Canvas is a learning management system (LMS) for faculty and students. You can find your courses, class grades and other resources from your instructor in Canvas. A few tips:
- To ensure you are getting instructor notifications and announcements, confirm your notification preferences in Canvas.
- Communicate promptly with your instructor if you need accommodations in terms of due dates, quiz times, or accessibility concerns.
- Be relatable—if you haven't already, consider adding a picture to your Canvas profile so other students can recognize you. See: How do I add a profile picture in my Canvas user account?
- If you have trouble accessing a link in Canvas, confirm that you have allowed your browser to open pop-ups. See How do I allow pop-ups for Canvas on my browser?
- To ensure you can use Canvas from your device, see What are the basic computer specifications for Canvas?
- See the Canvas Student Guide for detailed help pages.
The links below will take you to Canvas sites designed to help you practice on Canvas and get up to speed with learning in a completely online environment. This resource is intended for students both who have signed up to take an online class and those who are temporarily taking online courses due to an unexpected short-term campus closure.
- MU: Log into Canvas and select the MU Canvas Online Student Orientation course
- UMKC: Direct link to Online Student Orientation
- Missouri S&T: Direct link to Learning to Learn Online
- UMSL: Direct link to Canvas Online Overview: Learning to Learn Online
Many companies are advertising options for people who will be working or learning remotely as a response to containing COVID-19. This is not an exhaustive list of options, and we will share more as we learn of them. Please be thoughtful about accessing public spaces if you are exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath), are a member of an already vulnerable population, or suspect you have come into contact with anyone who may be at risk of exposure to the virus.
- BroadbandNow: Find the internet providers in your area.
- Public libraries, if still open, may have Wi-Fi hotspots available for check out.
- Are There Programs Available to Help Make Internet Service More Affordable?
- AT&T Offers Added Relief to Customers
- Charter to Offer Free Access to Spectrum Broadband and Wi-Fi For 60 Days For New K-12 and College Households and More
- Comcast Announces Comprehensive COVID-19 Response to Help Keep Americans Connected to the Internet
- Internet and Wireless Providers Will Waive Late Fees and Keep Americans Connected
Zoom is a video conferencing tool, which means you can meet with your instructor, adviser or other students using a web camera and microphone. Zoom allows you to see and hear each other, as well as send typed chat messages. You can access Zoom from your computer browser or from a mobile device (phone, tablet). Some instructors may have synchronous/live meetings (meaning everyone logs into Zoom at the same time), or may record a lecture for you to view later. For more information on using Zoom, please check out the links below.
Internet service provider interruptions happen. If you are working in your Canvas course, a Zoom session or other tool when this happens, you can log back in when your internet connection resumes. For Zoom sessions, please check with your professor to see whether they are being recorded for later viewing.
If it goes out when taking a quiz or test, or you are facing a deadline on an assignment, reconnect as quickly as possible. In some instances, you may not be able to resume the quiz or test. If for any reason, you cannot complete the quiz, test or assignment on time, please email your instructor as soon as possible.
If your connectivity seems slow and several other people in your home are streaming movies or games, your connection (and theirs) will likely be degraded. If you are using Zoom and the connection is poor, you may want to block the use of video and only use the audio portion, which consumes less bandwidth.
See also Dealing with Wi-Fi Issues.
Yes. We realize that the change in format may mean that students with disabilities may experience barriers that exist at the intersection of disability and course design. If you have yet to establish accommodations with the office, we encourage you to contact the disability office on your campus (links below). If you are already connected with the office, reach out if your accommodation needs have changed with the transition to remote learning.
- MU: MU Disability Center
- UMKC: Student Disability Services
- Missouri S&T: Student Disability Services
- UMSL: Disability Access Services