Skip to content
Home » Teaching with Technology » Canvas » Canvas for Effective Teaching

Canvas for Effective Teaching

In 1987, the “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” was published by Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson, distilling the research findings into seven core principles. Their findings, and faculty and institutional evaluation instruments based on the findings, have stood the test of time and have been widely used to guide and improve college teaching ever since.

The seven principles of good practice, as identified by Chickering and Gamson, are:

  • Encourages contact between students and faculty
  • Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students
  • Encourages active learning
  • Gives prompt feedback
  • Emphasizes time on task
  • Communicates high expectations
  • Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

In 2020, Clemson University revised the principles to include the use of the Canvas learning management system, and those recommendations are listed within the menus below. It is important to note, however, that the manner in and extent to which these best practices are adopted in the LMS can vary based on the modality of a given course and the resources that are available to the members of the faculty. For this reason, the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation has provided their “Top 5 Canvas Best Practices” that are applicable to all modalities.

  • Provide a “welcome message” at the beginning of the course that encourages student-to-instructor contact.
  • Provide a way for students to introduce themselves to the instructor and each other.
  • Initiate contact with, or responds to, students on a regular basis in order to establish a consistent online presence in the course.
  • Give students prior notice in the event that the instructor will be unavailable for a period of time.
  • Use a prominent announcement area to communicate important up-to-date course information to students, such as reminders of impending assignment due dates, curriculum changes, scheduled absences, etc.
  • Respond to student inquiries in a timely manner.
  • Provide students with interaction space for study groups, suggest sign-up methods, and encourage inclusive study groups.

  • Encourage students to strengthen their online presence.
  • Explain the criteria for “good” online discussion participation and provide guidelines to ensure respectful online interaction.
  • Model good online discussion participation practices and actively monitor and engage in the discussions.
  • Provide students with interaction space(s) for study groups, “hallway conversations,” and other ways to connect.
  • Build in assignments that can be done in small groups.
  • Provide regular opportunities for students to engage in one or more of the following activities: formal and/or informal discussions of course topics, collaborative course assignments, and study groups.

  • Create assignments that provide ongoing checks on learning (homework, discussion threads, multi-media and visual activities) and multiple practice (“space practice”).
  • Use discussion threads or other Conversation Apps (VoiceThread, etc.) to post challenging questions.
  • Offer group assignments.
  • Provide channels for students to post Q and As.

  • Prioritize organization and check organization (such as LMS navigation) with all students.
  • Prioritize ongoing, clear communication.
  • Avoid isolating students of diversity (however that appears in your discipline) in small groups, especially on purpose.

  • Explicitly communicate the skills and knowledge every student needs to have in order to be successful in the course and in each major assignment.
  • Explain course learning goals and how assignments are designed to help students achieve those goals.
  • Use positive phrasing first to encourage success; address common problems (plagiarism, cheating) second.
  • Provide frequent feedback to students through written explanations and detailed feedback on assignments.
  • Motivate and encourage students to inspire them to move past the easy answers to more complex solutions.
  • Routinely use critical and probing questions when communicating with students about course assignments and activities.
  • Provide examples and non-examples of high-quality work, along with a discussion of the differences between these.
  • Provide examples of student work that demonstrate advancement toward learning goals.

  • Provide an estimate of the amount of time students should spend on the course, e.g., “On average, most students spend eight hours per week working on course assignments. Your workload may be more or less depending on…”
  • Give time-to-completion information on course assignments, and/or share course statistics that demonstrate that time-to-completion and weekly time-on-task estimates are on target.
  • Accurately post due dates in the LMS for the semester. Also either establishes a routine for homework completion (at regular intervals) or post dates well in advance of the start of a smaller HW activity.
  • Provide course-specific study tips and resources that provide students with strategies for utilizing their time well (during class or online) and links to find assistance (e.g. student success center, library, or writing center).
  • Provide assignment feedback that gives students information on where to focus their studies.
  • Consider the nature of the student audience when considering assignment due dates and timeframes, e.g., a course targeted to working adult professionals or graduate students might incorporate a weekend into an assignment timeframe or account for workloads.

  • Survey students to elicit feedback for course improvement.
  • Include information about course feedback methods and standards on the course syllabus.
  • Provide an option (or requirement) for students to submit drafts of assignments for instructor feedback.
  • Provide meaningful feedback on student assignments that is provided within a publicized, and reasonable, time frame.
  • Provide assignment feedback that is clear, positive, specific, and focused on observable behavior that can be changed.
  • Clearly communicate course and individual assignment grading criteria.
  • Provide textbook or homework systems that provide immediate feedback to students solving problems, taking quizzes.
  • Give students access to an up-to-date course gradebook.
  • Provide an open discussion forum where students can ask questions, and receive instructor feedback, about course content and activities.
  • Share examples of student work that demonstrate advancement toward learning goals.

  • Post activities for students to complete.
  • Prompt all students to complete examinations of test-taking and studying skills, through activities such as “exam wrapper” assignments.
  • Have students compare processes for studying, to make best habits more transparent (discussion or group work online).
  • Provide mechanisms to connect all students with study partners (apps to connect, “study halls”).
  • Post resources at the campus to improve student academic skills (tutoring, skill courses).

  1. Use a prominent announcement area to communicate important up-to-date course information to students, such as reminders of impending assignment due dates, curriculum changes, scheduled absences, etc. The steps involved in adding an announcement are demonstrated in Canvas’ Announcements Overview.
  2. Provide an open discussion forum where students can ask questions, and receive instructor feedback, about course content and activities. Learn more about creating discussion boards by reviewing Canvas’ “How do I create a discussion as an instructor?” guide.
  3. Provide frequent feedback to students through written explanations and detailed feedback on assignments. Learn more about posting comments in the Canvas gradebook by reviewing the “How do I leave feedback comments for student submissions in SpeedGrader?” guide.
  4. Accurately post due dates in the LMS for the semester. Also either establishes a routine for homework completion (at regular intervals) or post dates well in advance of the start of a smaller HW activity. Learn more about setting assignment due dates and dates of availability by reviewing the “What is the difference between assignment due dates and availability dates?” guide.
  5. Give students access to an up-to-date course gradebook.

Chickering, A. & Gamson, Z. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin (39 )7.

Joint Implementation Task Force on Teaching Assessment, Penn State University (2022). A Peer Review Guide for Face-to-Face and Hybrid Teaching at Penn State. https://facdev.e-education.psu.edu/sites/default/files/files/PeerReview_HybridCourses_PSU_Guide_November_2022.docx.

Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation, Clemson University (2020). Peer Observations of Blended Learning Situations. https://www.clemson.edu/otei/resources/peer-observation-of-instruction-guide-2020-21.pdf.