UW course readiness checklist for online instruction
Review the areas below to make sure you feel prepared for online instruction via Canvas. Expand items on the list to see examples and resources for how to complete these steps. Download a PDF version of this checklist.
This resource was created by the UW Tri-Campus Committee for Online Learning Resources and Practices.
Setting up your Canvas site
Add course content to modules
- Create modules to represent units, weeks, or categories of content.
- Add course content to modules including readings and resources, assignments, and discussion boards.
Customize navigation
- Set a course home page.
- Manage the course navigation to remove unnecessary items and rearrange navigation items to my preference.
Create assignments and quizzes
- Set up Canvas assignments for students to submit their work online.
- Create online quizzes and surveys, as appropriate, in Canvas.
- Consider alternative forms of assessment.
Set up grading
- Set grade posting policies in the Canvas gradebook.
- Know how to grade and provide feedback on work submitted online in Canvas.
Orienting your students
Let students know how to get started
- Include Welcome, Contact and Getting Started information.
- Provide an overview or tour of the organization of the course materials.
- Prepare low-stakes activities for students to practice accessing and interacting with different parts of the course.
Post syllabus and schedule information
- Share a complete Syllabus in Canvas using either a file, a page, or the built-in Syllabus tool in Canvas.
- Post a complete course schedule.
- For class sessions or office hours in Zoom, make sure meeting details are shared through either the Zoom app in Canvas or another location in the course
Establish instructor presence
- Have a method of introducing the instructional team to students.
- Clearly state how the instructional team will communicate with students, including how often students should check for updates.
- Clearly state how to reach the instructional team, including expectations for response times.
Accessibility and accommodations
Make text and images accessible
- Use headings in all text-based content.
- Add alternate text to the images in my course.
- If using PDFs, make sure they are accessible.
Make videos accessible
- Caption videos in Panopto and/or Zoom.
- Make sure that any videos in the course from other creators already have captions.
Add extra time for students with testing accommodations
- Use the quiz moderation tools to provide extra time to individual students with testing accommodations.
- Extend the availability window for individual students with testing accommodations if needed.
Final check
Review Canvas course
- Use Student View to confirm how my course will appear to students, making sure that the correct content is visible.
- Test the external links in my course using the Course Link Validator.
Test other teaching and learning tools (optional)
- Launch a course Zoom meeting and test the features I wish to use to make sure they work as expected.
- Confirm that any videos load in Canvas and play successfully.
- Test all Canvas integrations in the course to ensure they are working as expected.
Publish the course
- Set availability dates and access settings for the course.
- Publish all of the content (modules, pages, files, and assignments) that should be visible to students, and unpublish course content that should remain hidden.
- Publish the course.
References
The following resources helped inform the design and content of this checklist:
- Course Readiness Checklist from the UW Tacoma Office of Digital Learning
- Online Course Readiness Checklist from the Cornell University Center for Teaching Innovation
- Beginning- and End-of-Course Checklists for Instructors from Instructure
Last reviewed March 18, 2021
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