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Enhancing the Canvas Template


TAMU Canvas Template

The Texas A&M University template in Canvas has been designed and updated for ease of use by course instructors to enhance the student learning experience.  The template is automatically applied to all courses in Canvas to enhance the student experience. 


Enhancing Template Buttons

The template includes buttons, graphics, and other assets designed to enhance the student experience, all grounded in best practices in instructional design. If you prefer to personalize your course further, editable templates are also provided, allowing you to create custom buttons and elevate the design even more.

Homepage Banner

ATM Banner Image icon
The Homepage Banner is the first graphic students see when they enter your Canvas course. We have provided a customizable banner that can be personalized with your course name. Updating this banner is a simple way to create a unique and welcoming homepage experience. This enhancement helps students quickly orient themselves within the course and sets the tone for an engaging digital learning environment.
The Student Resource Buttons feature five commonly used links that provide students with quick and convenient access to essential course and campus resources directly from the Homepage. These include the Syllabus, Office Hours, University Resources, Canvas Resources, and Mental Health information.

View Home Banner and How to Customize It




Homepage Banner Template This link opens a Google Drawing that allows you to copy and customize the Home Banner. For additional assistance on how to modify and add the Homepage Banner to your course, navigate to the Modifying the Homepage Banner   

Modifying the Homepage Banner Template

Below are the steps for how to modify the Homepage Banner template asset we have provided and add it to your course:
  1. Click on the Homepage Banner Template asset. This will open a Google Drawings Copy Document page. Click Make a copy.
  2. Within Google Drawings, you can add/replace images or edit the text as desired. 
  3. Rename the file by selecting File > Rename.
    • Note: This image title will be a part of the default Alt tag so it is important to name the button to correspond with the intended destination/hyperlink. For example, you would name a file "Homepage Banner" versus "Copy of Homepage Banner".
  4. Once all edits are made, select File > Download > PNG image (.png).
    • Note: JPG and SVG files are also supported
  5. Navigate to your Canvas course, and click on Files from your course navigation pane.
  6. Click Upload and choose the image file that was downloaded.
Below are the steps for how to add the button to your Homepage: 
  1. From the course navigation, click Home to navigate to your Homepage, then click Edit.
  2. From the Rich Content Editor, click on the downward facing arrow next to the Images icon and select CourseImages. 
  3. Select the image from the right-side menu.
  4. Click Save. 
For additional guidance, watch the Adding Buttons to the Course Homepage in Canvas video (5:40).

Student Resource Buttons

The Student Resource Buttons feature five commonly used links that provide students with quick and convenient access to essential course and campus resources directly from the Homepage. These include the Syllabus, Office Hours, University Resources, Canvas Resources, and Mental Health information.

Syllabus
This button links to a Page pre-loaded with Texas A&M’s minimum syllabus requirements. It serves as a helpful guide to support you in developing your course syllabus. Use this Page to fill in the provided sections with your specific course information.

Office Hours
This button links to a Page pre-loaded with Office Hours information, providing a space for faculty to include detailed availability, such as a Zoom link, office location, or other relevant details.

University Resources
This button links to a Page featuring helpful university support resources for students. It includes contact information and links to academic services such as the Library, University Writing Center, as well as Technology and Campus Resources.

Canvas Resources
This button links to a Page containing essential Canvas resources for students, including tutorials for getting started, guidance on using Canvas tools, and direct links to Canvas support services. 

Mental Health
This button links to a Page featuring mental health resources available to all Texas A&M University students. It includes a QR code to download the Telus Health Student Support app providing 24/7 access to mental health support.

Note: Do not delete the folder titled 23 SPRING TEMPLATE ASSETS (DO NOT DELETE) located in the Files section of your course. Removing this folder will break the image links provided in the template and may disrupt the student experience when viewing course content.

Below are the steps to customize the Student Resource Button template assets and add them to your course:
  1. Click on the Student Resource Button asset (linked in the above section). This will open a Google Drawings Copy Document page. Click Make a copy.
  2. Within Google Drawings, you can add/replace images or edit the text as desired. 
  3. Rename the file by selecting File > Rename.
    • Note: This image title will be a part of the default Alt tag so it is important to name the button to correspond with the intended destination/hyperlink. For example, you would name a file "Course Resources" versus "Copy of Resource Button".
  4. Once all edits are made, select File > Download > PNG image (.png).
    • Note: JPG and SVG files are also supported
  5. Navigate to your Canvas course, and click on Files from your course navigation pane.
  6. Click Upload and choose the image file that was downloaded.
Below are the steps for how to add the Student Resource Buttons to your Homepage: 
  1. From the course navigation, click Home to navigate to your Homepage, then click Edit.
  2. From the Rich Content Editor, click on the downward facing arrow next to the Images icon and select Course Images. 
  3. Select the image from the right-side menu.
  4. Click Save. 
Below are the steps for how to link a Student Resource Button to a resource: 
  1. From the course navigation, click Home to navigate to your Homepage, then click Edit.
  2. From the Rich Content Editor, select the newly created button and click the downward facing arrow next to the Links icon. 
  3. Select one of the following: 
    • External links: This will hyperlink the button to an external URL
    • Course links: This will hyperlink the button to a course content item.
  4. Locate the course link or paste the external link, then click Save. 
For additional guidance, watch the Adding Buttons to the Course Homepage in Canvas video (5:40).

Navigation Buttons

Navigation Buttons are available in five color options and are designed to give students quick access to learning materials directly from the Homepage. These buttons can be customized to align with your course structure, such as organizing by week or module.

