The Checklist You Didn't Know You Needed

The Canvas Course Checklist

"This is probably the easiest win you can give yourself."

Ever logged into Canvas the day before the semester starts and wondered, did I update everything? You're not alone. In this episode, UM3D instructional designers Trish Lange and Sarah Marshall pull back the curtain on one of their most valuable — and underused — resources: the Canvas Course Checklist. From unpublished content and broken links to wrong due dates and accessibility compliance, updating a Canvas course isn't just one task — it's dozens of small ones. Trish and Sarah walk you through the checklist step by step, sharing practical tips on batch editing dates, checking links, making your course accessible, and using Student View to make sure everything is ready before your students arrive. Whether you're a seasoned Canvas user or just trying to survive the start of the semester, this episode is your roadmap to a confident, student-ready course from day one.

Resources:

• Canvas Course Checklist
• Canvas Accessibility
• Canvas at the UofM
• Batch Edit Due Dates
• Canvas Link Validator
• Student View
• Canvas Studio: Embed Media
• Canvas Studio: Captions
• Canvas Digital Accessibility Guidance

*Note: Since the recording of this episode, the Department of Justice has extended the compliance deadline for web accessibility from April 24, 2026 to April 24, 2027.