ISU Canvas FAQ for Faculty

backup canvas question-bank published non-academic

Description

As ISU faculty transition their courses to Canvas, ISU's Instructional Technology Resource Center (ITRC) is here to help. We have gathered the most commonly asked questions from your colleagues and compiled them into a quick-reference FAQ. From course setup and publishing to Moodle backups and quizzes, this guide is designed to get you the answers you need.

Canvas Course Set-Up: Can I make an appointment or come to the ITRC for help?

The ITRC, now located in the College of Education, Room 356, would love to see you and support you during the Canvas transition. Whether you need a quiet space to work on your Canvas course or a little extra help, you’re welcome to stop by anytime during our open hours 8:00am to 5:00pm. We have computers ready for you to use, or feel free to bring your own laptop.

Prefer to meet one-on-one? You can also schedule an appointment using our ITRC-staff page to meet via Zoom, in the ITRC, or in your office--whatever works best for you. Just reach out and we'll get you scheduled!

Canvas Course Set-Up: How do I add other people to my course?

Students are automatically enrolled in your Canvas course through Banner—no extra steps needed!

Need to add a co-instructor, TA, or staff member? Just fill out the Canvas: Add Users / Change Role Request Form and we’ll take care of the rest.

Canvas Course Set-Up: How do I request a metacourse?

Save time and simplify your workflow by requesting a Canvas metacourse—a single course shell that merges enrollments from multiple sections into one shared space. With a metacourse, you can manage content, assignments, and communication for all sections at once—no more duplicating work across multiple shells.

Please fill out the Canvas: Metacourse Request Form.

Important: While some Canvas guides reference “cross-listed courses,” ISU does not use Canvas’s cross-listing feature. Metacourses are our recommended solution.

Canvas Course Set-Up: Can I have a non-academic course in Canvas?

You can request a “Special Course” in Canvas by filling out the Canvas: Special Course Request Form. These are perfect for training, workshops, committees, or other non-credit activities.

Need to add collaborators? Use the Canvas: Add Users / Change Role Request Form to invite others into your course.

Heads up: All users must have an active ISU account to be added to a Canvas course.

Publishing Courses: When do I need to have my Canvas course published for students?

Mark your calendars--ISU faculty must publish their ISU Canvas courses by Wednesday, August 20, 2025 for the Fall 2025 term to ensure students can access their course on the Canvas Dashboard before the first day of class. If your course isn't published, students won't see it on their ISU Canvas Dashboard and some may think they're not enrolled. By publishing your course early, you can avoid potential confusion, stress and missed opportunities right at the start of the Fall semester.

That said, you don't need to have everything fully ready to publish. You can choose to publish the course while keeping specific modules or items hidden until you're ready to share them with students.

Get step-by-step guidance in the resources below:

Publishing Courses: How can I tell if things are published in my course?

Look for the green check mark and Published label in the top right corner of your course homepage - this confirms your course is visible to students.
Module and Item Visibility:
- Green check mark: Published and visible
- Gray circle with a slash: Unpublished and hidden
Pro Tip: Use the Student View to double-check what your students can actually see. It's the best way to catch anything you may have missed.

Moodle ISU: How long will I have access to Moodle ISU?

You will still have access to Moodle for two years after the move to Canvas, so there’s time to migrate older courses from Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and beyond. That said, don’t wait too long—we strongly recommend creating a backup of each Moodle course and downloading it to your computer's hard drive or an external drive for long-term storage, just in case you need those materials down the road. Want to work ahead on future semesters? Fill out the Canvas: Sandbox Request Form.

Moodle ISU: What if my Moodle ISU backup file is too large?

Backup files from Moodle ISU—or Canvas Common Cartridge exports—must be under 500 MB to upload successfully. If your course is too large, don’t worry. You can reduce the file size by following the steps outlined in Moodle ISU to ISU Canvas: How to Reduce Course File Size. This quick process helps ensure a smooth transition to Canvas without losing essential content.

Quizzes in ISU Canvas: How do I get my quizzes into ISU Canvas?

In most cases, backing up your Moodle course—including question banks—allows you to import quizzes into Canvas with ease. Quiz questions and bank content typically transfer smoothly, saving you time and effort. Need step-by-step help? Check out Import Moodle ISU Content into ISU Canvas Course [Faculty] for detailed guidance.

Quizzes in ISU Canvas: What if I have a large question bank, lots of categories, or randomly pull questions from multiple categories?

If you are working with a large question bank—250+ questions or 20+ categories, or randomly selecting questions from multiple categories for your quizzes, we recommend a two-stage backup strategy to avoid common issues like duplicated questions or extra banks during import:

Backup 1: Quizzes and question banks only
Backup 2: All other course content

This approach helps ensure a clean, organized transfer into Canvas. Need help? Watch the full video tutorial: Importing Large Question Banks: From Moodle ISU to ISU Canvas [13:02].

Quizzes in ISU Canvas: What if I have textbook publisher question banks?

To save time and avoid formatting issues, we recommend reaching out to your publisher directly for the Canvas-compatible version of their question bank. It’s the easiest way to ensure a smooth, hassle-free import into your course.

Quizzes in ISU Canvas: What are the key differences between Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes in Canvas?

Classic Quizzes is the original built-in tool with basic question types and full SpeedGrader integration.
New Quizzes is an enhanced LTI tool that provides more question types (e.g. hotspot, ordering, stimulus) and options. As it is "new", development is ongoing and some features are not yet available.
See the article, ISU Canvas: Classic Quizzes v. New Quizzes for detailed information.
Canvas | Quizzes Feature Comparison

Contact the ITRC at itrc@isu.edu if you need additional assistance.

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