Meet the DesignPLUS Suite

 

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Getting Started Meet the DesignPLUS Suite

The DesignPLUS suite of tools was developed to help you create and style course content quickly and efficiently. DesignPLUS consists of the sidebar rich content editor, the Multi-Tool, and the Upload/Embed Image Tool. The bulk of this user guide is about the sidebar rich content editor, but it is important to be aware of the purpose of each of the three tools and how they work together.

DesignPLUS Sidebar

The DesignPLUS sidebar is an additional set of tools for the Canvas rich content editor (RCE).  Using the sidebar, you can easily add consistent design elements and style and format the content of Canvas pages, assignments, the course syllabus, discussion descriptions, and quiz descriptions, giving your courses a polished and uniform look and feel. 

Demo Video

Introducing the New DesignPLUS Sidebar Links to an external site.

The following list describes some of the things you can do to customize your content:
  • Use predefined themes to add a uniformly styled banner title, banner image, navigation bar, and headings to any page.
  • Create templates that can be pulled into any page or activity.
  • Insert boilerplate sections and content.
  • Duplicate existing content pages. 
  • Style images, links, tables, and lists in the rich content editor. 
  • Check heading, image, and link accessibility.

Intermediate Tools

  • Adjust element colors, borders, margins, and padding.
  • Add icons.
  • Write objectives and other content supported by Bloom's Revised Taxonomy.
  • Add accordions and tabbed content.
  • Add basic details about teachers and teaching assistants enrolled in the current course.

Advanced Tools

Work with HTML and CSS using a variety of tools like the Advanced HTML Editor and the HTML Attributes tool.

 

New Terminologies Infographic

Wondering what the panels and tools are called and what they do? View this infographic made by Cidi Labs that details the anatomy of the new sidebar so you'll get oriented with the lingo!

View the infographic Links to an external site.

Multi-Tool
Course Level LTI Tool

Use the Multi-Tool to set up a course shell quickly and efficiently. The Multi-Tool consists of three separate tools: (1) a template page creator, (2) a module builder, and (3) a due date modifier.

Demo Video

The DesignPLUS Multi-Tool Links to an external site.

With the Multi-Tool, you can do the following: 
  • Create a home page, publish it, and mark it as the Front page.
  • Create template assignments, discussions, pages, and quizzes that you can add to modules.
  • Create new modules or add to existing modules.
  • Update assignment due dates, availability dates, and until dates—all from the same screen.

Upload/Embed Image Tool
Rich Content Editor LTI Tool

Use the Upload and Embed Image Tool to upload, crop, and embed images for your course. 

Demo Video

The Upload/Embed Image Tool Links to an external site.