video in the Rich Content Editor?

Can I bulk edit assignment due dates?

• Instructure Article: How do I bulk update due dates and availability dates as an instructor?

What do I need to do to make my course available for students?

• Instructure Article: How do I publish a course?

What size should a course card be?

• Instructure Article: How do I add an image to a course card in the Dashboard?
  • Use an image with a 16:9 aspect ratio
  • Minimum size is 262 x 146 pixels (larger images look better and avoid graininess)

How do I integrate outside tools into Canvas?

• Instructure Article: Using an external tool in my course

How do I remove the course template from my course?

• Instructure Article: How do I reset course content?

Tips and tricks

• Split Screen

Split screen is a way most computers have for having more than one window open at a time. You can use this method for copying Moodle content to Canvas using the cut/paste method. 

Split screen windows, Split screen Mac

• For copying rubrics from Moodle to Canvas:

                   Canvas Rubric Guide

1. Open a browser tab for your rubric and a Canvas tab to start creating a new rubric
2. Use split view to copy and paste information from Moodle's rubric to the Canvas rubric