Designing effective quizzes in Canvas starts with a simple question: What are you trying to accomplish? Quizzes aren’t just for grading, they can be powerful tools for learning. Whether you’re using them for quick knowledge checks, low-pressure practice opportunities, or high-stakes exams, well-designed quizzes can reinforce key ideas, help students spot gaps in their understanding, […]
Category: Canvas Spotlight
Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) has become increasingly prominent in education, often raising concerns about academic integrity and the misuse of Gen AI tools. In turn, when used appropriately, Gen AI can help both faculty and students with content creation and efficiency. As the AI industry grows, integrating it into courses, whether directly or through […]
As an instructor, you often have clear goals for what students should know or be able to do by the end of an assignment, quiz, or course, but it can be challenging to track whether students are actually meeting those goals over time. Learning Outcomes in Canvas can help bridge that gap. Learning Outcomes are […]
Written by the CTLD Instructional Media Team Each semester, the Center for Teaching, Learning and Design partners with MSU Denver faculty across the university to build meaningful, high-quality online learning experiences. These collaborations range from reimagining existing courses to full development projects built from the ground up. During this process, faculty work closely with the […]
As part of the Fall 2025 CTLD Course Development Cycle, Health Care Management instructor Garrett Chism partnered with the instructional design team to enhance HCM 3600 – Health Information Systems, an upper-division course introducing students to the technologies, data practices, and leadership considerations that support modern healthcare delivery. This development cycle placed a strong emphasis […]
Parasitology is a dense and highly visual subject matter that can be challenging for students to navigate. Students are asked to differentiate between organisms that often share similar traits, while also learning how those organisms infect hosts and affect their bodies. In the redesigned MLAB 409: Parasitology – developed in partnership with Professor Karen Myers, […]
By Alexandra Grima, Michael Rupert, Will Austin, Sarah Creasy, Tanner Wilde, Alex McDaniel Power electronics is a complex subject that can feel intimidating at first glance: fast switching, nonlinear behavior, magnetics, thermal limits, and control theory all interacting at once. In this course, however, students discover that these systems can be understood when they’re taught […]
Note: This is the fifth of five sections of a Canvas Spotlight series on Grading in Canvas. Below is a list of the other sections: A well-organized course can be the difference between a student who feels confident in their ability to succeed and a student who feels lost, unsure of what matters, and tempted […]
Written by the CTLD Instructional Media Team What do cannabis compliance, intergalactic construction missions, and color theory in contemporary art have in common? They are all at the center of three unique, media-rich courses recently developed through CTLD. From simulation-based learning and sci-fi-themed assignments to studio-recorded painting demos and expert roundtable videos, these courses demonstrate […]
Sometimes, traditional online courses can feel dry—lecture, reading, test, repeat. Even activities meant to increase engagement, like discussions, can become transactional miniature essays. Students disengage, and instructors can get stuck in a rut. That disengagement can also negatively impact drop/fail/withdraw rates, especially online. As part of the Spring 2025 development cycle, Professor Carolyn McGary, Director […]