Summary
Spark collaboration and critical thinking with Canvas tools that make active learning effortless. This article will guide you through options for collaborative active learning in Canvas.
Environment
Canvas, O365
Content
Use Canvas tools like Groups, Collaborative Pages, and Discussions to foster active, student-centered learning. Clear expectations, structured roles, and multimedia resources encourage engagement, critical thinking, and teamwork—boosting participation, retention, and real-world skills.
Quick Reference Table - Canvas Tools for Collaborative Active Learning
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Tool
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Purpose
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Best Use Cases
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Tips for Faculty
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Groups
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Create smaller learning communities
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Team projects, peer review, collaborative research
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Auto-assign or allow self-enrollment; set clear roles
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Collaborative Pages
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Shared editable content for co-creation
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Study guides, brainstorming boards, resource hubs
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Provide instructions and assign roles for accountability
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Discussions
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Facilitate structured dialogue
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Course-wide or group-specific discussions, multimedia posts
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Use prompts and milestones; encourage threaded replies
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Collaborations
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Real-time document editing via Google Docs or Microsoft 365
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Shared writing tasks, presentations, data analysis
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Pair with Groups for organized workflows
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Microsoft 365 LTI
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Embed Office tools and Class Notebook
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Complex projects, synchronous planning, AI-enhanced assignments
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Use for multi-document projects and secure sharing
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Implementing Canvas Tools for Collaborative Active Learning
Groups
What it does: Groups create smaller learning communities within a course, giving students their own workspace with announcements, pages, discussions, and files.
How to implement:
- Navigate to People > Groups in your course.
- Decide whether to auto-assign students or allow self-enrollment.
- Create group assignments or graded discussions to encourage accountability. Pro Tip: Provide clear instructions and deadlines for group tasks to avoid confusion.
Collaborative Pages
What it does: Collaborative Pages allow students to co-create content in real time.
How to implement:
- Go to Pages > +Page, then enable Allow students to edit this page.
- Assign roles (e.g., editor, organizer) to ensure balanced participation. Pro Tip: Use for brainstorming, study guides, or shared resource hubs. Include a rubric for contribution quality.
Discussions
What it does: Discussions facilitate structured dialogue, either course-wide or within groups.
How to implement:
- Select Discussions > +Discussion, then choose graded or ungraded.
- Enable threaded replies for deeper engagement. Pro Tip: Use prompts that require critical thinking and encourage multimedia responses (images, videos).
Collaborations
What it does: Collaborations integrate Google Docs or Microsoft 365 for real-time document editing.
How to implement:
- Go to Collaborations > Start a New Collaboration.
- Choose the Microsoft option. Per UHS Information Security, Google products should not be used for instruction by UHCL faculty and staff.
- Assign students to specific documents for projects or peer review. Pro Tip: Pair with Groups for organized workflows and clear ownership.
Microsoft Education LTI Integration
What it does: Embeds Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and OneNote Class Notebook directly in Canvas.
How to implement:
- Enable the Microsoft Education tool in course settings.
- Use Assignments to link documents for collaborative editing.
- Incorporate OneNote Class Notebook for shared notes and reflections. Pro Tip: Ideal for complex projects requiring multiple document types and synchronous planning.
Additional Resources
Need Additional Help?
On behalf of OIT’s Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) team, we hope this tutorial is useful. If you encounter any difficulties or have questions related to this procedure, please contact our colleagues in OIT’s Support Center to have a help ticket created and assigned to the IDT team. You may contact the Support Center via email (supportcenter@uhcl.edu) or by telephone (281.283.2828). Once we receive your inquiry, a member of the IDT team will contact you as quickly as resources permit.