To ensure that your assignments, quizzes, and discussions are ready for the new semester in Canvas, follow these best practices:

Assignments

Bulk Edit Due Dates and Availability

Use the "Edit Assignment Dates" feature to quickly update due dates and availability dates for multiple assignments at once.
Double-check dates in the Assignments or Modules sections after bulk editing.
Verify assignment groups for accurate weighted totals.

Update Assignment Details

Review and update each assignment's title, description, due dates, and point values.
Make necessary changes and save updates.

Best Practices for Migrating Quizzes

Review and Update Quiz Content: Verify that questions, answers, embedded media, and links are accurate and functional.
Consistency in Quiz Settings: Set correct availability dates and times. Adjust time limits and the number of attempts to match course requirements.
Ensure Proper Quiz Placement: Place quizzes in appropriate modules and assignment groups. Verify points and weighting for overall grade calculation.
Preview and Test Quizzes: Use Student View to preview quizzes from a student’s perspective. Conduct test runs to ensure all functionalities work as expected.
Communicate with Students: Provide clear instructions and guidelines for taking quizzes. Use course announcements to inform students about quiz schedules and details.
Backup and Documentation: Export quizzes as QTI files for backup. Document changes for future reference.
Technical Support and Resources: Refer to Canvas guides and resources for detailed instructions. Contact your institution’s Canvas support team for technical assistance.

Best Practices for Migrating Discussions

Carrying Over Discussions: Manually update discussion dates and settings after import. Avoid duplicates by selecting specific content during the copy process.
Review and Edit: After copying, review the discussion in the new course to ensure all content, including images and files, has been transferred correctly. Make any necessary adjustments to the discussion prompt or settings

General Best Practices

Comprehensive Review: Conduct a comprehensive review to ensure all assignments, quizzes, and discussions are valid and relevant to the new semester. Remove any unnecessary items to clean up the course content.
Use a Development Shell: Build and test assessments in a development shell before importing them into the official course.
Student View: Use the Student View feature to ensure everything functions as expected from the student's perspective.
Accessibility and Communication: Check the accessibility of your content using Canvas’s built-in Accessibility Checker or the Pope Tech Accessibility Checker. Communicate frequently with students about assessments and tools used.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your assignments, quizzes, and discussions are current and ready for the new semester in Canvas.

Additional Resources