Designing a Canvas course requires careful consideration of how to make video content engaging, accessible, and sustainable over time. One highly effective strategy is content chunking , which not only enhances student learning but also streamlines the process of creating, editing, and reusing instructional materials. What Is Content Chunking? Content chunking involves dividing instructional material into shorter, more manageable segments that are easier for students to process and retain. This method has proven particularly effective in online and hybrid learning environments when it comes to video. Research shows that student engagement is highest when videos range between 6 and 15 minutes. In contrast, a 45‑minute video lecture can feel overwhelming and discourage active participation. While most lessons require more than six minutes to cover essential concepts, chunking allows instructors to distribute content across multiple concise videos. These can either be built sequentiall...

If you have not logged into Canvas since May 2025, let's catch you up so you can hit the ground running this fall. This post is excerpted from a group presentation (Video 47:24) at the August 13th Canvas Investigations . Timestamps next to headings will link you directly to that topic in the recording.  Enhanced SpeedGrader 3:33 Instructors can enable "Performance and Usability Upgrades for SpeedGrader" . It's great for large enrollment courses because it loads fast and offers better section and student navigation.  CAUTION: The font looks retrograde and the mini RCE lacks buttons for Image upload, Math editor, the option 'course link' under the link button. If those issues are critical, deselect "Performance and Usability Upgrades for Speedgrader" in the course (provided it is not forced on at the sub-account level) to roll back to the legacy SpeedGrader. Discussion Checkpoints 5:29 Discussion Checkpoints are now available. If you wish to use...