This Guide is for the legacy DesignPLUS sidebar (installed before July 2023). Visit the Current Admin Guide for information for newer installations or those who have upgraded.

DesignPLUS Training Overview

Cidi Labs Training Overview

A brief look at the DesignPLUS training activities

The installation and training package includes the five activities outlined on this page.

Installation

This 60 minute session will get DesignPLUS up and running at the desired account level in Canvas.

Functional User Training Part 1

This 90 minute session covers the basics of using DesignPLUS. Here are the topics we cover:

Overview

This first training provides a brief overview and introduction to DesignPLUS. In the overview portion we will:

  • Introduce the three different tools and their role in the creation process
  • Look at some example content created using the tools.
  • Overview of the rich content editor toolbar

Level 1: Core Tools Training

Level 1 covers building a Canvas course using the basic level of the rich content editor tools, the Multi-Tool and the Upload/Embed Image tool.

In level 1 we will learn how to:

  • Launch Design Tools
  • Choose a theme
  • Add/Rearrange content blocks
  • Customize banner text
  • Choose a banner image
  • Add images using the Upload/Embed Image tool
  • Add/Edit the navigation block
  • Use the Multi Tool to quickly build a course shell (including template pages)
  • Adjust assignment dates using the Multi Tool's Due Date Modifier
  • Customize the style of images, links, tables and ordered/unordered lists
  • Make accessible tables
  • Check the accessibility of headings, images and link text
  • Access special features in a course syllabus
  • Add styling to existing content
  • Find additional resources

Functional User Training Part 2

This 90 minute session digs a little deeper into what we can do with the rich content editor tools using the intermediate and advanced level tools.

Level 2: Intermediate Tools Training

The intermediate level of the rich content editor tools introduces additional tools for working with styles as well as taking advantage of some advanced elements. These tools help build things in Canvas that would otherwise require writing HTML, CSS and/or JavaScript.

In level 2 we will learn how to:

  • Adjust Banner Theme Colors
  • Adjust the Background color and text color of other elements
  • Adjust element margins and padding
  • Set border styles and colors for elements
  • Use Block Alerts/Highlights
  • Add Emphasis and Highlights to text
  • Work with Accordions, Tabs and Expanders
  • Work with Description Lists
  • Add a variety of preconfigured HTML Snippets
  • Add icons at the cursor position
  • Build a Module List with information about all of the modules in your course
  • Add Module Progress/Navigation indicators
  • Add Objectives/Outcomes text to your content
  • Add Teacher and TA details
  • Add language accent characters to your content

Level 3: Advanced Tools Training

This last level will introduce some advanced tools that will help you fine tune your Canvas content. Many of these tools are geared toward those who have some knowledge and experience working with HTML and CSS.

In this level we will look at adding in the following advanced elements:

  • Modal Dialogs (popup boxes)
  • Quick Checks (an ungraded multiple choice question that can be inserted into the content)

We will also learn how to:

  • Work with the Advanced HTML Editor
  • Easily adjust HTML Attributes like ID, class and style
  • Insert empty paragraphs above/below the current element
  • Remove spans from content that often result from a copy and paste
  • Clear all inline styles from a selected element and all its children
  • Unwrap element contents
  • Delete an element and all of its contents
  • Clear empty elements
  • Rearrange children of block elements (list items, table rows, etc.)
  • Add custom CSS to a course

Admin Training

The 60 minute Admin training is for those who will be maintaining DesignPLUS customizations at the account level. We will cover customizing the following:

  • Template Content Blocks
    • Content building blocks that can be selected by users when building their content in the rich content editor. Customizing blocks can be created for general content (assignments, discussions, pages and quizzes) or for the syllabus area of Canvas
  • Policy Blocks
    • These content blocks can be configured to house institutional/departmental policies that can be easily added to the course syllabus. These policies are updated every time that Design Tools are launched in a course syllabus.
  • Template Pages
  • Template Syllabi
  • Default Color Palette
    • Set colors that are available to users when using the color pickers inside of Design Tools.
  • Objectives
    • Objective/Outcome/Standard text that can be easily added to content in the rich content editor.
  • HTML Snippets
    • Preconfigured chunks of HTML code that can be inserted at the cursor position using Design Tools
  • Support information for users (institutional and sub-account level)
  • Banner Images
    • How to add images that users can pick from for their course banner
  • Theme Configurations
    • What themes are available, appearance of buttons used to choose a theme, default banner image, etc.
  • Theme Colors Page
    • A playground that can be used when customizing the CSS for the Design Tools themes.

Bonus Training

This 60 minute training can be used for Q&A down the road or a variety of other custom training activity for an institution.