Student Training and Support

Students may have courses in both BeachBoard and/or Canvas until Summer 2023. Please check with your instructors to determine which LMS (Learning Management System) to use for each course.

To login to either or both systems, visit the BeachBoard and Canvas Login site.

Jump in and start learning Canvas with these resources for students:

• Getting Started with Canvas as a Student Video Series: Learn to use Canvas in under 30 minutes!  Just enough info to get you started.
• Canvas Student Video Guides: Additional videos relating to Canvas from the student perspective.
• Canvas Student Guides provide all the information you'll need to master the new platform. Toggle through them using the keywords.
• "Passport to Canvas" is an optional, self-paced, comprehensive overview course that takes you on a tour of the platform from a student's perspective. Request access to this course by submitting this form:  Passport to Canvas Course Request Form.  It will appear in your Canvas Dashboard as a course tile.

Here's a shortlist of some of the most important features in Beachboard and how they appear in Canvas.  Follow the links to learn more about how to use these features in Canvas.

With the Canvas Student Mobile App for IOS Devices and Canvas Student Mobile App for Android Devices, you can:

• View grades and course content
• Submit assignments
• Keep track of coursework with a to-do list and calendar
• Post to discussions
• Watch videos
• Take quizzes
• Receive push notifications for new grades and course updates, and much more!

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Why are we moving to Canvas?

• Canvas is a well-established company and its LMS platform is used by more than 3,000 universities, school districts, and institutions around the world.
• In California, many higher ed institutions including other CSUs, the UC System, and Community College campuses are using Canvas; instructors who teach at multiple schools will be familiar with it.
• With CSU system-wide adoption, using Canvas provides an economy of scale for use at an enterprise level.   
• Canvas is known for being customizable, adaptable, and reliable.
• Canvas aligns with Beach 2030 to provide better access for students: A top-rated mobile app is available for both teachers and students.
• The Canvas system offers better compatibility with integrated tools and provides advanced analytics. 
• Enhanced assessment and accessibility features are available.

How will I be notified when my Canvas account is ready? 

Before Summer 2023, students will be notified by their instructors if they have a course in Canvas. Not all instructors will choose to teach in Canvas before the official transition date of Summer 2023. It's also possible that you will have courses in BeachBoard and Canvas in the same semester. Once the Canvas migration has been completed in Summer 2023, all students will be able to access their Canvas accounts through the SSO/MyApps dashboard.

When will I be able to access Canvas?
Students will be able to access the Canvas tile on SSO/My Apps in early Summer 2022. However, not all instructors will be teaching on Canvas before the official transition date of Summer 2023.

BeachBoard will still be available for faculty and students until it is officially decommissioned. Instructors will notify students whether they will be teaching on BeachBoard and/or Canvas.

Will there be training sessions? How can I learn more?
ATS is developing training to prepare students for using Canvas.  These materials will be available in Summer 2022.  In the meantime, students can access the Canvas Student Guides to get started.

Will Canvas Login be available as SSO/MyApps Tile?
Canvas will be available to access in early Summer 2022. Until 2023, there will be one tile in SSO/MyApps for both BeachBoard and Canvas. When you select it, you will be taken to a landing page where you can choose which system to access.

Do I have to authenticate the login to Canvas?​
Yes, students must be authenticated to access Canvas.

Where will we find our courses in Canvas? 
After landing on your Canvas Dashboard, you will see "tiles" for the courses you are enrolled in.

Where will I find the course content?
In Canvas, the content is organized under “Modules” You can select Modules from the Course Navigation on the left side panel.

How do I submit assignments?
For assignments, you will see a "Submit Assignment" button on your assignment page. Submission options will show up below the instructions once you click the Submit Assignment button. One option may be to upload a file. You can upload a file from your computer, or you may also see the option to submit a file from your Microsoft Office 365 drive. 

Does Canvas support languages other than English?
Canvas supports a wide variety of languages. More information on this can be found here: Canvas Language Support

Where do I find calendar and deadline information?
Calendars in Canvas can be turned on or off for both your personal and Course calendars. The Calendar is a great way to view everything you can do for all your courses in one place.

1. To open the Canvas Calendar, select 'Calendar' from the Global Navigation menu.
2. In the sidebar, click the color box next to the name of the calendar to turn a calendar on or off. When the color box next to the name of a calendar is empty, the calendar is off. Both events and assignments will be hidden.

How do I take a quiz?
Navigate to Quizzes in the left navigation bar then select the name of the quiz/exam. You can click on it to view additional details and instructions before starting it.

How will I communicate with my instructor in Canvas? 
Students can access the Inbox located on the navigation panel in Canvas. It is an internal messaging system that allows students and instructors to communicate with each other through the platform. Your instructor may provide other means to communicate when the class begins.

Is there a discussion area? 
There are several areas where you can open a discussion. Please note that some of these areas may not be turned on by your instructor. The most common locations to view a discussion are from the Calendar, Modules, or Discussion Index page.

1. Begin by clicking the title of the Discussion Topic.
2. Discussions will have a due date and availability date. The due date is when the discussion must be completed before you are marked as late. The availability date is the start and end date of when you can participate in the discussion.

What are the features of the mobile app?
With the Canvas Student Mobile App, you can:

• View grades and course content
• Submit assignments
• Keep track of coursework with to-do list and calendar
• Send and receive messages
• Post to discussions
• Watch videos
• Take quizzes
• Receive push notifications for new grades and course updates, and much more!