Canvas Non-Instructional Uses

Aside from using Canvas with LPC classes, it can also be used for two other purposes: non-instructional courses and Canvas Commons Groups.

Definitions

Non-instructional course: a course to post information and, possibly, for users to communicate. This is not an official LPC course. Typical uses include work within committees, task forces, departments, and Student Services areas.

Canvas Commons Groups: a group that allows easy sharing of instructional materials within the instructional classes of group members. Typical uses include academic departments that want to share assignments, quizzes, and documents with all instructors in their department. A Canvas Commons Group does not look like a normal Canvas course, so if you want a normal-looking Canvas course, choose a non-instructional course.

Considerations

1. Whether you use a non-instructional course or a Commons Group, you will be also be responsible for adding users. You will have the ability to give fellow instructors and employees regular access or elevated access. The Canvas system administrator will NOT be doing these tasks for you. You will be sent instructions on how to do this.
2. Do NOT give students anything other than student access. Employees are the only ones who can have instructor access.
3.  If you allow users to self-enroll, do NOT post that link on any web site. This can jeopardize the security of Canvas. 
4. Since students have to accept the invitation to join a non-instructional course or have to deliberately self-enroll in such a course, this constitutes a choice on their part. Therefore, FERPA requirements of students not being able to see or interact with each other do not apply. In the rare event that a non-instructional course automatically enrolls students (in which case they have no choice but to be enrolled in the course), FERPA requirements apply. An announcement explaining this will be posted when non-instructional courses are created.
5. On October 27, 2023, the LPC Distance Education Committee voted to allow one student each in student club non-instructional courses to be able to post Announcements, create Pages, and create Discussions. Therefore, if your non-instructional course is being used for student club purposes, you can give one student the role of Student Club Lead (not Teacher). DO NOT give any other LPC students a role other than Student.

Make your request by clicking the link below. The person making the request will be given instructor access.

Make Your Request