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Canvas

Laptop computer on a desk with a mug and books. The laptop computer is open with the Rush University Canvas homepage on the screen.
Faculty Summer Pilot

Thank you to all faculty who showed interest in the pilot and a big thank you to the faculty who were part of the Canvas Summer Pilot 2021. 

Accessing Canvas

Canvas can be accessed here or with the following URL: https://rushuniversity.instructure.com.

It’s a good idea to bookmark this URL to your web browser bookmarks bar. You will log in using your Rush username and password. If you are not able to log in, please be patient as we are working with Information Systems to create Canvas single sign on accounts for Rush University faculty and students.

Canvas Training

As the CTEI staff gears up to transition and train faculty on the features and tools in Canvas, we will be continually adding instructional videos and workshops to our CTEI YouTube channel. 

CTEI is offering several options for faculty to onboard and learn Canvas. These options offer faculty flexibility to participate in live or on-demand Canvas training.

On-demand options for Canvas training:

  • Growing with Canvas (Self-paced teacher training modules in Canvas where you are the student) - earn badges as you learn! Email CTEI@Rush.edu and one of our Instructional Designers will enroll you in the course and create a Sandbox course for you to practice what you learn in the Growing with Canvas course. 
  • CTEI Knowledge Base on our CTEI YouTube channel 
  • Visit our Canvas Tutorials page for CTEI Canvas videos and Canvas guides.

Live virtual workshop options for Canvas training:

  • Canvas Bootcamp - Longer training workshop (about 60-90 minutes) for intense training.
  • Open Lab Hours - Book an appointment and ask any questions you may have about Canvas. You can book an appointment with an Instructional Designer at our CTEI Open Lab Bookings page. You will need to log into O365 with your Rush email and password. These are one-to-one Canvas trainings for yourself or book an appointment with your department faculty. 
Visit our CTEI Training page for the Canvas workshop schedules. 
Canvas Tools & Integrations
Respondus LockDown Browser
Make Respondus LockDown Browser a requirement for a Canvas quiz

Respondus LockDown Browser is enabled on a test-by-test basis. Since LockDown Browser adds an additional layer of security to normal Canvas quizzes, instructors can flexibly enable it for some or all of a course’s existing assessments.

First, you’ll need to enable the LockDown Browser menu item in your course.

  1. In your course, go to the course menu and click Settings at the bottom.
  2. Click the Navigation tab             

  3. In the listing at the bottom of the screen, find Respondus LockDown Browser and click the three dots icon, then click Enable, then click the Save button.

     

Now that the menu item is enabled, you can turn on LockDown Browser for a quiz.

  1. Click the Respondus LockDown Browser link in the course menu. The Respondus LockDown Browser Dashboard contains a list of all tests present in the course. The LockLown Browser and Proctoring columns provide information about the current status of LockDown Browser and Proctoring/Monitor for the test. 

  2. To add a requirement for LockDown Browser, open the chevron menu at the beginning of the quiz’s row and click Settings. 
  3. Select Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam (a) and DO NOT enter a password (b). 

    Note: If you want to set a password for the quiz, use the Canvas quiz setting for requiring an access code.

  4. Click [+] Advanced Settings to review and set advanced options for the assessment. In most cases the default settings are appropriate. 
    ​
  5. Optional: Make Respondus Monitor a requirement, recorded webcam monitoring
     
  6. Click Save and Close. 
  7. The word Required will appear reflect the requirement for LockDown Browser (and Monitor proctoring, if enabled) and the test’s name will be updated. The automatic name change is intended to communicate the requirement to your students and cannot be removed or modified. 

    If LockDown Browser is required, “Requires Respondus LockDown Browser” is added to the test’s name. 

    If Respondus Monitor is required, “(**Webcam**) - Requires Respondus LockDown Browser is added to the test’s name.
Respondus Monitor
Preparing to administer assessments with Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor
  1. Training and documentation
    Review instructor documentation available from Rush and Respondus.
     
  2. Establish Respondus testing policies
    While making plans to begin using LockDown Browser and Monitor in your course, consider the following:
    1. Will students be allowed to test on a different date or in a different location on request? 
    2. How will students who experience a hardware or software problem be handled? Will you be available to respond to student concerns during the time the students are expected to take the test?
    3. Will students be allowed to use Lockdown Browser for iPads?
  3. Modify tests and quizzes for use with Respondus 
    You may need to modifications to your test design and adjust settings before they can be successfully deployed through LockDown Browser.
    1. Password: Do not set an exam password in the Test Options. You will be given an opportunity to enter the test password when you configure the test’s LockDown Browser settings.
  4. Communicate with students

Send a notification to your students indicating that Respondus LockDown Browser will be used to take tests and/or quizzes in your course. Include information about Lockdown Browser (and Monitor, if necessary) in your course’s syllabus.
If your students will not be using a Rush computer lab to take their test, inform them that they will need to download and install LockDown Browser, and post at least one practice assessment to allow them to verify that the software will work correctly on their device in a real-world testing situation. 

 

Refer to Respondus LockDown Browser Student notification sample text.docx and Respondus Monitor Student notification sample text.docx for examples of the information you’ll need to include when communicating with your students about Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor.

Grade Passback

We are pleased to announce the new feature of the Grade Passback tool within the Canvas LMS (Learning Management System). The Grade Passback tool is integrated in each section and will allow faculty to send grades directly into Colleague from Canvas. The Grade Passback tool is set to be available when grading opens for the 22SU term, and you should receive step-by-step documentation soon on how to use this new feature.

For more information visit our Knowledge Base Guides. Note: you will need to login with your Rush email and password. 

TurnItIn
Add a Turnitin assignment to your course

Adding a Turnitin assignment to your course is similar to creating a “normal” Canvas assignment. Like adding a Canvas-based assignment, following these steps creates a link where students can submit their document(s) and a corresponding column in your course’s Grades area. 

Creating an assignment in Canvas with TurnItIn

 

How we came to our decision to transition to Canvas

Rush University began evaluating its current Learning Management System in early 2019 with the development of a committee made up of faculty, students, and staff members. The LMS Review Committee developed a survey to evaluate institutional needs with regards to a learning management system; one survey was sent to faculty and one to students. After the needs were established, a Request for Proposals was written. The final decision was made to move forward with Canvas in Fall 2020. 

Committee members:

Paula Jo Belice (CHS)
Beth Bolick (CON)
Melinda Earle (CHS & CON)
Aeja Jackson (Student)
Amber Kujath (CON)
Doug Kuperman (CHS)
Kathryn Osborne (CON)
Anna Semprit (IS)
Angela Solic (CTEI)
Tara-Ann Waller (Student)
Brenda Weddington (Registrar)
Matt West (CTEI)
Adam Wilson (MC)
Helen Wood (GC)