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Self-Help Guide

Design Tools for Canvas: Create aCourse Homepage Using a DesignTools Template

This guide walks through how to create and customize a Canvas course homepageusing a Design Tools template. Design Tools is a package integrated within Canvasthat provides additional tools for style and design of course pages. Design Tools hasseveral homepage templates that can be customized and built out with othercommon homepage features such as a block for teacher information and a list ofcourse modules. 

Create a Course Homepage Using Design Tools

Choose a Banner and Template

Prepare a Banner Image for Your Homepage

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This article covers how to prepare an image for use in a Design Tools homepagetemplate. This article is one of a series of articles in the self-help guide Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

Design Tools homepage templates require the use of a banner image. Design Toolsdoes have images already uploaded into the homepage templates that you can use,

typically nature scenes from a desert location. However, you may also choose touse your own image with the template. 

Finding a banner imageThere are many options for finding a banner image for your course site:

Use an image of your own.Google an image to find one that is not copyrighted for use.Access free stock content through the University's stock content tools (must beon a computer connected to eduroam to access this OR be set up with VPN access).Make an account for another free graphic stock application to find a picture.

The best banner size to use in a Design Tools template is a 10:3 ratio. There areseveral cropping tools that you can use for free to help crop your image to a 10:3ratio if the image you want to use is not already confined to that ratio.

Uploading a banner image to the course siteOnce you have your image cropped and saved to your computer, upload it into theCanvas course site that you want to use it in:

1. Go to the course site you will use the banner in.2. Click Files in the course navigation menu:

3. Click Upload in the top right corner. Your computer's file system will open up.

4. Find the image that you saved on your computer and select Open. You will seethe file appear in the Canvas files area with an upload status bar that willdisappear once it is fully uploaded.

Once the image is fully uploaded to the course files area, it is ready for use in aDesign Tools template. See Select a Design Tools Homepage Template forinformation on putting the banner image into the template.

Select a Template

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This article covers how to choose a Design Tools homepage template to use in yourcourse site. This article is one of a series of articles in the self-help guide Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

Selecting a template1. Go to the course site for which you want to build a homepage.2. Click Pages in the course navigation menu.3. Click +Page in the top right of the page.

You may need to click View all Pages above the page in the top leftcorner to get to the area where you see the +Page option.

4. Type "Design Tools Homepage" in the page title field.5. Click Launch Design Tools Rocket Ship icon in the top right corner of the

screen:

6. Notice the Design Tools toolbar that slides out of the right side of the screen.This toolbar will appear every time you click the Rocket Ship icon:

7. Click Create/Edit Content in the Design Tools toolbar; a menu will expand downward with several options.

8. Click Choose a Theme in the expanded Create/Edit Content menu; another menu will expand downward.

9. Click the Front Page button next to the Page Type options above the coloredtheme blocks:

10. Hover your cursor over each colored Institutional Themes block to see whichtemplate you want to use. A box showing each template should appear off tothe left of the toolbar.

Note: We do not recommend "Circle Overlap" because of user issues.11. Click on the theme block that you want, and the template with that theme will

load into the rich text editor in the Canvas page.12. Click Save at the bottom of the Canvas page to save your homepage with the

template you have chosen.

Once you have selected the template you want to use, you are now ready tocustomize it with your course details. See Customize a Homepage Template formore information.

To watch a video demonstrating several ways to use a Design Tools Front Pagetemplate in your canvas course, see Make a Homepage with Design Toolswebinar recording:

Customize the Template

Add Your Banner Image and Course Details

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This article covers how to customize a Design Tools homepage template. Thisarticle is one of a series of articles in the self-help guide Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

Adding your course information1. Be in Edit mode for the homepage you are building.

Click Pages in the course navigation menu.If you already have pages in this course site, you will see a "front page."

Click View all Pages above the page in the top left corner to see a list ofall course pages.Click on the title of the homepage you are building.Click Edit in the top right corner of the page to be in Edit mode.

