While there are several ways to access a document, providing access to the document through the Modules tool is the most common way. The format of linked documents can include anything as long as the student has the application that supports viewing the file. The most typical file formats for linked course readings are Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word. To link to an article or document:

1. In Course Navigation, click the Modules link.
2. To add an item, click the Add Item icon.
3. Select File from Add drop-down menu.
4. If the file you wish to link to is already in your Canvas course, select the desired file.
5. If the file you wish to link to needs to be uploaded, select [ Create File(s) ] then select Choose Files button. Specify the location within Canvas to save the file from the Folder drop-down menu.
6. Determine any desired level of indentation within the Modules tool.
7. Click Add Item.

This will create a link to the file within the Modules tool. When clicked, the browser will display the file within Canvas if the format is supported. If not, the file will be downloaded to the student's computer.

Sometimes, you have content in text format and want students to read it within a Canvas page instead of linking to a document.

If you want to create a new Canvas Page, follow the directions below:

1. In Course Navigation, click the Modules link.
2. To add an item, click the Add Item icon.
3. Select Page from Add drop-down menu.
4. If you wish to create a new page, select [ Create Page ], then name the document in the Page Name box. Note: If you want to track usage, provide a descriptive name to make it easier to identify it in the analytic reports.
5. Determine any desired level of indentation within the Modules tool.
6. Click Add Item.

If you need to embed a document within a new page, follow the directions below:

1. In Course Navigation, click the Modules link.
2. To add an item, click the Add Item icon.
3. Select Page from Add drop-down menu.
4. If you wish to create a new page, select [ Create Page ] then name the document in the Page Name box. Note: If you want to track usage, provide a descriptive name to make identifying it in the analytic reports easier.
5. Determine any desired level of indentation within the Modules tool.
6. Click Add Item.

If you want to embed a document within an existing document, follow the directions below:

1. In Course Navigation, click the Modules link.
2. To add an item, click the& Add Item icon.
3. Select Page from Add drop-down menu.
4. Select the document to add to your module.
5. Determine any desired level of indentation within the Modules tool.
6. Click Add Item.

Once a page is added to the Modules tool, click on the link and click Edit.

Embedding a PDF link

1. Place the cursor where you want to create the link.
2. Click on the arrow next to the link tool and select Course Link.
3. If the file exists within Canvas, select Insert from the menu, then either Upload Document to add a file from your computer, Course Document to link to a file in your course files or User Documents to link to documents in your user folder.
4. Once the link appears on the page, click it once and choose Link Options.
5. Choose Preview inline, and Expand preview by Default to display the PDF within the Canvas Page.

LEAD is a course-level learning analytics dashboard that displays Canvas, Kaltura Mediaspace, and Unizin Engage eText data to course instructors using Tableau, our institutional data visualization tool. Data can be viewed as an aggregate of the entire course or at the level of an individual student. The LEAD Page Views by Activity Type visualization can be used to help or contribute to answering the question, "Has the student viewed the content I assigned?".

This visualization allows you to see how often your students access your course's various activity types. You can use filters to drill down and see how much content in your course is being accessed and who is accessing it. This visualization can also give you a sense of how many students are accessing specific content in your course and which students are. For example, you can select a specific course reading from Main Activity Type and then select one specific assignment (eg. Twigg Reading) from Name of Activity to see how many times students in your course clicked on that specific assignment; you can also filter by a student to see which students accessed a specific item.

There are a few important caveats to point out here.

1. Viewing a page tells you whether the student accessed the page with the reading. It is the lowest level of compliance an instructor can use — Yes, they clicked on the link, or No, they did not click on the link.
2. Keep in mind that there may be other ways in which a student access the content. Working in a group, for example, might lead to only one student viewing the reading and then sharing it with the other student(s).
3. LEAD does not show duration; it shows frequency and time. We know instructors are interested in knowing how much time students are spending on course activities, but at this time, that’s not available in LEAD. Remember that duration can be tricky to calculate; students may click on a course resource or launch a video and walk away to grab a sandwich or jump to a different tab in their browser.

UW-Madison Learning Analytics Guiding Principles state that learning analytics should be used to benefit students; instructors should be transparent about using learning analytics; instructors should respect students’ privacy and confidentiality and should minimize potential adverse impacts. The following are examples of valid and invalid uses of the data presented through the LEAD Page Views by Activity Type visualization:

REMEMBER — Retrieve, recognize, and recall relevant knowledge from long‑term memory.

