Expand your Teaching Toolkit with Canvas Commons
Canvas Commons offers diverse, customizable resources to enhance instructional strategies and align with learning outcomes.
Key Takeaways from USask Leaders
As part of SDG Month, we connected with Sustainability Faculty Fellows, past GMCTL Fellows, and USask Leaders to discuss leading change.
A Guide to Digital Spring Cleaning
A digital spring cleaning can have many environmental, organizational, and psychological benefits. Follow this guide to make your digital life more organized and sustainable!
Designed to be Equitable: An EDI Principle
Are we integrating Indigenous knowledge and sources into our classrooms and course design?
GenAI and Sustainability: Being Aware of the Environmental Impact of AI
AI is a powerful tool that we can use to create a better tomorrow, but what are the environmental costs that we are seeing today?
Setting Up Secure Assessments
Assessments that need security require more planning.
Shuffling Questions and Answer Options in Canvas Quizzes
Enhance the security of digital assessments in Canvas with these tips.
Randomizing Canvas Quizzes Using Item Banks
In Canvas quizzes you can have quiz questions selected randomly from a larger bank of questions. There are several benefits to this approach and a few things to carefully consider.
Understanding Canvas Quiz Logs
The primary purpose of quiz logs is to assist in investigating any issues students may encounter during their quizzes. They capture various actions and timestamps throughout the quiz attempt.
Digital Exam Disruptions: Providing More Time or Attempts in Canvas
There will be instances where students or Canvas will experience internet connection issues. When this issue impacts a student’s ability to finish the exam, you can provide more time or attempts.
AI and Authentic Assessments: Preparing Students for an AI-Enabled World
Instructors need to be sure that students are ready for life post-graduation in an AI-enabled world. How can we test both foundational skills and knowledge alongside AI skills and knowledge?
Designing Assessments that Leverage GenAI
GenAI has made its impact on every field and discipline. To help prepare our students for life post-graduation, instructors will have to consider how to help their students leverage GenAI tools.
Being Transparent with AI Use: How to Cite, Disclose, and Document
When using GenAI tools, the best practice is to be as transparent as possible. This concise guide gives a brief overview of how to do this.
AI and Academic Integrity
How are students using AI and how can we clarify expectations?
AI is here and you can ACE it!
Learn how to use GenAI tools in a way that is effective and efficient with the "ACE Your AI Use" model
A Teaching Tool: The EDI Flower
The EDI Flower Design Tool is a comprehensive framework aimed at fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) for USask classrooms. This overview highlights the EDI Flower’s principles and provides suggestions for resources to integrate EDI into teaching and learning practices.
Positionality in the Classroom: An EDI Principle
Considering our personal position and power in the classroom and its impacts on our relationships with students is the first step in implementing EDI into our teaching.
Level of learning audit for exam questions
Find out which level of thinking on Bloom’s taxonomy your exam questions are assessing.
Should I Use an Oral Assessment?
Find out if an oral assessment is a good choice for your course.
Understanding Oral Exams
Learn how to use oral exams to confidently assess students’ foundational knowledge and skills.
Creating Multiple Choice Questions that Assess Higher Order Thinking
Make the most of your multiple-choice questions by moving beyond assessing understanding to analysis, evaluation, and beyond.
Open Book Online Exams as Opportunities for Authentic Problems Solving
How to craft thought provoking exams that allow students to apply and expand upon their learning.
Enhancing Reflective Practice in the Age of AI
Help your students deepen their learning through reflective practice.
Preparing Students for Giving and Receiving Constructive Feedback
Enrich students learning and share the task of giving feedback by helping your students help each other.
AI Resistant Oral Assessment Tasks
Explore an array of oral assessment tasks that can help you better understand your students’ abilities without the aid of AI.
Embracing Virtual Exchange: A Transformative Pedagogy for Educators
Want to prepare students for global careers? Virtual exchange offers real-world learning, intercultural collaboration, and professional growth—right from the classroom.
Forward Steps for Academic Integrity and Record-keeping
Building and maintaining a streamlined record-keeping process at USask.
Fostering Inclusive Learning Environments at USask: The EDI Framework for Action
USask’s EDI Framework for Action emphasizes creating inclusive learning environments. Here we offer practical approaches to help foster a diverse, supportive, and accessible educational experience for all students and educators.
Empowering Education: Embracing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at USask
At USask, we aim to integrate Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) concepts into our teaching and learning environment, ensuring all students feel valued and supported. By embedding EDI principles, USask instructors can foster a culture of belonging and prepare students to thrive in a diverse world.
Assessing Student Reflections
Reflection bridges theory and practice, fostering growth through meaningful insights. Explore strategies, tools, and frameworks to assess reflective learning effectively.
Addressing 6 Key Areas of Student Need: Strategies for Academic Integrity
Promoting academic integrity begins with addressing 6 core needs of students. Here are related strategies, links, and resources to help you support academic integrity in students.
