Sharing content with Canvas Commons

What is Canvas Commons?

Commons is a learning object repository with educational content that can be accessed through Canvas. Users can browse content and import material into their Canvas course or share resources into Commons for others to use.

A resource in Commons can be a course, module, quiz, assignment, discussion, page, document, video, image, or audio file.

Learn about what types of document and media files can be shared to Commons (Canvas Guides).

Who can use Canvas Commons?

Griffith Canvas content uploaded to Commons is available to Griffith staff. Anyone with an instructor or administrative account in Canvas can access or share educational resources to the Commons.

Why use Canvas Commons?

Canvas Commons is a useful tool for sharing best practices, templates, resources, and multimedia material to enhance a course. It allows users to showcase innovative teaching materials, explore new ways to deliver course content, and share reusable learning objects with the Griffith learning and teaching community.

You might consider using Commons if:

• You want to apply the standard Griffith course site template to a new course.
• You have developed an effective learning object that will be used in multiple courses in your program or school.
• You are looking for examples of practice to use in your course.
• You have developed a student service or support resource to be integrated into a course site

How can I access Canvas Commons?

Canvas Commons can be accessed by staff only via the Commons icon in the global navigation menu from your Canvas dashboard.

What is the functionality of Canvas Commons?

Find resources: Find resources by searching for a specific keyword, author, or title. Search results can be filtered by keywords, author name or type of resource.

Import a resource: Import courses, modules, assignments, quizzes, discussions, pages, or files from Commons into your Canvas course. Users of the content can make modifications within their own course sites.

Share resources: Share a variety of resources to Commons from a Canvas course, including the course, course content, and files.

Update content: Authors can update, change, or remove content. After modifying a resource in Canvas previously shared to Commons, the author can reshare the updated resources to Commons and the existing resource in commons will be updated. Users who have imported a resource prior to an update will be notified of the update and have the option to update the resource in their course. Note: This manually overrides any customisations that the user has previously made to the content.

What are the limitations of Canvas Commons?

Content control: Once a resource has been downloaded by another user, the original author or the admin has no control over it. The downloaded content can be modified or redistributed.

Manual updates: When a user updates content in Commons, these updates do not automatically sync to courses that have previously downloaded the content. Updates must be imported by the user who downloaded the original content. Additionally, only the user who originally uploaded the content can update the information in Commons.

File size: The file size limit for uploaded content is 500 MB per file.

Content status: Content shared through Commons retains the published/unpublished status of the item when it was originally shared. If you share a published resource, when others import that resource, it will be published in their course.

Studio content: Studio content cannot be shared to or imported from Commons.

No content vetting: Canvas Commons is an open access repository within Griffith University, content can be uploaded by and is available to a wide range of staff. There is no mechanism for administrators to vet or approve content before it is shared. Digital Solutions and Learning Futures will regularly review Commons and reserves the right to remove any content that is deemed as inappropriate (i.e. breaches policy, copyright, audience sensitivity, privacy etc.).

How do I find Griffith Approved resources in Canvas Commons?

Commons has a search filter to help find what you are looking for. Search results can be filtered by keywords, author name or type of resource. Use the ‘Only Griffith approved resources’ to display curated content that has been approved for institutional use.

Resources uploaded into Commons are reviewed by Learning Futures and L&T Digital Solutions and will be labelled as a ‘Griffith approved resource’ if they support strategic initiatives, promote quality assurance in learning and teaching, or enhance the student experience.

What is best practice for Canvas Commons?

When sharing content to Commons:

• Ensure you are aware of the limitations of Commons.
• Do not share exams, quizzes or answer keys to Commons.
• Do not share anything to Commons that includes instructor or student identifiers.
• Do not share any content to the Institutional Commons that you do not want available to the wider Griffith University Canvas community.
• Do not share a learning object to Commons that is not your resource.
• Use tags and descriptors to any material you upload to Commons as they make it easy for other users to find your resource.
• Ensure you comply with relevant Griffith University policies and procedures including the Intellectual Property policy and the Information Technology Code of Practice.

When importing and using Commons content:

• Ensure you are aware of the limitations of Commons.
• Review the material and edit as needed.
• Ensure the content is applicable to your specific course and learning objectives.
• Thoroughly review the resource for any details that do not apply to your class specifically and remove them.
• Fill in any blanks on templated materials.
• Mark as "Favorite" any resources you may want to come back to later.