• What do you remember about __?
• How would you explain __?
• Describe what happens when __.
• Find the definition of __.
• Identify, locate, or name __. 

Possible approaches

• Canvas Quiz — Quiz questions that have students define terms, label elements, list concepts, or recall points of conclusions.
• Canvas Discussion — Students post a response to a prompt in the Discussion tool that requires them to recall or retrieve the main points in the assigned content.
• In-class Discussion — Use TopHat to have students respond to a prompt that requires them to recall or retrieve the main points in the assigned content.
• Focused Listing — Students are given a single term, name, or concept and directed to list several ideas closely related to the topic.
• Background Knowledge Probe — Students answer a short survey to collect feedback on their prior learning, including knowledge or beliefs that may hinder or block further learning.

UNDERSTAND — Construct meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining.

• How would you sort/classify/categorize __?
• Please tell me what you mean when you say __.
• Use your own words to summarize __.
• What is another way of saying __?
• Compare/contrast __.
• How can you explain __?

Possible approaches

• Canvas Quiz — Students are asked to describe, explain, or identify content elements.
• Think/Pair/Share — Students solve problems aloud and try their reasoning on a listening peer. Ask them to answer some of the questions from above individually, share their results with their partner, and then report their shared results to the class.
• Empty Outline — Students are given an empty or partially completed outline of an in-class presentation or homework assignment and a limited amount of time to fill in the blank spaces.
• Memory Matrix — Students fill in a two-dimensional diagram to organize information and illustrate relationships in a way the instructor can quickly analyze.
• Categorizing Grid — Students sort subordinate terms into the correct categories on a grid.

APPLY — Carry out or use a procedure through executing or implementing.

• Which factors would you change if __?
• What questions would you ask of __?
• Which approach would you use to __?
• What actions would you take if __?
• What would the results be if __?
• Why does __ work?

Possible approaches

• Case Studies — Students review a written study of a real-world scenario and develop a solution to the dilemma presented in the case.
• Structured Problem-Solving — Students follow a structured process to solve problems.
• Think-Aloud Pair Problem-Solving — Students solve problems aloud and try their reasoning with a listening peer.

ANALYZE — Break material into constituent parts, determine how the parts relate to one another, and create an overall structure or purpose through differentiating, organizing, and attributing.

• Is __ based on fact or opinion?
• Explain what must have happened when __.
• What conclusions can you draw from __?
• What is similar/different from __?
• What is the motive/underlying theme of __?
• What is the relationship between __?

Possible approaches

• Pro and Con Grid — Students decide by reviewing an issue, creating a list of pro and con arguments, and deciding based on analyzing those points.
• Defining Features — Students categorize concepts according to the presence of (+) or absence of (–) critical defining features.
• Send-a-Problem — Students solve a problem as a group and pass the problem and solution to a nearby group who does the same, with the final group evaluating the solutions.
• Think-Aloud Pair Problem-Solving — Students solve problems aloud and try their reasoning with a listening peer.
• Categorizing Grid — Students sort subordinate terms into the correct categories on a grid.

EVALUATE — Make judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing.

• How would you explain __?
• What changes to __ would you recommend?
• Do you agree with the outcome of __? Why?
• What evidence supports your view?
• What are the consequences of __?
• How could __ be improved?

Possible approaches

• Case Studies — Students review a written study of a real-world scenario and develop a solution to the dilemma presented in the case.
• Structured Problem-Solving — Students follow a structured process to solve problems.
• Think-Aloud Pair Problem-Solving — Students solve problems aloud and try their reasoning with a listening peer.
• Pro and Con Grid — Students decide by reviewing an issue, creating a list of pro and con arguments, and deciding based on analyzing those points.

CREATE — Put elements together to form a coherent or functional whole, reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing.

• What changes could you make to revise __?
• What theory can you propose for __?
• How many ways can you __?
• What might be a solution for __?
• Develop a plan/proposal for __.
• Devise your own way to __.

Possible approaches

• Case Studies — Students review a written study of a real-world scenario and develop a solution to the dilemma presented in the case.
• Think-Aloud Pair Problem-Solving — Students solve problems aloud and try their reasoning with a listening peer.