These buttons are no longer included by default in every template. However, if you choose to use them, you can easily upload them to your course shell and create hyperlinks using the Rich Content Editor in Canvas.

For additional guidance on modifying and adding these assets to your course, refer to the Modifying the Navigation Buttons section below. If your course is organized by an alternative structure—such as Chapters or Units—we recommend creating customized versions of the Module Navigation Buttons using the Blank Button Template.
 

 Grey Button Blank
 
 Yellow Button Blank
 
 Maroon Button Blank
 
 Black Button Blank
 
 Blue Button Blank
 

 Grey Week Set
 
 Yellow Week Set
 
 Maroon Week Set
 
 Black Week Set
 
 Blue Week Set
 

 Grey Module Set
 
 Yellow Module Set
 
 Maroon Module Set
 
 Black Module Set
 
 Blue Module Set
 

Below are the steps to customize the Navigation Buttontemplate assets and add them to your course:
  1. Click on the Navigation Button asset (linked in the above section). This will open a Google Drawings Copy Document page. Click Make a copy.
  2. Within Google Drawings, you can add/replace images or edit the text as desired. 
  3. Rename the file by selecting File > Rename.
    • Note: This image title will be a part of the default Alt tag so it is important to name the button to correspond with the intended destination/hyperlink. For example, you would name a file "Week 1 Button" versus "Copy of Week 1 Button".
  4. Once all edits are made, select File > Download > PNG image (.png).
    • Note: JPG and SVG files are also supported
  5. Navigate to your Canvas course, and click on Files from your course navigation pane.
  6. Click Upload and choose the image file that was downloaded.

Below are the steps for how to add the Navigation Buttons to your Homepage: 
  1. From the course navigation, click Home to navigate to your Homepage, then click Edit.
  2. From the Rich Content Editor, click on the downward facing arrow next to the Images icon and select Course Images. 
  3. Select the image from the right-side menu.
  4. Click Save. 

Below are the steps for how to link a Navigation Button to content: 
  1. From the course navigation, click Home to navigate to your Homepage, then click Edit.
  2. From the Rich Content Editor, select the newly created button and click the downward facing arrow next to the Links icon. 
  3. Select one of the following: 
    • External links: This will hyperlink the button to an external URL
    • Course links: This will hyperlink the button to a course content item.
  4. Locate the course link or paste the external link, then click Save. 
For additional guidance, watch the Adding Buttons to the Course Homepage in Canvas video (5:40). 
 

Student View

You can view your course exactly as your students see it by using the Student View feature in Canvas. Enabling Student View creates a Test Student in your course, allowing you to experience the course from a student’s perspective. You can activate Student View from your Course Settings or by clicking the Student View button, located in the top right corner of most pages.


You’ll know you’re in Student View by the magenta bar that appears at the bottom of the page. This bar remains visible on every page while Student View is active. 


We recommend using the Student View feature for the following:
  • View course content 
  • Post and reply to Discussions
  • Submit Assignments
  • View Grades
  • View People
  • View Pages
  • View the syllabus
  • View and submit Quizzes
  • View the Calendar and the Scheduler (if enabled)

Resetting vs Leaving


If you’d like to reset the Test Student data, use the Reset Student option. However, please note that any Test Student activity involving interactions with other students—such as discussion replies—cannot be removed. These interactions are retained even after the Test Student is reset.

If you prefer to exit Student View without deleting the Test Student data, simply click Leave Student View on the magenta banner at the bottom of the screen. You may choose to retain this data if, for example, you want to interact with it from the instructor perspective—such as grading a submission made by the Test Student.

Student View Considerations


The table below illustrates limitations of using the Student View feature in Canvas. 

Student View at Texas A&M University
Each Canvas course has a separate Test Student account. Whenever you move to a new course you will need to enable Student View for that course.
Submissions and scores for the Test Student do not affect course analytics.
You can only view the course layout as it is seen by your students. You cannot view student-specific information, such as conversations between students.
Once you activate Student View, the Test Student is shown at the end of the Gradebook and SpeedGrader and is automatically added to every section in your course.
New Quizzes assessments should be previewed in New Quizzes and not taken as the test student. Test Student attempts cannot be reset and will affect analysis reports.

As a note, you are unable to use the Student View feature to preview:
  • Attendance
  • Inbox
  • Collaborations
  • Differentiated assignments
  • External third-party tools
  • Groups
  • Peer reviews
  • Profiles
With these features, you will see only what you, as the instructor, allow your students to see. 

Accessibility and Mobile Friendliness

Navigation Buttons

Consider designing your course with mobile-friendly guidelines in mind. While some students will access your Canvas course from a computer at home or on campus, others may use a mobile device while commuting or standing in line at a coffee shop. The user experience may vary slightly depending on whether students access Canvas through a web browser or Instructure’s free Canvas app.
 

Dark Mode - Mobile Devices

The Canvas Student and Teacher apps both offer a Dark Mode setting. However, due to the Texas A&M Canvas style guide, certain buttons and features may be difficult to view or use in Dark Mode. Below are best practices to help optimize the experience for users:
  • Ensure high color contrast in your course design. Users can adjust the course color if needed for better visibility.
  • Enable High Contrast UI on a computer dashboard. This setting may help reduce visual issues experienced in Dark Mode.
  • View quiz results in Light Mode when possible, as it may provide a clearer display for instructors.
  • Switch to Light Mode temporarily for content that relies heavily on the TAMU template, as some elements may not display optimally in Dark Mode.

Additional Resources

Customizing the Course Menu Navigation Bar
Adding Buttons to the Course Homepage in Canvas
TAMU Canvas Template Demo -Syllabus Page