Checklist: Building and launching your LMS subject

Get started with the LMS

Training and professional development

We recommend completing a combination of the following training options to suit your needs and availability.

• Attended or registered for all relevant LMS workshop and webinars
  More info: See the current offerings and full schedule of workshops
• Watched the recordings available for relevant LMS workshop and webinars
  More info: See the Recorded webinars available to view
• Completed the self-paced training modules
  More info: Enrol and complete modules in the LMS subject, Learning Environments online learning modules

Access your current Subjects and Communities

• Your required Subject(s) are available to you
  More info: To see a full list, click Subjects in the global navigation menu, then All Subjects
  Help: If you do not have access to a subject you are teaching, contact the Subject Coordinator listed in the Handbook, or your LMS Faculty Representative
• Update your Dashboard for this semester
  How: From the All Subjects page, use the Star icons to favourite
  More info: See Customising your Dashboard
• Check that all staff have been added to the Subject, each with the appropriate level of access
  How: Go to Staff Roles in the subject menu
  More info: See the Staff roles and permissions guide

Build and update your subject

Content

If applicable, ensure your subject content is copied over from a previous delivery of the same subject. For further information, see the LMS subject creation and subject copy forward process guide. If you are creating a new LMS site, see our downloadable LMS templates for sample templates you can load into your subject to assist in your subject’s build.

• The Home page content is current and relevant, including:
  
  • Subject banner - create one using the Banner Tool
  • Welcome text or video added that provides an overview of the subject, aims, assessments and intended learning outcomes
  • Text linking students to the Subject Overview page and Modules page
• Add a Subject Card image to display on the Dashboard
  How: Click Settings and upload the image created using the Banner Tool
• Subject Overview page is current
  How: Go to Subject Overview in the subject menu
  
• Staff Information page is current
  More info: Use the downloadable template provided to create a new page if needed
  
• Modules are set up for best student experience
  How: Go to Modules in the subject menu
  Tips: Use logical names such as weeks/topics, include an outline and review page for each module, and embed activities such as Quizzes or Poll Everywhere polls within the Module itself
  More info: See Modules: What are they and how do I use them?
• Modules rules are applied if appropriate
  How: Go to Modules then review the settings applied in Edit for each module
  More info: See How do I add requirements to a module?, How do I add prerequisites to a module?
• Content pages are reviewed and updated, including:
  
  • All pages have been checked for accessibility (click the Check Accessibility icon while editing a page)
  • Succinct videos are used to explain or demonstrate key concepts - See Creating your own media content
  • Content is embedded in pages rather than attachments whenever possible
  • Copyright materials (e.g. images) are cited appropriately (review the LMS-specific copyright information)
• Readings Online link is working and readings list is up to date
  How: Go to Readings Online in the subject menu
  Tip: You can add links to individual readings throughout your content
  More info: Go to the Readings Online website
• Video content and media is uploaded to Lecture Capture or Kaltura
  How: Go to Media Gallery or Lecture Capture in the subject menu, then review the content available and settings applied
  Tip: You can embed videos into content pages
  Note: Ensure copyright requirements are met and videos are not copies owned by others
  More info: See Lecture Capture guides or Kaltura - Managing media in the LMS and Kaltura - Embedding videos in the LMS
• Any external tools that have been added are appropriately configured and available to students
  Tip: Create an External User to test tools that are not available using Student View
• Unused menu items are hidden
  How: Go to Settings and then click Navigation. You can now drag any unrequired links to the bottom section and then click Save to keep these changes
  Tip: You can rearrange the menu here to suit your subject setup
• All links in content pages are working
  How: Go to Settings and then click Validate Links in Content in the right-hand panel
  More info: See How do I validate links?
• All required content pages and Modules are published
  How: Go to Modules and review the Publish setting for each Module and each page

Assessment and feedback

• Assignments are updated
  How: Go to Assignments from the subject menu. You can then check that the assignment descriptions, dues dates and other settings are correctly set up
  More info: See How do I create an assignment?, Video assignments, Turnitin Similarity Reports and How do I bulk update due dates?
  