Progressing Your Program’s AI Strategy
We have been in a reactive phase of responding to AI where our focus has been on which uses of AI to permit in assessments. Now, two other areas need attention so we can shift into being proactive.
USask Community Plays Major Role in Creation of OER
As USask celebrates ten years since the first adoption of an open textbook in a large class, instructors and students continue to create OER for use at USask and beyond.
Embracing Authentic Assessment in Higher Education
Authentic assessment in higher ed reveals critical challenges: power dynamics, cognitive overload, mentor training gaps, and ethical risks. Thoughtful design can balance these issues, enriching real-world learning and career readiness.
Determining Levels of Acceptable GenAI Use
Use a framework to decide what level of GenAI use to permit in your course.
How to talk with students about suspected academic misconduct
Discover ways to approach conversations with individuals or the whole class when academic misconduct is suspected.
Reconciliation and Education
Using Indigenous knowledge to examine personal disposition can begin the conversation around Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation.
Canvas New Analytics
Learn how to use Canvas New Analytics to see how students are doing in your course
The 10-year anniversary of OER at USask brings celebrations and opportunities!
The 2024-25 academic year marks an important milestone for USask.
Student Volunteer Experience to Credit-Earning Experiential Learning Course
Transform volunteer work into academic credit! Discover how USask is turning student experiences into valuable, credit-earning opportunities through innovative experiential learning course.
Ask, Find Out, Act: The Benefits of Inquiry-based Learning
Inquiry-based learning sparks curiosity by encouraging students to ask questions, explore answers, and actively engage with content, leading to deeper understanding and meaningful learning experiences. Read this excerpt of a blogpost by Dr. Lee Beavington at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), reposted with permission.
Inclusive Teaching Strategies
Reflecting on Your Teaching Practice
What is Formative Assessment?
Difficult Dialogues in the Classroom
It is important that instructors offer students opportunities to have difficult dialogues within the classroom and for instructors to guide them through in constructive ways.
High quality, respectful classroom dialogue
High-quality, respectful classroom dialogue can enhance student learning and understanding. How can you create an open, healthy, and inclusive learning environment?
Improve your SLEQ response rates
Learn tips and support available to improve student responses to SLEQ
Identifying Plagiarism
Learn about some common indicators of plagiarism while also noting other possible explanations.
To be what the world needs, we need to bring the world into the classroom
Bring global perspectives into your classroom! Learn how integrating diverse viewpoints can enrich learning and prepare students for a connected world.
Constructive Alignment
Applying the principles of constructive alignment helps you design your course and learning experiences purposefully.
Exploring the Campus as a Living Lab: A Pathway to Innovation and Engagement
Experience USask’s innovative “Campus as a Living Lab” project, where campus becomes a dynamic space for sustainability education and hands-on learning. Join us in shaping a sustainable future!
SLEQ
Student Learning Experience Questionnaire
Bringing Theory to Life Through International Experiential Learning
Discover how international experiential learning bridges theory and practice, offering students immersive experiences that enrich their education and global understanding. Dive into real-world learning!
Elevating mentorship in higher education: The key to effective preceptor development
Discover the transformative impact of mentorship in higher education. Learn how effective preceptor development is key to nurturing future leaders and fostering academic excellence.
The Life-Giving Role of Field Work in Biology Courses
Explore how hands-on fieldwork in biology courses breathes life into learning, fostering deeper understanding and engagement with the natural world. Discover the transformative power of outdoor education!
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Classroom
Discover GMCTL’s EDI Flower, a resource to help you cultivate a learning environment where all students thrive. Explore essential competencies from positionality to assessment, designed to enhance your teaching and foster equity, diversity, and inclusion in your classroom.
Expectations for Teaching Assistants
The job of a Teaching Assistant (TA) is both demanding and rewarding.
Gamifying Learning Experiences
Discover how gamification can transform your teaching! Learn strategies to engage students and enhance learning through game-like experiences.
Embedding Research, Artistic, and Scholarly Skills: A Step-by-Step Guide for Classroom Success
Elevate classroom success with this guide on embedding research, artistic, and scholarly skills. Gain practical steps to enhance student learning and engagement.
Adding Experiential Learning to an Introductory Course
Boost engagement and learning by integrating experiential activities into introductory courses. Learn how practical experiences enhance academic understanding.
Reflective Journaling: How instructor feedback helps students improve
Enhance student growth with instructor feedback in reflective journaling. Learn how targeted comments can improve student writing and critical thinking skills.
Inbox Assignment
Transform your teaching with Inbox Assignments! Engage students and boost learning outcomes through real-world email scenarios.
Canvas New Quizzes: Frequently Asked Questions
If you are creating a quiz in Canvas, we recommend you use the New Quizzes engine instead of Classic Quizzes. Got questions? Take a look through this FAQ.
Canvas New Quizzes – Adding Accommodations
If you need to provide students with quiz accommodations, it's important to know that adding accommodations in New Quizzes looks quite different than Classic Quizzes.
