CTL in the News

Canvas template promotes student success, saves educators time

Center for Teaching & Learning — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:35:09 +0000

Canvas template promotes student success, saves educators time Center for Tea… Tue, 03/03/2026 - 14:35

Why it matters:
̽��Ƶ students are typically enrolled in five Canvas courses each semester, making Canvas a central hub to access course information. A consistent, intuitive course organization helps students manage their time and support their success, underscoring the need for resources that help instructors’ build effective Canvas courses more quickly.

What’s its purpose:
̽��Ƶ Canvas Template helps educators create more consistent, student‑friendly Canvas courses without rebuilding from scratch each term.

What’s included:
Developed by the Center for Teaching & Learning, the Office of Information Technology, and a faculty working group—with support from the Digital Accessibility Office and Continuing Education—the flexible course shell features:

A clear and engaging homepage
Template assignments
A start‑of‑semester survey
Campus resources
A fillable student‑centered syllabus
Guidance for implementing all 16 Grade for Student Success practices to increase transparency around grading and feedback

By the numbers:

1,102 courses using the template
Nearly 47,000 students reached

What they’re saying:
Instructors and students report that the template’s clean design and intuitive organization support their learning and promote greater consistency across Canvas courses.

What’s happening:
Based on user feedback, the team continues to refine the template and now offers select components, such as the student‑centered syllabus, à la carte through the QuickStart Wizard.

Learn more:
Educators interested in implementing the Canvas template in their own courses are encouraged to schedule a CTL consultation or department training, OIT Academic Technology Consultant consultation, or attend one of OIT’s upcoming Canvas Templates trainings.

̽��Ƶ’s Canvas course template is helping instructors create more organized, student friendly course sites without rebuilding them from scratch each semester. Developed through a collaboration between the Center for Teaching & Learning, the Office of Information Technology, and faculty partners, the template has already been used in more than 1,100 courses, reaching nearly 47,000 students and supporting clearer course design across campus.

Read the full article to learn how the template works, what features it includes, and how instructors can start using it in their own courses.

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Grant can help move you from isolated to collaborative teaching mode

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 18:22:22 +0000

Grant can help move you from isolated to collaborative teaching mode Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/25/2022 - 11:22

Two leaders central to the teaching mission of ̽��Ƶ say resources are available to support faculty who want to submit proposals to the recently announced CU Next Award, which encourages innovation in teaching via multi-campus partnerships.

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Supporting academia’s well-being during and beyond Covid-19

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 23:17:03 +0000

Supporting academia’s well-being during and beyond Covid-19 Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 02/11/2021 - 16:17

With an unprecedented global mental health crisis and rising stress among university staff, Kirk Ambrose, Becca Ciancanelli, and June Gruber propose how best to support faculty and new ways of working now and well beyond the pandemic in Times Higher Education.

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Create an inclusive and equitable online learning environment

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000

Create an inclusive and equitable online learning environment Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/18/2020 - 00:00

CTL resources on inclusive teaching and administering exams remotely are featured in a Coursera guide to online teaching. Visit Coursera's site to learn more!

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Center for Teaching & Learning plays critical role in campuswide academic instruction

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 22:28:43 +0000

Center for Teaching & Learning plays critical role in campuswide academic instruction Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/10/2020 - 16:28

̽��Ƶ Today features CTL resources and training opportunities as campus launches a mixed-modality fall semester of in-person, remote and hybrid teaching.

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Resources for successful learning during the final weeks of the semester

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 21:38:19 +0000

Resources for successful learning during the final weeks of the semester Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/20/2020 - 15:38

Kirk Ambrose shares strategies to wrap up the spring remote semester successfully in a ̽��Ƶ Today feature.

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CTL hosts resource hub for developing, teaching remote and online courses

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 21:49:01 +0000

CTL hosts resource hub for developing, teaching remote and online courses Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/17/2020 - 15:49

̽��Ƶ Today highlights the Remote and Online Teaching resources webpage developed by the CTL and campus partners.

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Supporting students when teaching remotely

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:51:20 +0000

Supporting students when teaching remotely Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/06/2020 - 15:51

Kirk Ambrose shares considerations and strategies in ̽��Ƶ Today as ̽��Ƶ moves to virtual classrooms in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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‘Lunch and share’ discussions for campus educators provide ideas, community while teaching remotely

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 21:52:17 +0000

‘Lunch and share’ discussions for campus educators provide ideas, community while teaching remotely Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/30/2020 - 15:52

̽��Ƶ Today features CTL sessions that allow instructors to connect and share ideas while teaching remotely.

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