Access and Import Templates in Canvas Commons

Faculty Access and Import Templates in Canvas Commons

Importing Course Templates

If you would like to use a Template in your Bruin Learn course, you can do so by finding it in Canvas Commons. Currently, there are two templates available:

  • Template 1: Standard (updated F23)
  • Template 2: Minimal  (updated F23)

Refer to the available templates section of the previous page for more details about each template.

Before importing a template: It is recommended to import a template before you add content to your course site. Adding a template will overwrite your syllabus, if you have already added one.

Follow the steps below to learn how to search for one of these Templates and import it into your course site.

Accessing Templates in Commons

1. Authorize Commons

If you have not yet authorized the use of Commons, you will need to do the following before selecting a template to import:

  1. Click on the Commons button in the left-hand Global Navigation menu
  2. Click the Authorize button to authorize access to Commons

2. Select a Course

Select an empty course shell or sandbox site to install a template into by clicking on its name:

Empty Course Shell/Sandbox Site

 

3. Go to Commons 

Click the Import from Commons button located on the right side of the screen:

Course Status Menu

 

4. Filter Templates

On the top right, click on the Filter button:

Filter button

 

5. Under Content Types, select Templates.

Select Templates

 

6. On the Filter Results screen under Shared With, select the University of California Los Angeles radio button and close the Filter Results window:

Filter Results screen

 

7. Import Template

You should now see all the templates available to you.

Click on the title of the template you would like to install, for example, Template 1: Standard (updated F23):

Select a template

Click on the Import/Download button located on the right side of the screen:

Import/Download button

Select the course you want to import the template into, for example, Sandbox (MM), and then click the Import into Course button.

NOTE: You can only import templates into courses that you have an active role in (e.g., Teacher, etc.) 

Import/Download options screen

 

8. Complete Import

You will receive a message at the top of the screen informing you that the import has successfully started:

import successfully started message

Navigate back to your course, and after a few minutes, the template will be available from within your course:

 

Template 1 (The Standard Template)

Importing Selected Template Content into a Course

If you want to import selected content from a Bruin Learn Template (instead of the whole template) into your course, follow these steps to do so.

Select a Template from Commons and click the Import/Download button.

import/download button

Instead of selecting a course or clicking Import into Course, click the Download button. A .zip file with the Template will download to your computer. You can choose to save it to your computer, or leave it in your Downloads.

download button option

Navigate back to the course site where you would like the template content to go. From Home, click on the Import Existing Content button on the far right of the page.

Import Existing Content option

Click on the dropdown menu next to Content Type and select Common Cartridge 1.x Package

Content Type dropdown menu highlighting Common Cartridge 1.x Package

Next to Source, click Choose File, and find the .zip file either where you saved it on your computer or in your Downloads. Next to Content, click Select specific content. Then click Import. The .zip file will take a moment to upload.

Import content options

When it appears, click the blue Select Content button next to Common Cartridge.

Select Content button option

Select the content you would like to import in this window. See specific items in each category by clicking on the arrows. Once you have selected your content, click Select Content.

Select Content menu

When the import is complete, you will be able to see the selected content in your course site.

Template Support


Faculty can engage their Academic Unit Leads to design a custom department template or edit any provided templates. Please get in touch with bruinlearn-support@it.ucla.edu to request support or if you need help.