Building a course with a new Learning Management System can appear to be a daunting task, however Canvas is user friendly and NU has provided detailed resources to help with the process. When finalizing your course, the most important aspect is to make sure all of the modules are set to publish (with the green check mark). You can also set release dates, so the content is not all released at one. There are also options within Canvas to enable conditional release, meaning that students have to complete different aspects of the course before others are released. For example, students may have to complete all of the readings and lecture content prior to the assessment component being available. Make sure to review your course in the student view so you can fix any mistakes or errors. There are checklists available that can help instructors include all elements of a well-designed course. Faculty should also be familiar with the Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through Research and Academic Technologies as these departments have a lot of beneficial resources.

Continuing with the importance of adding the human element is making your students aware that you are also human and can make mistakes. Asking them to feel comfortable to provide useful feedback on your course Canvas page or the progress of the course is important in both formative and summative ways. Including video announcements of yourself or having recurring office hours are important tools you can use to help students get to know you and for you to get to know them (helping the relationship more closely resemble an in-person relationship). There are lots of resources available to help and as an Academic Scholar I can consult with you to find the necessary available resources, what technology to use, and overall course design.