Design Blocks for Canvas
Canvas Design Blocks can help you create visually appealing page designs without needing HTML knowledge. It ensures that your designs are accessible, look great on phone screens, and are maintainable for future course administrators. The tool fills the gap left by the existing page editor, which is more suited for content resembling Word documents. With Canvas Design Blocks, you can easily add and insert various elements to enhance the diversity and richness of your Canvas pages.
Accessing design blocks
To access Design Blocks in Canvas, follow these steps:
- Open the Rich Content Editor: Navigate to any space in Canvas where you can access the Rich Content Editor (Pages, Announcements, Discussions, Syllabus, Assignments) where you want to add or edit content.
- Locate the Design Blocks Tab: In the Rich Content Editor, you will find a tab labelled “Design Blocks” in the top left-hand corner.
- Open the Design Blocks Tab: Click on the “Design Blocks” tab to open it. This will display a list of available design elements that you can add to your page.
- Select and Insert Elements: Choose from the various design elements available, such as button bars, grids, headers, icons, image cards, profiles, and the glossary tool. Click on the desired element to insert it into your page.
Button Bars allow you to connect a series of related concepts or links into a single bar of buttons. This is useful for guiding users through a linear progression of modules or linking related concepts without taking up too much space on the page.
Buttons are standalone items that can include an icon and colour. They are ideal for highlighting important actions that you want students to take, such as pulling a link out of the page for emphasis.
Grids
Grids are one of the most popular features of Canvas Design Blocks. They enable you to create multi-column layouts that automatically collapse into a linear order on mobile devices, making them highly versatile. Grids can be used to organise and structure your layout more complexly than the linear options typically provided by Canvas.
Headers
Headers are perfect for the top of a page, such as introducing a module or course. You can customise headers with icons, background images, colours, and important links. They help set the tone of a course and provide a quick introduction or message.
Icons
Icons are small elements that can be added throughout your Canvas pages to highlight key terms or concepts. The University of Auckland offers over 800 teaching and learning-related icons that look great on desktop, mobile, and app platforms. Icons can be used in headers, buttons, or as standalone elements to aid navigation and emphasis.
Image Cards
Image Cards are useful for creating a grid of modules or highlighting important content. They can feature a big icon or background image, making it easy for students to navigate between different modules or important links. Image Cards are particularly effective for the front page of a course.
Profiles
Profiles are unique in that they can automatically pull information from a Canvas profile. This feature is useful for introducing yourself, a lecturer, or a class representative. You can import details from a Canvas profile or create a profile block from scratch, including a profile picture and contact information.
Glossary Tool
The Glossary Tool is configured at the course level rather than added to specific pages. It allows you to create a list of terms and definitions that are automatically highlighted throughout your Canvas pages. This is especially helpful for students encountering new concepts, as they can easily access definitions. Currently, the glossary works on desktop, but mobile students can still access it through the modules.