Creating a Syllabus Using DesignPLUS
If you are creating your syllabus in Canvas, there are some resources available to make this task a little more manageable. To utilize these resources, navigate to the Syllabus link in your Canvas course.
Add a Pre-built Syllabus Template
When creating a syllabus page, you do not have to reinvent the wheel. There is a built-in syllabus template that you can easily insert your course information into.
Navigate to Syllabus in your Canvas course
Click Edit
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the rocket ship icon in the top-right corner
Note: You should have already upgraded to the new DesignPLUS sidebar. (see Switching Between Design Tools and DesignPLUS for more information)
Select the Add New Elements tab if not already selected
Select Template Content from the Page Layout panel
Select Overwrite Current Content with Selected Template
Expand the Templates panel, then expand the USU panel
Expand the Syllabus dropdown and select Example Syllabus Template
Note: You can hover over the text to get a preview of the Example Syllabus
Use the Edit Current Element tab to add, arrange, or delete content
When you click into a content block from the template, it should automatically take you to the Edit Current Element tab where you can make the desired edits.
Click Update Syllabus to save the page
Add a Theme
DesignPLUS has several themes that you could choose to customize your course syllabus. From your course's syllabus page you will need to do the following:
Click Edit
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the rocket ship icon in the top-right corner
Note: You should have already upgraded to the new DesignPLUS sidebar. (see Switching Between Design Tools and DesignPLUS for more information)
Select the Add New Elements tab if not already selected
Select Theme from the Getting Started panel
You can also search for a theme or, if used recently, it may also appear in the Recently Used Tools tab. Selecting Theme automatically inserts a Banner Title.
To make adjustments to the Banner Title:
- Open Banner Tool: Select the blue, underlined Banner Title link
- Remove the Banner Title: Select the red trash can icon to the left of the element's name.
You can also add additional elements if desired. To do so select the + button next to the other page elements to insert them, e.g., Banner Image, Link Grid.
Expand the Style panel to search for or select a pre-designed theme
Expand the USU dropdown to access Institutional themes
Note: You may have to expand the Legacy DesignPLUS Styles for this option to be available.
Select a desired theme
Note: You can hover your cursor over the theme to see a preview of it.
Insert additional Content Blocks or Template Content into the page
Once you've applied a theme, use the Canvas Rich Content Editor (RCE) and/or the Add New Elements tab to accomplish this.
Add, Arrange, or Remove Syllabus Content Blocks
Once you have inserted a template, you can further customize it by adding, rearranging, or removing content blocks.
Add Content Blocks
If you are starting from scratch or are using a template, you may want additional content blocks for specific content from your syllabus.
Select the Add New Elements tab if not already selected
Place your cursor in the editor where you want the content block to go
Select Content Block from the Getting Started panel
(Optional) Check the box to overwrite the current block with a template
Expand the General Template Blocks or Syllabus Template Blocks
- Select General Template Blocks to add content blocks such as Course Description, Course Learning Outcomes, Instructor Information, and Grading Policy
- Select Syllabus Template Blocks to add content blocks such as Course Description, Course Learning Outcomes, Instructor Information, and Grading Policy.
Click on each topic you would like to include in your syllabus
As you add topics from the list, they will appear in the body of your syllabus. You can add/revise the content as you add different topics or wait until you have a full outline and go back and edit the text.
(Optional) Click Add New Content Block... buttons to insert content for a topic that isn't already in the list
First you will want to put your cursor in a content block on the page. Then, you can place your new content block using either the above or below buttons, you can place your new content block
Click Update Syllabus to save the page
Rearrange Content Blocks
You can arrange your content blocks while adding new content from the Add New Elements tab or by placing your cursor inside any Content Block in the editor and then selecting the Edit Current Element tab.
Select Arrange Content Blocks inside the Content panel
Use the drag-and-drop handles on the left to rearrange the content
Changes to the content order will be immediately reflected on the page.
Click Update Syllabus to save the page
Remove Content Block
If you mistakenly added a block or would simply like to remove one from the template, you can do so by using the Delete Content Block button in the Action Toolbar.
Select the Edit Current Element tab if it's not already selected
Place your cursor inside the content block that needs to be removed
Click Delete Content Block (the trashcan icon) on the Action Toolbar
Click Update Syllabus to save the page
Add User Details
You can add User Details for Instructors, TAs and Course Designers using the DesignPLUS sidebar. Some information in the User Detail section can include the user's name, role, email, phone number, and office location.
Add, Replace, or Remove Icons
Icons are a great way to help your students quickly identify sections within your syllabus. Some templates have icons already included, others do not. This section will walk you through how to add icons, edit and replace them as well as remove any that are unwanted.
Add Icons
To add a new icon, open up the DesignPLUS sidebar on your Canvas course's syllabus page:
Select Add New Elements if not already selected
Place your cursor in the editor where you want the icon to go
Select Icon from the Visual Enhancements panel
Choose an icon category or search using a keyword from the Content panel
You can also select All Icons from the dropdown menu.
Select your preferred icon
(Optional) Further customize your icon by expanding the Style panel
Click Update Syllabus to save the page after all icons have been added and styled
Replace an Icon
If there is an icon already within the content and you would like to change it, do the following:
Click on the icon in the content editor
Make sure that you are in the Edit Current Element tab with Icon selected
Select a new icon in the Content panel
You can select a new icon either by choosing a category or searching for a key word).
Remove an Icon
If you mistakenly added an icon to your content, or one of the templates contained an icon that you would like to remove, you can do so through the Icon Action Toolbar.
Place your cursor on the icon
Make sure that you are in the Edit Current Element tab with Icon selected
Click Delete (the trashcan icon) in the Action Toolbar
You can also use the Remove Icon tool in the Content panel.
Add a Canvas Grading Scheme
The Grading Scheme block adds your Canvas grading scheme to the Syllabus page. If you have not set a grade scheme in Canvas, the tool provides an option that walks you through setting one.
Navigate to Syllabus in your Canvas course
Click Edit
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the rocket ship icon in the top-right corner
Place your cursor in the editor where you want the grade scheme to go
Select the Add New Elements tab
Select Grading Scheme from the Course Information panel
You can also search for Grading Scheme or, if used recently, it may also appear in the Recently Used Tools tab.
Confirm that your Grading Scheme loaded properly, or click Enable Existing Grading Scheme if your course grading scheme has not been set
See Enable a Grading Scheme for more information on how to set up the grading scheme for your course.
Click Update Syllabus to save your changes
Add Institutional Policies
You can use the Policy tool to add university policies to the course syllabus. Policies inserted this way will be updated each time the syllabus is edited.
Navigate to Syllabus in your Canvas course
Click Edit
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the rocket ship icon in the top-right corner
Place your cursor in the editor where you want the grade scheme to go
Select the Add New Elements tab
Select Policy from the Custom Content panel
Expand the USU dropdown to access Institutional policies
Select the desired policies
Click Update Syllabus to save your changes
Add Objectives/Outcomes
You can use the Objectives tool to insert pre-written program or course objectives, competencies, or other standards into your Syllabus.
Navigate to Syllabus in your Canvas course
Click Edit
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the rocket ship icon in the top-right corner
Place your cursor in the editor where you want the grade scheme to go
Select the Add New Elements tab
Select Objective from the Custom Content panel
- Click on Blooms Revised Taxonomy to access verbs to help write objectives.
- Click on Search Objectives to search a list of Objectives by title or objective content
- Expand the USU dropdown for USU's IDEA objectives or select from Example Effective Teaching Standards.
(Optional) Continue building content by selecting Add Paragraph After in the Action Toolbar
Click Update Syllabus to save your changes