Getting Started
Step 1: Logging In
To begin using the Canvas - click the "Canvas Login" button (above). Log in using your SMU ID and password.
Step 2: Access Your Courses
Your list of available courses will be listed under the "Courses" menu in Canvas. Faculty may begin to add content to any or their existing courses or may request a demo course for training purposes, content development, or testing. If you experience any login issues, please contact the IT Help Desk at (214) 768-HELP (4357).
Step 3: Getting Help & Support
There are many ways to get help with Canvas. For most basic "how to" questions, we encourage all of our users to contact IT Help Desk. For additional information about Canvas support, please visit our Canvas Help pages. We also have several upcoming opportunities for Canvas training on our IT Training page. We recommend for Canvas using Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
How Participants Are Enrolled in Canvas
The process to put participants and courses into Canvas is an automated one; information from my.SMU is automatically exported into Canvas for use by students and faculty. Several designations in my.SMU define how participants are linked to correct courses and correct roles (ie, Instructors, Co-Instructors, TAs, students, etc).
All students, Instructors, secondary instructors, TAs, and supervisory instructors are enrolled in every six hours (3 times a day) throughout the week when my.SMU data flows directly (one-way) into Canvas.
To add or modify participants to your course, like additional Instructors or TA’s, please contact your departmental admin (the same individual that created your course in my.SMU) to add the additional participants to your course, and they will show up in Canvas. (follow the guide below)
| Need |
my.smu Designation |
| Main or only instructor (evaluated) |
Primary Instructor (PI) |
| Secondary instructor (evaluated) |
Secondary Instructor (SI) |
| Co-instructor (evaluated) |
Secondary Instructor (SI) |
| Teaching Assistant (not evaluated) |
Teaching Assistant (TA) |
| Supervisory Instructor (not evaluated) |
Supervisory Instructor (SU) |
| Observing Teacher (not evaluated) |
Supervisory Instructor (SU) |
If your “course” is not an official catalog course of record, please contact the IT Help Desk, and we will assist you in adding proper participants into proper roles of your course.
Instructor Support
Canvas WalkThru(s)
The new Canvas WalkMe provides real-time guidance that is easy to follow. WalkMe simplifies the user experience by providing on-screen, step-by-step guidance at the moment of need so that our instructors can complete any task successfully. This makes learning specific Canvas tasks more efficient and boosts SMU’s overall productivity.
The Player Menu is accessible via the Canvas WalkThru widget, the button positioned in the corner of your browser screen, in Canvas. Clicking on this widget opens the Player Menu, which allows instructors to view and search through a list of available WalkThrus. When a WalkThru is selected, it will immediately launch step-by-step guidance seamlessly overlaid on your site.
Instructors can access the WalkMe Player Menu, inside Canvas, using most modern browsers including Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Without any software download or installation, instructors can access WalkMe in real-time as a SaaS application right inside their course.
Simply click on the Canvas WalkThru menu and type in a question or task, then follow along as WalkMe shows you where to click, what settings to choose, and explains the options.
Currently over 100 tasks are available through the Canvas WalkThru menu. More tasks will be added through the semester. For any task not covered by the Canvas WalkThru, please feel free to contact the IT Help Desk at 214-768-HELP or your area’s Academic Technology Services Director.
How Do I Access 24/7 Help @ SMU
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SMU has contracted Instructure, the company behind Canvas, to provide 24/7/365 Tier1 support for all SMU faculty, staff, and students for use by fully online, hybrid, and residential student communities.
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Instructors can access this 24/7/365 support through the help menu in the lower left corner of the SMU Canvas interface. This Canvas support allows for uninterrupted tech support for all, when the on campus Help Desk is closed.
There are two choices for reaching 24/7/365 support, phone or chat.
(The chat option will provide you with the option to have your completed chat session emailed to you in digest form for future reference.)
Documentation and Training
Canvas Guides
For Instructors:
In-Person Training for Instructors
For in-person training and consultation for the Canvas LMS, contact your school's Academic Technology Service Director (ATSD).
Video Tutorials
Instructure.com: Canvas Video Guide
Lynda.com: Learn Canvas 2016 with Oliver Schinkten
SMU Training-On-Demand: Canvas: An Introduction & Managing Modules
SMU Training-On-Demand: Canvas: Adding Essential Course Content
Student Support
How Do I Access 24/7 Help @ SMU
SMU has contracted Instructure, the company behind Canvas, to provide 24/7/365 Tier1 support for all SMU students, in fully online, hybrid, and residential student communities.
Students can access this 24/7/365 support through the help menu in the lower left corner of the SMU Canvas interface (global navigation). This Canvas support allows for uninterrupted tech support for all students when the on campus Help Desk is closed.
There are two choices for reaching 24/7/365 support, phone or chat.
(The chat option will provide you with the option to have your completed chat session emailed to you in digest form for future reference.)
Documentation and Training
Canvas Guides for Students:
Video Tutorials
Intructure.com: Canvas Video Guide
Lynda.com: Learn Canvas 2016 with Oliver Schinkten
SMU Training-On-Demand: Canvas: An Introduction & Managing Modules
SMU Training-On-Demand: Canvas: Adding Essential Course Content
SMU Training-on Demand: Canvas New Features for Fall 2017