3.1.1 - Canvas Overview for Students

Closeup of a woman holding a smartphone that is displaying a Getting Started module and module items in the Canvas Student app.

As noted on 1.1.2 - Accessing Your Online Course in the Getting Started module, UD uses Canvas, a web-based learning management system platform, to deliver its online courses. (This orientation site is housed in Canvas.) If you haven't yet, be sure to check out the page, which contains information on where and how to log into UD Canvas.

Though some instructors may include instructional content from sites or platforms outside of Canvas in their course, the bulk of your time will be spent working in Canvas. Throughout your time in the course, you may be required to do any of the following in Canvas:

Post to discussion threads
Take quizzes or exams
Submit assignments electronically
Attend web conference sessions
Work in groups
Download files

Some notable Canvas features include a gradebook that allows you to continually check your progress, an announcements area and internal messaging system that will keep you up to date on the latest news from the instructor, and a calendar that can be used to keep track of assignment deadlines and exam dates.

To start learning about Canvas, check out the video below, which provides a short tour of the main features of the learning management system. Subsequent pages in this module contain links to Canvas help documentation and video tutorials for specific features of the learning platform.