Canvas for Students

Experiencing web browser issues? 

If Canvas is not working properly on your computer, it is likely because of the web browser you are using. Specifically, if you use Edge or Internet Explorer, the Canvas system will not load up properly. Canvas works best in the latest stable release of Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. These are both free downloads and most computers already have at least one of them installed. Visit the Browser Support Page to learn more about which versions of web browsers are supported.

If you need help accessing or using Canvas in Chrome or Firefox, please contact the Help Desk during the support hours, via email helpdesk@wilmu.edu, on the phone at 1-877-708-2905, or using the   live chat option.

FAQ Table of Contents:

• Tech support
• When will students have access to their Canvas account?
• Create your profile
• Register your cell phone number to receive text message reminders about upcoming assignments that are due
• Set up your default time zone
• Navigating a course in Canvas
• Canvas Student mobile app 
• Check your grades and feedback
• TurnItIn Assignments - Submitting and checking the Originality Report and ETS Grammar report
• How do I change discussion boards from one long stream, to a view that is divided into threads?
• Why are the emails in my student myWilmU email account not synching with my Canvas Inbox?
• How to access a Canvas course from a prior term that is no longer on my dashboard?
• Where are my Fall Block 2, 2020 Courses?

Tech Support 

You can access the Help Desk directly from the global navigation menu while logged into Canvas. Watch this video to get an  Introduction to Canvas and How to Log-in. 

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When will students have access to their Canvas account?

You will receive a Canvas account after you register for your first course. If you do not get access to Canvas within 24 hours from registering for a course, please open a help desk ticket.

Create your profile

Profiles allows you to update your name, preferred contact methods, and any personal links for your account. Your profile information can be viewed by all users in your courses. Watch this video to learn more about  Account Profile, Notifications, and Files.

How to access your profile: 

1. In Global Navigation, click the Account  link
   
   
2. Click the Profile link
   
   
   
   
3. To upload a profile picture , click the profile picture  icon. To upload a new profile picture, click the Upload a Picture tab, then click the choose a picture link. You can also drag a picture from your desktop and drop it into the uploader. Learn more about the three ways to add a profile picture. 
   
   Tips for profile pictures:
   
   
   • Please choose an appropriate picture to represent yourself. Wilmington University has the right to remove pictures that are not appropriate for a classroom setting.
   • Images should be square in size to prevent your picture from being resized or distorted.
   • Files can be any type (.jpg, .png, .gif) or size as long as you have room in your personal files to store the file. Canvas recommends that your profile picture be as small as possible.
   • Your personal files quota is enforced when uploading a profile picture. If you do not have enough storage space in your personal files, you will not be able to upload your profile picture. Create more space by removing some files in your personal files.
     
     
4. In the top right corner, click the traffic light button.
5. Then click "Edit Profile".
    
6. You can modify your name to a nickname or preferred name.
   
   
7. You can add your title.
   
   
8. Type your biography in the bio field. You can add hobbies and interesting facts about yourself.
   
   
9. To add personal links to your profile, such as personal websites, blogs, or portfolios, enter the title of the link in the title field. Then copy and paste the URL in the URL field.
   
   
10. Click the Save Profile button.
    
    

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Register your cell phone number to receive text message reminders about upcoming assignments that are due

1. Click the Account link on the left side global navigation menu
2. Click Settings 
   
3. Click the "Contact Method" link
   
4. Enter your 10-digit phone number, including your area code
5. Select your phone carrier
6. Click the "Register SMS" button
   

 

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Set up your default time zone 

Online assignments at Wilmington University align with the Eastern Standard Time zone. All dates, due dates, and times throughout a course are displayed according to the Eastern Standard Time zone.  Additionally, most assignments are due at the end of their assigned week at 11:59pm (one minute before midnight). 

In Canvas, users can specify a time zone in their User Settings, which does not have any effect on the course time zone. If users have set a specific time zone in their User Settings, all course dates and times will display in their local time, but if they hover over the date and time, they can also see the course date and time.

How to change your time zone from the EST default:

1. In Course Navigation, click the Settings link.
2. Click the Course Details tab.
3. In the Time Zone drop-down menu, select a new time zone for your course.
4. Click the Update Course Details button.
5. View the time zone for your course.

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Navigate a course in Canvas

Watch these videos to learn more about:

• Navigating your Course, Modules, and Syllabus
  
  
• Courses, Dashboard, and the Home Page
  
  
• Calendar, Inbox, and Help
  
  
• Discussion Boards, Kaltura, and Groups

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Canvas Student mobile app

The Canvas by Instructure app is the mobile version of Canvas that helps you stay current with your courses anywhere you go. Download the free Canvas app on Android and iOS devices. Learn how to install the Canvas Student app. 

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Check your grades and feedback

Watch this video to learn more about Grades, Submitting Work, and Turnitin (Plagiarism Checker)

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TurnItIn Assignments - Submitting and checking the Originality Report and ETS Grammar report

• Submitting a Turnitin Assignment
• Checking a Turnitin Assignment and Checking for Grammar

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How do I change discussion boards from one long stream, to a view that is divided into threads?

Click the "collapse replies" button on a discussion post.

Below are the steps to change to a collapsed view that is more similar to the threaded discussion board.

1. Look for these buttons just below your discussion board questions:
   
2. Mousing-over them will show the text "collapse replies" and   "expand replies. "  Clicking on the   "collapse replies "  buTton will collapse each user into their own thread, for easier reading and responding. Also note that in collapsed view you can see how many posts and replies are in each thread (grey number) and how many unread posts there are (green number).
   
3. Note the small blue arrow that appears as you mouse-over each students post:
   
4. Clicking on the blue arrow will expand to show just the thread and replies for that student, for easier reading and replying:
   

 

Why are the emails in my student myWilmU email account not synching with my Canvas Inbox?

The Canvas Inbox is not synced with a student's myWilmU email account. This is not a bug in the system, it is just how it works. While that would certainly be ideal, it is simply not an option, as the system is not built to have this feature.

A simple way to think of the Canvas Inbox is it is basically like a web form that generates a one-way email message to students. That is, the Canvas Inbox is not a two-way mailbox system.

The confusion around this is that messages sent from the Canvas Inbox do send a copy of the message to a student's WilmU email. So one may assume that these should be the same inbox, but unfortunately, that is not the case. Students will still need to check their myWilmU email to view all emails generated outside of the Canvas LMS.

How to access a Canvas course from a prior term that is no longer on my dashboard?

Please note that students can still access the course, but they cannot be readded to their dashboard. 

Steps to access courses from prior terms:

1. Click the Courses icon on the left-side navigation menu
2. In the "Past Enrollments" section, click on the name of the course. Notice you can no longer click the star to make the course appear on your dashboard. Courses from prior terms need to be accessed directly from the courses page, instead of the dashboard: https://wilmu.instructure.com/courses.
   
3. Click modules to access the content from the course.

 

Where are my Fall Block 2, 2020 Courses?

We have received a number of concerns regarding the location of Block 2 courses in Canvas.  Mostly due to people ensuring that they properly registered for those courses.  You can check on the status of Block 2 courses by following these steps:

1. On your dashboard, look to the left and click on the Courses Tab.
2. When it bumps out, look to the bottom and then click on “All Courses”

 

On this screen you will now see all the courses that you are enrolled in and have ever taken at Wilmington University.  You will also see the upcoming Block 2 courses, but they will not be available until 2 weeks prior to the start of that term.

The University policy is to have courses open and accessible for our students 2 weeks prior to the start of the appropriate term.  The upcoming Block 2 courses will appear on your dashboard on October 12^th, 2020. Thank you and have an awesome term!