How to Get Access to ISU Canvas

Everyone who will be using ISU Canvas should begin by requesting a sandbox.

The initial Sandbox in ISU Canvas is for you to utilize while you complete the ISU Canvas Faculty Essentials training. This initial sandbox course gives you a space to learn the nuanced differences between ISU Canvas and Moodle ISU without worrying about the effects on a specific class that will eventually have students in it—and will save you the frustration of having to undo the work of building a content course before learning how different Canvas will be and which new features you can use to your benefit.

After successful completion of the ISU Canvas Faculty Essentials course, additional  Sandbox courses may be requested to import, adapt, and modify specific courses. The additional sandbox courses can then be used as model courses to import into live courses, which will be available for teaching beginning in Spring 2025 (with all courses being taught in ISU Canvas in Fall 2025).

How many sandbox courses can I request?

After you have completed the ISU Canvas Faculty Essentials, you can request as many as you need.

What if I have used Canvas before?

While Canvas may be familiar to some, the ISU Canvas Faculty Essentials delves beyond the Canvas help documentation, providing a deeper understanding of ISU-specific resources. This training equips ISU faculty with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively use ISU Canvas for diverse instructional needs. Your experience as a student in this course will also help you determine which ISU-specific course Framework and other templates you might choose to adopt for your courses.

If you’re a faculty member with previous experience using another instance of Canvas, you might approach the ISU Canvas Faculty Essentials training strategically and start by attempting the knowledge check quizzes. Once you’ve learned the specifics of how to migrate from Moodle ISU to our specific instance of Canvas, you’ll be able to request additional sandboxes where you can build your content courses.

You will want to pay special attention to Module 9 which focuses on preparing your Moodle ISU courses for importing into Canvas. 

For more information and FAQs about Canvas see the Canvas Transition website.