What is Design Plus in Canvas?

Design Plus in Canvas, often abbreviated as D+ in Canvas, is a feature that allows educators to provide additional feedback and grading opportunities to students beyond the standard Canvas Gradebook. It's a powerful tool that encourages a more holistic approach to assessment, promoting student growth and learning. Let's delve into what Design Plus in Canvas is, its benefits, and how to use it effectively.

In essence, Design Plus allows instructors to create and manage additional grading categories outside the standard Canvas Gradebook. These categories can be used to assess various aspects of student learning, such as participation, effort, or specific skills, providing a more comprehensive view of student performance.

Understanding Design Plus in Canvas

Design Plus is designed to complement, not replace, the standard Canvas Gradebook. It offers a flexible way to incorporate non-graded or extra credit assignments, comments, and observations into the grading process.

Key features of Design Plus include:

• Unlimited creation of additional grading categories.
• Ability to make these categories visible or hidden to students.
• Option to include or exclude Design Plus categories from final grades.
• Flexibility to add comments, observations, or ratings to student work.

Design Plus vs. Canvas Gradebook

While the Canvas Gradebook is primarily used for grading assignments, quizzes, and other graded activities, Design Plus focuses on providing additional feedback and assessment opportunities. It's ideal for evaluating soft skills, effort, or other aspects that aren't easily quantifiable.

Here's a simple comparison:

Canvas Gradebook	Design Plus
Used for graded activities	Used for additional feedback and assessment
Quantitative data	Qualitative data and observations
Visible to students by default	Can be hidden from students

Benefits of Using Design Plus in Canvas

Implementing Design Plus in Canvas offers several advantages:

• Holistic assessment: It allows educators to evaluate students based on a broader range of skills and qualities.
• Personalized feedback: Design Plus enables instructors to provide more detailed, personalized comments and observations.
• Student growth: By focusing on areas for improvement, Design Plus helps students understand what they need to work on.
• Flexibility: It provides educators with the freedom to create and manage additional grading categories as needed.

Integrating Design Plus into Your Canvas Course

To start using Design Plus in Canvas, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the "Settings" page in your Canvas course.
2. Click on the "Courses" tab, then select "Design Plus".
3. Click the "+ Design Plus Category" button to create a new category.
4. Enter a name for the category, and choose whether to display it to students or include it in final grades.
5. Click "Save" to create the category.

Once created, you can add comments, observations, or ratings to student work within these categories. These will be visible to students if you've chosen to display the category.

Best Practices for Using Design Plus

To make the most of Design Plus, consider these best practices:

• Be clear about the purpose of each Design Plus category.
• Provide specific, actionable feedback in your comments and observations.
• Regularly review and update Design Plus categories to reflect student progress.
• Communicate with students about how Design Plus categories will be used in their overall grading.

In conclusion, Design Plus in Canvas is a valuable tool for educators seeking to provide more comprehensive, personalized feedback to students. By leveraging this feature, instructors can promote a more holistic approach to assessment, fostering student growth and learning. So, why not give Design Plus a try in your next Canvas course?