Navigate a Course

Faculty Navigate a Course

Overview

Instructors familiar with CCLE/Moodle will note at the outset that navigation in Bruin Learn (Canvas) is quite different. In moving from left to right, navigate Bruin Learn via the Global Navigation Menu or Course Navigation Menu to display content.

A note on landing pages:

The Global Navigation > Dashboard is the page one sees upon logging in to Bruin Learn.
The Course Navigation > Home page is the page one sees upon logging in to a Bruin Learn Course.

Course Home Page View

From left to right, the Global Navigation Menu, Course Navigation Menu, and Home page content.
Note: this image features a Home page designed with the UCLA Standard Template.

German 101 Course Home

Global Navigation Features

Find the Global Navigation menu on the left side of every page in Bruin Learn. Global Navigation links provide quick access to frequently used features across all of your courses.

Account (or Login): View and edit notifications, email addresses, add a profile picture. The Login link displays, rather than the Account link, when you view a public course site. Use the Account link to log out.
Dashboard: The landing page, or the first thing you see when you log in to Bruin Learn.
Courses: A list of all of your courses. Select your favorite courses to display on the dashboard.
Groups: Groups you are enrolled in across all courses.
Calendar: See everything you have to do for all of your courses in one place.
Inbox: View and reply to conversations.
History: Recent Bruin Learn course page history.
Search: Search your course site with the Atomic Search external app.
Commons: Access Bruin Learn Commons and find, import, or share resources.
Help: Select the help option that is relevant to your needs.

How do I use the Global Navigation Menu as an Instructor? Links to an external site.

Course Navigation Features

The Course Navigation Menu on the left side of your course helps you and your students access different course areas.

Key tips on the Course Navigation:

Instructors can hide and reorder Course Navigation links. However, the Course Navigation Menu is always visible on respective course pages.
The Visibility icon indicates links hidden to students. The example above shows that hidden links include Files, Rubrics, Outcomes, and Collaborations.
The Home page is part of Course Navigation and serves as the landing page for students each time they access the course.
The Home page defaults to Modules. Faculty can change the course home page to one of five layout options: the Recent Activity Dashboard, Pages Front Page, the Course Modules, the Assignment List, or the Syllabus.

How do I use the Course Navigation Menu as an instructor? Links to an external site.

How do I change the Course Home Page? Links to an external site.

New courses may show links leading to the index pages for the following areas:

Announcements: Share important information with all TAs and students within your course or sections of a course.
Assignments: Quizzes, graded discussions, and many types of online submissions (files, images, text, URLs, and media).
Discussions: Communicate about course topics at any time.
Grades: Enter and distribute grades.
People: Shows the list of users in your course.
Pages: Create content directly in Bruin Learn and include text, multimedia, or links to files.
Files: Upload and store course files. Insert directly into modules, assignments, discussions, or pages.
Syllabus: Clarify course objectives, list preferred contact methods, or upload a PDF.
Outcomes: Measure student progress by pedagogical goals or desired objectives.
Quizzes: Assess student comprehension with Classic Quizzes.
Modules: Organize content by weeks, units, or a different structure to create a linear flow.
Collaborations: Create collaborative documents and save them in real-time.
Settings: Manage course details, sections, navigation, and external apps.
Rubrics: Associate rubrics with assignments, discussions, and quizzes.
Home Page: Set the home page to be one of the following: the Recent Activity Dashboard, a custom Pages Front Page, the Course Modules, the Assignment List, or the Syllabus.

External Apps

Configured external apps or LTI tools create additional Course Navigation links. For example, when faculty enable Zoom in a course, Zoom will appear in the Course Navigation. Instructors can manage course navigation links Links to an external site. for external apps in course settings and disable the link so that it will no longer display in the Course Navigation menu for you or your students.