Summary
This FAQ page provides answers to common questions about Simple Syllabus in Canvas. Whether you're looking for guidance on linking content, managing your syllabus across courses, or understanding how Simple Syllabus works with other tools, you’ll find quick and clear responses to help you.
FAQ
Please click the bars below to see the answer to each question.
Where can I find Simple Syllabus help guides?
Simple Syllabus provides a
Help Center with step-by-step guides and instructions for using their software. The Help Center includes information on creating, editing, publishing, and managing your syllabus, along with help for other Simple Syllabus features. And you can always reach out to
eLearning.
I’m a new Simple Syllabus user and it isn’t working for me. What can I do?
For first-time users, we have seen occasional issues when initially connecting to Simple Syllabus. If you are having trouble, try the following steps in this order:
- Clear your browser cache.
- Try using Google Chrome if you are currently using a different browser.
- Update your browser to the latest version.
- Completely log out of Canvas on all of your devices. This includes laptops, desktop computers, phones, tablets, and any other devices where you may be logged into Canvas. Be sure to log out by selecting your profile photo in Canvas and choosing Log Out, rather than simply closing the browser or app.
- Restart your computer and then log back into Canvas.
After completing these steps, try accessing Simple Syllabus again.
Where Can I Test Simple Syllabus or Build a Syllabus for a Live Course?
You can work with Simple Syllabus in either a live Canvas course or a manually created shell course.
If you are building a syllabus for a live course, you can work directly in that course. Students will not see the syllabus until you publish it, so you can build, edit, and review your syllabus before making it available to students.
If you would rather test Simple Syllabus or practice using it outside of a live course, you can use a manually created Canvas shell. For Simple Syllabus to work in the shell, the course must have been originally created in the “Manually-Created Courses” Subaccount.
If you are using an older shell course, please verify the Subaccount before getting started. In the past, most faculty-created shell courses were automatically placed in the Shoreline Community College Subaccount rather than the Manually-Created Courses Subaccount. Moving forward, all newly created shell courses will automatically be placed in the Manually-Created Courses Subaccount.
Important: Simply changing the Subaccount of an existing shell to “Manually-Created Courses” will not make Simple Syllabus work if the course was originally created in another Subaccount. The shell must have been created in the Manually-Created Courses Subaccount from the beginning. If your existing shell was created in a different Subaccount, you will need to create a new shell in the correct Subaccount.
Why are some sections required while others are optional?
Sections marked as required in Simple Syllabus contain information that is required under Shoreline College’s Syllabus Policy.
Many sections include example language to help you get started. These examples are only examples and are fully editable. You should review and edit the content so that it accurately reflects your course.
Do I have to use the examples provided in Simple Syllabus?
No. The content provided in many sections is example language designed to help you get started. You should edit or replace the examples so they accurately reflect your course, teaching practices, and expectations.
Can I change the order of sections in Simple Syllabus?
Yes. Simple Syllabus is designed to be flexible. You can rearrange sections and organize your syllabus in the order that works best for your course.
You can also hide sections from students when they are not applicable to your course. A hidden section will remain visible to you while editing your syllabus, but students will not see it in the published syllabus.
Sections cannot be permanently deleted from the template; instead, sections you do not want students to see can be hidden.
What do the codes and numbers next to the Helpful Tips mean?
Throughout Simple Syllabus, you will see examples, Helpful Tips, and reference codes designed to help you understand what information may belong in each section.
The examples are starting points and should be reviewed and edited for your course. Helpful Tips are for faculty and are not visible to students.
You may also see codes next to some Helpful Tips. These identify the policy, law, regulation, or course-design standard connected to that recommendation. For example:
- RCW 28B.10.590(iv) — References a specific section of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) related to that information.
- WA 4.4.A — References the applicable item in the Washington Course Quality Design Checklist, which is used in Shoreline’s Online & Hybrid Quality Course Design Institute.
- CR-III.D — References the applicable section of Shoreline College’s Syllabus Policy.
- WAC 132E-122-080 — References the applicable section of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).
These references are included to help faculty understand why particular information is recommended or required and where that expectation comes from. They are guidance for faculty and are not displayed to students.
If Shoreline makes changes to the Simple Syllabus template, will I see those changes in my syllabus?
Yes and no. Changes Shoreline makes to the Simple Syllabus template will appear when you start a new syllabus using the current template.
Once you have opened and started working on a syllabus, Shoreline cannot push template changes into that syllabus. This helps ensure that changes to the college template do not unexpectedly alter a syllabus you are already working on.
If you copy or import a syllabus from a previous quarter, you are bringing forward that existing syllabus, so you will not receive newer changes that have been made to the Shoreline template.
