Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for Students

What is Canvas? 
Canvas is the Learning Management System that Rider University uses for learning and teaching. Canvas enables professors to provide students access to course materials, communication tools, online assessments, and grades, as well as the ability to submit assignments electronically.

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Why are we moving to Canvas?
Canvas is a second (or third) generation LMS that was designed with the user experience (both student and faculty users) in mind, and it is especially good at handing Rich Media.

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How do I login to Canvas?
You can access Canvas by going to http://canvas.rider.edu and logging in using your Easypass id. You’ll find a list of the courses that you are enrolled in under the “Courses” or "Courses & Groups" tab, along with any groups of which you are a member.

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Why don't I see all of the courses I'm registered for listed in Canvas?
Canvas course sites are not accessible to students until the site is made available or "published" by the instructor, so it is normal to not see all courses listed in Canvas.

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Why can't I see a course I registered for in Canvas?
In order to view your course in Canvas, two things must happen: 

  • You must be officially enrolled in the course; and your instructor must have "published" the course to make it available to students. If an instructor asks you to access a Canvas course but it is not listed in your My Courses list, ask your instructor if the course has been published yet. If the instructor has published the course, ask your instructor to check if you are on the roster. 

  • If you have recently registered for the course, please allow up to one day for your enrollment to be added to Canvas.

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When can I access my courses?
You typically will not have access to your courses in Canvas until at least a week before classes begin. You do not need to request access to courses, as you are automatically enrolled after registration in your Canvas course(s). If you register on the first day of class or after that date, it may take up to one business day before access is available as we update the information periodically, not instantaneously.

The professor may not be using Canvas for your class. Canvas Courses tab shows you all of the courses in which you are enrolled in a semester, but not all of them are necessarily using Canvas. Contact your professor to see whether your professor will use Canvas or not.  If there is no professor information available in MyRider, you won’t be able to see the course link in Canvas.

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My course list doesn't show all of my courses! How do I access them?
Canvas displays up to 12 courses in the Courses drop-down menu. Once users have more than 12 courses, they may customize the drop-down menu to choose which courses will display. View a tutorial on how to customize the drop-down menu. After a semester ends, your courses from that semester will be retired from your course list. Also, if you're involved in many courses at once during a semester, you may not see all of your courses on your course list. In any case, you can always access all of your courses, past and present. Click on your course list and when that dropdown list pops open, look for the text at lower right that says “View all courses.” Click on that text and you'll be taken to a new screen which will list all of your courses, past and present alike. Click on a course's name to enter it.

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Will Canvas work on my mobile device?
Canvas functions fully on several smart phones. Compatible devices include the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, Android, Palm and Blackberry. On Android devices, browsers that work well are Opera, Firefox and Dolphin Browser HD. Others are functional but these three are currently recommended. Currently, Instructure released Canvas for iOS and Canvas for Android mobile applications (app).

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How can I view a course I took in fall 2012 or earlier, when Rider was using Blackboard?
Student access to Blackboard will be disabled as of October 28, 2013. If you need to access your submissions on Blackboard, please access and download prior to October, 28, 2013. Blackboard will be taken off thereafter.

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How do I customize my profile and set preferences for the notifications I receive from Canvas?
View a tutorial on how to customize the notifications or alerts you receive from Canvas so that you don't receive too much email or other alerts from Canvas. By clicking on the Settings link in the upper-right corner of the Canvas interface, users can:

  • add a profile photo

  • adjust notification preferences--what kinds of activities in Canvas will prompt it to send you messages, and how you prefer to receive those messages

  • upload files

  • create ePortfolios

  • input or change phone numbers, social media information, notification preferences, and other profile information in Canvas.

You can link your accounts from Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Google, LinkedIn, Diigo, and Delicious to Canvas, and you can choose to receive alerts on your cell phone from Canvas too.

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Where can I get help? 

  • For questions or issues regarding Canvas, please contact the Rider OIT’s HelpDesk at (609) 219-3000 Monday – Friday between 8:00am and 5:00pm. HelpDesk is located on the first floor of the Moore Library.

  • We also recommend that students check out the tutorials in the Canvas Students Guide and join the Canvas Students Center (coming soon) in Canvas 

  • Sign up for the student training session

  • Visit Google+ page and ask a question in the Hangout session

  • Email canvas@rider.edu.

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Access Canvas: http://canvas.rider.edu

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