2. Click the Design Tools Rocket Ship icon to launch the Design Tools toolbar.3. Click Create/Edit Content in the Design Tools toolbar; a menu will expand

downward with several options.4. Click Customize Banner Text in the Design Tools menu; a new menu will

expand below this title.

5. Keep Show Canvas Title toggle button off.

6. Type your course abbreviation code in the Unit Name field (e.g. WRIT, HIST,etc.).

7. Type your course number into the Unit Number field (e.g. 1001, 2435, etc.).8. Type your course name into the Content Title field.

Notice what changes on the Canvas page when you insert text into thefields found in the Design Tools toolbar. This will help you decide whattext to place in each field.Note that the template will look best if you leave the Content Subtitle

 and Description fields blank.

Adding your own banner imageThe Design Tools homepage template comes with an image already in place.However, you can customize this image to what you would like to use. See Upload an Image for Use in a Design Tools Template if you have not already uploaded animage to use in your banner.

1. Click Choose a Banner Image in the Design Tools menu; a new menu will expand below this title.

Notice when you click on this menu option, the Customize Banner Textoptions disappear and the menu items under Choose a Banner Imageappear instead. You can navigate back and forth between the differentmenus by clicking on them anytime while working on the page.

2. Place your cursor over the auto-filled images area in the Design Tools areaand scroll down to find your image that you uploaded previously. It will be nearthe bottom of the image list.

3. Click your banner image that you want to use; the image on the template inthe Canvas rich text editor will change to that image.

Customizing the navigation blocksThe Design Tools template comes with a few pre-labeled navigational links tovarious content in a course, such as a Syllabus link, Modules link, and a Start Herelink. You can customize these navigational link titles to fit your own course needs.You can also add more or delete navigational links that you will not use.

1. Click Add/Edit Navigation Blocks in the Design Tools menu; a new menu will expand below this title.

2. Customize the titles to the automatically-generated links on the template withtitles that fit the context of your class.

For example, if you want to change the "More Resources" link to say"Class Resource," place your cursor in the text field in the Design Toolsmenu that says "More Resources." Use the Backspace key to delete thattitle and type the title "Class Resources." Look at the rich content editor tosee how the template has been updated with your changes.

3. Add a new navigational link to the list of links on the homepage template. Click +Add Item to add a new link.Type the title you want for the new link in the text field in Design Tools

next to the new line item that was added to this list.4. Use the Split list at box to arrange the navigation blocks into columns across

the home page: You will need to save the page to see how the Split list at box affects

how your template works. It will not change the way that area looks in therich content editor on the Canvas page in Edit mode.

5.

Customize the icons used in the navigation blocks: Click on the icon next to the Navigation titles. A Custom Icons box will

slide out on the left side of the DT menu.

Use the search box in the Custom Icons box to find an icon that you wantto use.Click on the icon you want to use to select it. It will automatically appear

in the Canvas page rich text editor and the DT Add/Edit Navigation Blockarea next to the block's titleClick the X in the Custom Icon box to close that box

6. Change the order of the navigational links. Click the up/down arrow  next to the icon image to drag and drop the

navigation blocks in a different order.7. Click the red X icon  next to any navigation block you do not want to use

on the template.

After you have customized your navigation blocks to how you want them titled andarranged, you are ready to create the links for these blocks.

Making the navigation block linksOnce you have decided on the number and titles of the navigational links in thetemplate, you can create links to choose where these navigational blocks will takeyour students when they click on them. 

1. To set up the links for the navigation block, click the X in the very top, rightcorner of the Design Tools menu to close it. This will allow the normal Canvas

editing mode 3rd column to appear again.

2. Move your cursor back into the Canvas rich text editor.3. Inside the rich text editor, highlight the title of the navigation block that you

want to create a link.

4. Choose the location you want to link the highlighted text to by clicking on thecorrect location in the 3rd column menu.