Differences between Canvas Classic and New Quizzes
Summary of the differences between New Quizzes (now available in Canvas) and Classic Quizzes.
8 Reasons to Be Excited About Canvas New Quizzes
Canvas has a new quiz engine. Here are 8 reasons why you might be excited about making the move to New Quizzes!
Relationship: Supporting Indigenous Student Success
Higher education has a responsibility to address the lived reality for Indigenous learners. Educators can look to build authentic relationships with learners and manage learning outcomes.
Indigenization and Assessment - Rethinking Traditional Practice
Examining assessment practices to determine the impact on Indigenous student success will provide opportunity for an enhancement of practice and improved outcomes.
Syllabus Generator Offers Ease and Support When Creating Your Syllabi
To assist you in writing or revising your syllabus, the USask Syllabus Generator Tool can be accessed directly through Canvas. This tool includes all required sections, the recommended sections and sample language.
Comparing two online quizzes: Formative Assessment
This post aims to compare the design of two online quizzes to determine how each design impacts student learning.
Assessing student participation and attendance
Learn what the research says about grading attendance and get tips for how to grade participation in your class.
An Outcomes-Based Practice Continuum
This article will discuss a continuum of outcomes-based practices including referencing outcomes, assessing outcomes, and reporting student achievement on outcomes.
Defining Authentic Assessment
Authentic assessment emphasizes real-world application of skills and knowledge. Learn how it enhances student engagement and aligns with meaningful learning outcomes.
Increasing Voice and Choice in the Classroom
Boost engagement in your classroom! Discover strategies to amplify student voice and choice, making learning more personalized and empowering for all.
Perusall or Discussion Boards
Learn about this tool and how it can be used in your class to make for a more active learning experience.
Assessing Outcomes versus Grading Assignments
Shift your focus from grading tasks to assessing outcomes. Learn how this approach fosters deeper learning and provides a more meaningful evaluation of student progress.
Experiential Learning - Top 5 Resources
If you’re wondering how to enhance your experiential learning practices and make meaningful connections with learners’ knowledge and experiences, here are five valuable resources to support experiential learning. Discover rubrics, learning modules, reflection models, and prompting questions.
How do you know when you need Experiential Learning?
Identify when your teaching can benefit from experiential learning to boost student engagement with practical, real-world applications.
Give Efficient Feedback
Learn the most important things to give feedback about in your classes, and how to make feedback highly efficient.
Creating Efficiencies: Grading Discussions in Canvas
Strategies to assist you and your students to have a better experience using Canvas Discussions for learning.
Grading Reflection
Reflect on grading practices to enhance student learning and equity. Discover how thoughtful assessment can drive better educational outcomes. How can you determine if someone’s reflection is good enough, and how can you signal that to students so they reflect well and understand the feedback and grades they receive?
Keep it active with classroom polling
Learning technologies like Poll Everywhere can help keep your class active and engaging.
You May Have Too Much Content, But What Should You Take Out?
The key is thinking about the essential ideas of the course and what skills and knowledge students require to really learn them.
Using Poll Everywhere to Integrate Formative Assessment in Courses
Poll Everywhere is integrated polling tool at USask. As you begin planning for the fall term, you may be considering how you will make use of formative assessment in your courses, including the use of Poll Everywhere.
Using Poll Everywhere in an Asynchronous Online Course
Learn more about using Poll Everywhere in your asynchronous online courses, including instructions for how to embed the activity into a Canvas page.
Administering Written Exams via Canvas
Canvas can be used for replicating a “take-home” style of exam in a digital setting. Learn when to use this approach, and how to set it up for a smooth launch at exam time.
Collaboration technical tools
Tips for how to have students work together using technology.
USask spaces that flex with the type of learning
Flexible classrooms have three key characteristics and are effectively across all parts of the learning process including receiving information, practicing, and getting feedback.
Turn Pre-Class Readings into Social Learning
Use Perusall to make pre-class readings more engaging
Using Zoom meetings in Canvas
Learn how to set up Zoom in Canvas and use some of the features of this software
Breakout Rooms in Zoom
Learn how to setup and use breakout rooms in your course
Making it Accessible: Turn on Live Captions in Zoom
Make your Zoom meetings more accessible with live captions
Keep recording when you present content
The shift to remote instruction during the pandemic proved that there is value to recording your lectures. This article dives into why this practice still holds value and how to do it.
Using Your Syllabus to Set the Tone for Class
Class syllabi are often the first look that students get of a class. Instructors can use it to map out the course, provide valuable information, and set the tone for the rest of the term.
Easy ways to make your course more accessible
Make simple changes that make it easier for all students to have an equitable opportunity to succeed in your course.
Using Oral Assessments to Collect Evidence of Learning
Boost learning engagement with oral assessments! Discover how this dynamic approach can provide richer evidence of student understanding and mastery.
Canvas Integrations Bring New Opportunities For Student Projects
Canvas has options for students to access tools and software with a single sign-on. Learn more about how that works in this article.