• LTI assignments are reviewed and updated
  External tools for assessment such as Gradescope or Cadmus need to be reviewed, configured and made available to students separately. See our learning technologies pages for more information
• Assignment Groups are set up with correct weighting
  Note: The Handbook-Canvas integration creates Assignment Groups automatically. Staff must then put Assignments in their correct Assignment Group and check the Assignment Groups weighting
  
• Quizzes have been checked and updated
  Tip: Migrated quizzes need to be reviewed thoroughly each semester
  More info: See Canvas Community guide What options can I set in a quiz? and Copying quizzes to other LMS subjects
• The Gradebook is set up appropriately
  How: Go to Grades from the subject menu and review the columns and settings applied
  Tip: Set the Grade Posting Policy to Manual to ensure students do not see grades until released by staff
  
• Subject Summary displays due dates and weightings as expected
  How: Go to Subject Overview in the subject menu and review the Subject Summary table

Lecturing online

• Lecture Capture has recordings scheduled as expected
  How: Go to Lecture Capture in the subject menu
  Note: You may wish to inform students that all sessions are live-streamed by default
  More info: See Lecture Capture guides and the Schedule Assistant tool
• Lecture slides are shared as 'Presentations' within Lecture Capture
  Tip: Keep your lectures organised and easy to access by providing slides within Lecture Capture rather than uploading to content pages
  More info: See Presentations in the Lecture Capture guide
• Zoom meetings have been set up if required
  How: Go to Zoom in the subject menu and review the Upcoming Meetings schedule
  More info: See the Zoom in the LMS guide

Discussions

• Discussions are set up and available within content
  Tip: See Using LMS discussions for advice with designing and facilitating effective online discussions

Files

For copyright compliance and best student experience, we strongly recommend providing subject information directly in pages rather than uploaded files.

• Files area is cleaned up by deleting old files and utilising logical folders
  Tip: Keeping your files current will help avoid going over the storage quota. For best practice, see Managing your files and content in the LMS and tips for reducing file sizes
• Permissions have been set as appropriate
  Tip: It is recommended to hide the Files link in the subject menu from students. See How do I restrict files and folders to students in Canvas?

Check your content and settings

Accessibility

Ally is a tool that assesses the accessibility of your content on the LMS and provides guidance for improving its accessibility rating. Ally also has the ability to provide students with alternative formats of your LMS content. Students will never see the speedometer or accessibility rating of files in your subject or community. See Making your subject content accessible using Ally for more information.

• Each page has had the 'Check Accessibility' button clicked and updates made as needed
• 'Heading' and ‘paragraph’ styles are used throughout text
• All images contain alt text or are marked as decorative
• All hyperlinks contain meaningful descriptions
• Content is in provided within pages rather than uploaded as files
• You are familiar with the University of Melbourne Brand Hub web accessibility guidelines

Preview with Student View

The following should be checked using Student View within your subject. See the How do I view a course as a test student using Student View? for more information.

• The Assignments area displays as expected
• The Grades area displays all assessment items appropriately
• Appropriate links are available in the subject menu
• Content is published and displaying as expected
  Open all pages, including Subject Overview and Staff Information, and ensure that preparation advice (text in red) is removed
• Modules are published and available as expected
• Attached documents and media (audio/video) are able to be accessed

Mobile app

• Install the Canvas Teacher app on a mobile device
  Tip: With the Canvas Teacher app you can manage content, announcements and more. See the following guide for further information How can I use Canvas on my mobile device? How: Download from Google Play or the App Store
• View your subject on a device using the Canvas Student app
  Tip: Ensure your content displays appropriately by navigating through the available areas
  How: Download from Google Play or the App Store

Make the subject available to students

Student enrolment and management

• Students are enrolled as expected
  How: Go to Enrolment Change Log in the subject menu and ensure students appear appropriately
• Sections have been created and populated
  How: Go to Sections in the subject menu and review the manually and automatically-created tutorial Sections are enrolled as expected
  
• Groups have been created and populated
  How: Go to People in the subject menu and select the Groups tab
  More info: To find out more about creating Groups for group assignment submissions or other online collaboration, see How do I add a group set? and Bulk Group Membership tool

Publish the subject

In order for students to have access to a subject in the LMS, the subject must be published. The automatic publishing of Subjects is managed by LMS faculty representatives. Subjects are typically published at 10 am 10 days before their start date as recorded in StudentOne. Staff with the role of Subject Coordinator or Instructor can publish the subject any time.

• The subject start and end dates are correct
  How: Go to Settings and review the start and end dates
  More info: See our FAQ What does 'Subject start date' and Subject end date’ mean?
• Subject is published to students
  How: Go to Home and click Publish in the right-hand panel
  More info: See Managing subjects FAQs and Subject publication and auto-publish management.

This guide was last updated 18 Nov 2022.
Please report any errors or omissions in this guide by submitting an LMS support request.

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