5. Click Save and Publish.6. Check that the navigation links go to the places you want them to go to.

For additional ways to modify a Design Tools homepage template, see Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

 

Add Teacher and TA Information

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This article covers how to add a Teacher & TA Details block to a course homepageusing Design Tools. This article is one of a series of articles in the self-help guide Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

Design Tools has a pre-formatted block of content called a Teacher & TA Detailsblock that includes the profile picture and information of anyone assigned to thecourse as an instructor or teacher assistant. This block is customizable to includeonly certain instructors and/or TAs. The specific instructor/TA information is alsocustomizable for the course. This block appears on a course page like this:

Adding a Teacher & TA Details block1. Be in Edit mode for the homepage you are building.

Click Pages in the course navigation menu.If you already have pages in this course site, you will see a "front page."Click View all Pages above the page in the top left corner to get to thearea where you see a list of all course pages.Click on the title of the homepage you are building.Click Edit in the top right corner of the page to be in Edit mode.

2. Click the Design Tools Rocket Ship icon to launch the Design Tools toolbar.3. Click the Design Tools Settings icon.

4. The Design Tools Settings box will open up to the left of the Design Tools toolbar. Click the

Advanced Comfort Level button.

You should now see the Add Advanced Elements menu in the main DesignTools menu to the right.

5. Close the Design Tools Settings menu by clicking on the X in the top rightcorner of the box.

6. Click Add Advanced Elements; a menu appears below it.

7. Click on Teacher & TA Details.The menu that appears below will have the name of any teacher and TAthat had been placed in the course. If you do not see the name of theteacher or TA whose information you need to pull in for this block, you willneed to contact your department's admin staff who enter information intoPeopleSoft to get the correct teacher associated with the course.

8. Check/uncheck the boxes on the left of each field to decide which fields todisplay in the block. Anything left unchecked will not appear in the block on the

course page.

9. Fill in the fields with the correct information to display on the page.10. To insert the information as a block on the page (recommended), click +Insert

as Content Block. The block will show up on your page in the rich text editor.

Updating the Teacher & TA Details blockYou can update the information in the Teacher & TA Details block any time asneeded. There will be two new buttons below the Teacher information that isalready displayed: Update Details and Remove. 

1. Follow the steps 6 - 7 above to get to the Teacher & TA Details block.2. Update information in the fields below each instructor or TA in the Design Tools

menu area.3. Click Update Details

once you have revised the information.

4. Click Remove to remove an entire TA or Teacher block (i.e. there is a TA intraining that you don't want listed on the homepage).

For additional ways to customize a Canvas course homepage using a Design Toolstemplate, see  Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

 

Add a List of Course Modules

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This article covers how to add a Module List block using Design Tools. A Module Listblock creates a listing of course modules with links to each module that studentscan access from the course homepage. This article is one of a series of articles inthe self-help guide Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

Before adding a Modules List block, have all of your modules built with the titles youwant to use, and place them in the order you plan to use them in your course site.There is a Reset List button in Design Tools that you can use to refresh informationif you make changes to modules, but it is a better workflow to add this piece to yourhomepage after the modules have been built.

Adding a Module List to a homepage1. Be in Edit mode for the homepage you are building.

Click Pages in the course navigation menu.If you already have pages in this course site, you will see a "front page."Click View all Pages above the page in the top left corner to get to thearea where there is a list of all course pages.Click on the title of the homepage you are building.Click Edit in the top right corner of the page to be in Edit mode.

2. Click the Design Tools Rocket Ship icon to launch the Design Tools toolbar.3. Click the Design Tools Settings icon.

4. The Design Tools Settings box will open up to the left of the Design Tools toolbar. Click the Advanced Comfort Level button. 

The Add Advanced Elements menu will appear in the main Design Tools menu on the right.

5. Close the Design Tools Settings menu by clicking on the X in the top rightcorner of the box.

6. Click Add Advanced Elements; a menu appears below it. Click Module List

.

7. Click the toggle button under Add and Configure Module List so that agreen check mark appears; the Module List menu will appear below.

8. Click + Add all Modules; any modules you have in your course will show up in a list on the Canvas page.

Any time you update the modules in your course site (title, order, etc.),you will click the Reset List button to refresh the information on thehomepage so that it stays up-to-date.

