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How to Get Started with Lucid in Canvas

Last updated on September 24, 2024

Lucid for Education can be used to integrate interactive and visual learning tools directly into your course. Once enabled within your Canvas course, Lucidspark and Lucidchart can be found in the navigation menu to the left. These tools foster collaboration, creativity, and deeper engagement by allowing students to brainstorm, organize ideas, and visualize complex concepts in real time. Whether you’re incorporating them into group projects, discussions, or visual learning aids, Lucidspark’s collaborative whiteboard and Lucidchart’s diagramming capabilities offer unique ways to enhance your teaching and support student engagement.

Mind map in Lucidspark

The image shows a Lucidspark mind map interface. In the center is a node labeled "Main Idea," with several colored branches extending outward. One of the branches connects to another node labeled "Related concept," which also has additional branches. The text fields on the branches and sub-branches are currently empty, with placeholders that say "Type something." There are toolbars on the left and top of the screen, including options like a laser pointer, share button, and tools for adding text, shapes, and lines. A blue icon on the lower right of the screen indicates that users can click on an idea and select "Collaborative AI" to expand it with ideas and questions. There are also instructions showing how to add branches to the mind map using the "enter" or "tab" keys.

Flowchart in Lucidchart

The image shows a flowchart in Lucidchart, labeled as a "Draft." The flowchart consists of a sequence of shapes representing different steps in a process. The flowchart includes the following elements from left to right: Start (green rounded rectangle) – Represents the starting point of the process. Process (blue rectangle) – Represents a step involving an action or function. Decision (diamond shape) – Represents a point where a question must be answered with "Yes" or "No." A "No" branch leads to a Document (purple shape), representing input/output of a document. A "Yes" branch continues to another Process (blue rectangle). Data (pink parallelogram) – Represents data availability or input/output. End (green rounded rectangle) – Represents the endpoint of the process. On the left side, a shapes panel includes various flowchart shapes, such as terminators, processes, decisions, documents, and data. There is also a small instruction encouraging users to drag and drop shapes to create a diagram key. Additional toolbar options like "Comment" and "Share" are visible in the interface.

Lucidspark enables students to collaborate on ideas with sticky notes, drawings, and other tools, making it ideal for brainstorming and project planning. Lucidchart allows you to create diagrams, flowcharts, and mind maps to simplify complex concepts, which can be embedded directly into assignments or discussions. Both tools enhance collaboration and accommodate different learning styles, helping students engage more deeply and retain information by turning traditional content into dynamic, visual experiences.

Important Accessibility Note: To have your Lucid document read by a screen reader, you need to export it as an accessible PDF. Alt text added to objects cannot be read by a screen reader within Lucidchart or Lucidspark. Microsoft Whiteboard in Microsoft Teams is a recommended and more accessible alternative.

Directions

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Enable Lucid in the Navigation Menu

Note: By default, Lucid is disabled in your left-hand navigation menu. Follow the directions below to enable it and grant access to your Canvas account.

  1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
  2. Click Canvas in the Teaching & Learning section.
  3. Log in to your Canvas Account.
  4. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
  5. On the bottom of the left side navigation menu click on Settings.
  6. Click the Navigation tab at the top.
  7. Scroll down and find Lucid in the menu options. 
  8. Click the 3 dots to the right of the title. 
  9. Click Enable.
  10. Click Save on the bottom left corner of the screen.

Link Lucid to Your Canvas Account

Now that Lucid is enabled in your course you are ready to link it to your Canvas account.

  1. From the left navigation menu, click Lucid (Whiteboard).
  2. If it is your first time accessing Lucid you will need to click the Log in button on the bottom right corner of the screen that pops up. 
    • Note: Log in with your MSU Denver credentials.
  3. Click the Get Started button that appears in the bottom right corner of the new screen that opens.
  4. Then, you will be brought to a page titled, “Connect Canvas by Lucid Software to User Account.” Scroll down and click Grant Access on the bottom right corner of the screen. 

Create, Edit, and Embed Lucid Documents

Once account access is granted, you can start creating Lucid documents. 

  1. Open a new announcement, assignment, page, quiz, or discussion, wherever you want the Lucid document to appear.
  2. On the navigation menu to the left, click Lucid (Whiteboard). 
  3. Click Explore Lucid in the middle of the screen.
  4. Click the + New button on the top left corner of the screen.
    1. Note: You can choose from a Blank Document or Create from Template.
  5. Once you have the type of document selected, you can edit it as desired. When you are ready to share it with your students, click on the three horizontal lines at the top left of the screen.
  6. Click Edit in Lucidchart or Lucidspark.
  7. Click File on the top left of the screen.
  8. Click Embed.
  9. In the window that pops up, highlight the code under HTML.
  10. Right-click on the HTML code and click copy.
  11. Go back to the tab at the top of your browser with your Canvas course and navigate to the new announcement, assignment, page, quiz, or discussion that you previously created where you want the Lucid document to appear. 
  12. Click Edit on the top right corner of the screen.
  13. Click Insert and then click Embed.
  14. Right-click within the embed code box that opens up and click paste.
  15. Click submit.
  16. Click Save at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Your students now have access to the Lucid document. By hovering over it, they can click the “Open with Lucidspark” or “Open with Lucidchart” button in the top left corner to begin collaborating directly within Lucid. 

To learn more about Lucid for Education and how to use it, check out these resources:

Drop-in Support

If you have questions about this or any other teaching and learning topics, you can visit us for drop-in support virtually via Teams or in person in Admin 325, M-F 10 am-3 pm.

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