"Let's Get Better At Canvas" Workshops
Every August, OAT offers a week-long series of workshops for the Fall semester that are designed to get instructors of all skill levels comfortable using Canvas, the university's primary LMS for course web sites and online teaching.
The workshops are grouped into two categories: Canvas Basics and Canvas Enhancements. Canvas Basics covers introductory information about various Canvas features and tools. Canvas Enhancements explore additional tools that connect to Canvas and enhance the learning experience.
Expand each category below to register for the sessions!
Your Canvas Account + Modules
Learn to manage and customize your Canvas account and take a first look at organizing a course by adding files and links to Modules.
Monday, August 10
11 am - 12 pm
Communicating on Canvas + UDOIT Accessibility
Learn about announcements, emailing your class, creating content and links using the Rich Content Editor, as well as how to improve the accessibility of course materials using UDOIT.
Tuesday, August 11
11 am - 12 pm
Canvas (New) Quizzes
An introduction to creating New Quizzes in Canvas. Primary attention will be given to the New Quizzes engine with a brief look at the Classic quiz engine.
Wednesday, August 12
11 am - 12pm
Assignments & Rubrics & Speedgrader, Oh My!
Learn how to build a graded assignment and create a rubric that will be applied using Speedgrader. This session will also show you how to organize course activities to use a weighted grade book.
Thursday, August 13
11 am - 12 pm
Canvas Potpourri
Discussions, grade book management, tracking attendance, creating custom navigation links, closing courses, and handling incompletes.
Friday, August 14
11 am - 12 pm
VoiceThread
VoiceThread offers a highly flexible and interactive way for instructors and students to create presentations and engage with multimedia content. Generate valuable social presence (RSI) in asynchronous online courses.
Monday, August 10
1 - 2 pm
Discussions Plus (powered by Harmonize)
The "plus" means it's better! Create multiple kinds of due dates ("milestones") within discussions, add annotations and feedback to uploaded videos, easily create social reading activities and private journaling assignments with optional AI coaching.
Tuesday, August 11
1 - 2 pm
Padlet
A freeform digital bulletin board used for curating media and generating collaborative learning.
Wednesday, August 12
1 - 2 pm
Turnitin Clarity
Bring transparency to the student writing process for long-form academic prose while providing them with an environment that offers appropriate AI feedback and validates the authenticity of their work.
Thursday, August 13
1 - 2 pm
Canvas Enhancements Potpourri
Learn more about Panopto (video storage), Hypothesis (social reading), and Respondus Lockdown Browser (secure test-taking environment).
Friday, August 14
1 - 2 pm
CSU Online Course Services
The CSU Online Course Services Program offers free professional development Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) courses for tenure-faculty and lecturer faculty across all 23 CSU Campuses. All courses are taught by certified CSU Facilitators who are faculty and/or instructional designers with extensive experience and training in teaching and evaluating online courses.
All courses are 3-weeks in length, online, asynchronous, require 15-20 hours, with a structured course schedule.
Artificial Intelligence Courses
- AI Tools for Teaching & Learning (Faculty/Lecturers)
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence tools where guided experimentation empowers participants to understand some of the basics of AI functionality, including its workings and methods for detecting its usage. Learn basic AI terminology, engage in hands-on exploration of AI Tools, learn strategies for detecting AI-generated content, and techniques to address potential misuse of AI tools by students. Participants will apply the knowledge gained to develop a personalized AI use policy for their course, and find resources to maintain currency in this dynamic field. - AI Tools for Higher Education Professionals/Staff
earn some of the basics about Artificial Intelligence tools, what they are and when, why, and how to use them. Participants will apply the knowledge gained to evaluate gAI tools for relevance to professional tasks, develop effective prompts for generating outputs using gAI tools, and discuss critical issues related to ethical and responsible use of AI in the workplace.
Online Teaching Courses (QLT series)
- Introduction to Teaching Online
Introduction to teaching online with the CSU QLT rubric. Content covered QLT includes orienting students to the online course, setting up the structure and navigation, designing online modules for content delivery and engagement, developing discussions, developing assessment tools, and using technology tools. - Advanced Course in Teaching Online
Advanced QLT course in creating a course and module structure that is in QLT alignment with course objectives, incorporates social presence, equity-minded strategies, engagement strategies in synchronous and asynchronous activities, active learning with video, and alternative assessments. Participants will complete a QLT Core 24 self-review on their own course for reflection to guide them as they progress through the course in identifying areas to improve on. The final project will include creating a video tour to highlight three course changes made in the course while completing the training. Note: having a partially or fully developed online/hybrid course is required prior to registration. - Reviewing Courses Using QLT
Provides an in-depth experience with the CSU QLT rubric and ways to use QLT objective-based examples to support reviewing and informing online and hybrid courses. Participants will engage in hands-on experiences using the QLT objectives to rate elements of a sample course, learn how to write helpful recommendations, and discuss examples for setting up a peer-review process on their campus. This session is for those looking to use the rubric to complete a QLT self-review and/or serve as a peer-review on campus and systemwide QLT formal course certifications.
For more information and course registration, visit CSU-QLT Courses.
Updated: June 10, 2026