9. Select how many columns you want your modules links to appear in on thepage.

10. You can change the module icons to either have all modules be the same icon(but different than what is here) or you can change the individual icon of each

module. Click on the icon next to the Module titles. A Custom Icons box will slide out on the left side of the Design Tools menu.

Use the search box to find an icon that you want to use.Click on the icon you want to use to select it. It will automatically appearin the Canvas page rich text editor and the Design Tools Module list titlearea next to the module title.Click the X in the Custom Icon box to close that box when you are donechoosing icons.

11. Choose which "Browser Only Features" you would like. These features onlyshow up on computers, not on mobile devices:

Link To options: Determines whether links will open to that module withinthe modules page or open the first item within that module.

Module Page -- links to the module page showing all items in thatmodule.First Item -- links to the first item placed in the module (i.e. a moduleoverview page)

Include Quick Links -- Quick Links display the a list of links toitems within a module on the homepage underneath the module title.

Current -- This option makes links to modules that you havemanually marked as current using the Mark as current icon . ORyou can put in dates in the Design Tools area menu area next toeach module title and have the current week's links/module itemsappear automatically.All -- This option creates a tabbed format with each module title on aseparate tab on the homepage. It is important to note that you can'tsee these tabs from the mobile device.

None -- This option creates the list of module titles with links, butthere is not list of items within that module linked on the homepage.

12. Choose to display Date Fields: Show dates/Hide Dates/ ClearPut in dates: show dates/start dates

13. You can turn off any modules that you don't need linked from the front page byclicking the Toggle Visibility icon  .

See Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template self-help guide for other content blocks that you can add to ahomepage using Design Tools templates. 

Change the Order of Your Homepage Content

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This article covers how to change the order of various content blocks on ahomepage page built with Design Tools. This article is one of a series of articles inthe self-help guide Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

If you have built a course homepage using the steps in Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template self-help guide, yourhomepage should have several content blocks:

the course title areathe course banner imagecourse navigation areaTeacher & TA Details block the Module List block

You can change the order that these different blocks appear on the page.

Changing the order of content block on a page1. Be in Edit mode for the homepage you are building.

Click Pages in the course navigation menu.If you already have pages in this course site, you will see a "front page."Click View all Pages above the page in the top left corner to get to a list

of all course pages.Click on the title of the homepage you are building.Click Edit in the top right corner of the page to be in Edit mode.

2. Click the Design Tools Rocket Ship icon to launch the Design Tools toolbar.3. Click Create/Edit Content.4. Click Add/Rearrange Content Blocks; a list of the different content blocks

will appear:

 

The titles of these content blocks are based on the text used within theblocks. It is VERY easy to get confused in trying to figure out whichcontent block listed here relates to which section on the actual homepage.To help you associate each block to the area on the page, hover over oneof the block line items in the Design Tools tool bar. The block in theCanvas page editor will turn to a blue highlight. Use this visual cue tofigure out what blocks are where on your page BEFORE you start movingthings around.

5. Click on the up/down arrow to the left of the block you want to move.6. Drag and drop the content block to a new location in the list. The content on

the Canvas page should move as you move items in the Design Tools menu.You can click +Add Blocks to add more content blocks to yourhomepage.The Refresh List button is useful when you have added multipleadvanced elements and then need to revise something. 

7. Once the content appears in the desired order on the page, click Save inCanvas underneath the rich content editor. 

Apply Your New Page as the Course Homepage

Set Your Course Homepage

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This article shows how to make a page designed with Design Tools bethe homepage in a Canvas course site. This article is one of a series of articles inthe self-help guide Design Tools for Canvas: Create a Course Homepage Using a Design Tools Template.

Setting a page as a course homepage1. Click Pages in the course navigation menu.2. Click View all Pages.3. Find the homepage that you created in the course pages list.4. Click the Options icon  next to the right of this page title.5. Select Use as Front Page in the dropdown menu.6. Click the Home button in the course navigation menu.

7. Click Choose Home Page on the far right column of the page.

8. Click Pages Front Page (the title of your homepage should be listed next to

this option).

9. Click Save.

The page you selected in step 5 as the Front Page should now appear every timeyou click the Home button on the course navigation menu.