Overview
The majority of instruction at the University of Pennsylvania will be online for the fall semester. The following page serves as a resource guide for students and instructors using supported digital learning tools in an online environment.
Please visit the University’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Resources and Fall Semester Planning websites for the latest information.
On this Page
Quick Links
- Canvas Login: Log into the Canvas system used by your school/course. Your login consists of your PennKey username (all lowercase) and password.
- System Status: Check the operational status of a tool by vendor.
- Known Issues in Canvas: Confirm whether an encountered issue is a common or known issue in Canvas.
- Creating a Canvas Profile: Creating a Canvas profile is optional, but is a good way to share information about yourself with anyone enrolled in a Canvas course with you.
- Profile and Account Settings: Setting your Profile, Notification Preferences, and other account settings can help you use Canvas more effectively.
Recommended Tools
- BlueJeans is a video conferencing platform with video, audio, and screen-sharing available to all students, faculty, and staff.
- Zoom is a video conferencing platform with video, audio, and screen-sharing available to all students, faculty, and staff.
- Panopto is a video creation and storage platform that integrates into Canvas.
- Piazza is an anonymous question and answer tool that has been integrated into Canvas system-wide.
- Poll Everywhere s a web-based polling tool that doesn’t require clickers, available to all instructors at Penn.
For additional recommended tools, please visit Remote Work Tools & Guidelines from Information Systems & Computing.
Please be sure to check with your school or unit for any specific program or course-related recommendations or requirements
Getting Help
- Email Canvas Support Contacts for immediate assistance with Canvas and other digital learning tools
- Virtual Support for Teaching, Research & Learning from the Libraries
- Instructional Technology Support by Schools from the Center for Teaching & Learning
- Computing Support by Local Support Provider from Information Systems & Computing
Resources for Faculty, Staff, & TAs
Quick Guides
- Canvas for Faculty/Staff/TAs: Find more information about using a variety of features in Canvas.
- Canvas Guides: Learn more about Canvas tools used for course information, videoconferencing, collaboration, participation, and assessment.
- Getting Started with Canvas: Overview of settings to create and publish a course site in Canvas.
Resources & Strategies for Remote Instruction
- Preparing to Teach Online
- FAQ About Teaching Remotely
- Request a New Canvas Site
- How to Make Your Canvas Page Friendly
Resources & Strategies for Assessment
- Adapting your final exam for the remote teaching environment
- Canvas Quizzes: Capabilities, Limitations, and Best Practices for Remote Testing
- Types of Polls & Surveys
- Hiding Grades from Students
Canvas FAQ
- How Do I Find My Canvas Sites from Past Semesters?
- How do I create a question bank in a course?
- Do You Know Students Can Submit Late Assignments Unless You Use an “Until” Date?
Resources for Students
Quick Guides
- Canvas for Students: Find more information about using a variety of features in Canvas.
- Canvas Guides: Learn more about Canvas tools used for course information, videoconferencing, collaboration, participation, and assessment.
- TurnitIn CPF for Students: Turnitin may be used to check the originality of student work and to detect for possible plagiarism. Learn how to submit a Turnitin assignment in Canvas.
Resources & Strategies for Remote Learning
- Remote Learning: Tips for Students
- Student Remote IT Support
- Penn Libraries Virtual Support for Teaching, Research, and Learning
- Student Disabilities Services and Learning Resources