To see all of the most current template content, examples, Helpful Tips, and other updates from Shoreline, you will need to start a new syllabus rather than copy a previous one.
Can I copy a syllabus from a previous course, or do I have to start from scratch?
Yes. You can copy a previous Simple Syllabus into a new course, so you do not have to start from scratch each quarter.
To copy a previous syllabus:
- Open your new course in Canvas.
- Select Simple Syllabus from the course navigation menu.
- Select the Edit button (pencil icon) to begin working on your syllabus.
- At the top of the page, select “Replace with a different syllabus?” or “Would you like to import a syllabus?”
- Use the Term drop-down menu to select the quarter containing the syllabus you want to copy.
- Search for the previous course by course number or title.
- Select the syllabus you want to import.
- Review the imported syllabus carefully and update any information that has changed, such as dates, assignments, office hours, course policies, or other quarter-specific information.
- When you are finished, Submit/Publish your syllabus.
Keep in mind: When you import a previous syllabus, you are copying that existing syllabus rather than starting with Shoreline’s most current template. If Shoreline has made changes to the Simple Syllabus template since your previous syllabus was created, those changes will not automatically appear in the imported syllabus.
Can I link to pages, assignments, quizzes, discussion posts, etc. or add Panopto videos to my syllabus?
Yes, you can. However, if you copy your syllabus into a new course, those links will still point to the original course where the syllabus was created. This means students in the new course will not be able to access those materials because the links send them to a different course. If you choose to include links, you will need to update them each time you copy the syllabus into a new course. For this reason, we generally recommend not linking directly to course items from your syllabus.
Can Shoreline College add other student support services to the list of services on Simple Syllabus?
This area is editable, and you have full control of that content. The four student services currently listed were selected because they are the most frequently used by students. To provide a more complete list, we created a Student Support Services page that is available in Canvas Commons. This page is updated every six months to ensure the information remains current. It includes services listed alphabetically, descriptive links to each department’s website, a short description of the services offered, and the best ways for students to access them.
You are welcome to review that page and copy any services you would like to include in your syllabus, or you may simply download the page into your course. If you download the page, you will receive a notification whenever updates are made. You can review the changes and decide whether to apply the update or keep your current version.
If I publish my modules as the quarter progresses, will newly published assignments automatically appear in the schedule?
Yes. Once an assignment is published in Canvas, it will automatically appear in the schedule within Simple Syllabus. There is nothing additional you need to do. It may take a moment for the schedule to update after the assignment is published. As a best practice for online courses, we recommend publishing all course content at the start of the quarter whenever possible. If you do not want your students to see the assignment, you can edit the assignment so it is not viewable until a certain date, which will keep the date on this page but prevent them from seeing the assignment. This allows students to view all due dates in advance and plan their asynchronous time more effectively.
Why is the Land Acknowledgment the first thing on the syllabus?
The placement of the Land Acknowledgment near the beginning of the syllabus is intentional. It reflects both decolonizing practices and the purpose of a land acknowledgment itself.
When a land acknowledgment is offered, it is traditionally placed at the beginning of a gathering, event, or shared experience. In a similar way, the syllabus introduces students to the learning community they are entering. Placing the acknowledgment near the beginning recognizes the Indigenous peoples and lands connected to the place where our teaching and learning occur before moving into course expectations, policies, and other information.
From a decolonizing perspective, this placement also helps ensure that Indigenous peoples, histories, and relationships to the land are not treated as an addition or afterthought. Instead, the acknowledgment is part of how we begin and frame the learning experience.
For these reasons, the Land Acknowledgment has been intentionally positioned near the beginning of the Simple Syllabus template.
How does Simple Syllabus work with BluePrints?
Simple Syllabus will not work in your Canvas Blueprint course. Please go into each of your associated courses and enable simple Syllabus to work on for that course.
Can I merge my course and use Simple Syllabus?
Yes, you can merge courses and still use Simple Syllabus. If you plan to merge courses, build your syllabus in the main course that will remain after the merge (you will designate the main course when you fill out the merge request form). During the merge process, the main course keeps all its content and settings, while the other course shells are merged into it. Students from the merged sections will then access the syllabus and course materials through that main course.
Can I share my Syllabus with another Instructor?
Right now, no. This is the way Simple Syllabus built their platform. You can only share/copy a syllabus from another course in which you have already built a syllabus. If you want to share your syllabus with someone else, you can download it and share it that way.
Can Students Download the Syllabus?
Yes. Students can download a copy of the syllabus by selecting the Download button at the top of the syllabus. Simple Syllabus will generate an accessible PDF that students can save or print for their records.
Will Students be Notified if I Make Any Changes to the Syllabus?
Yes. When you make a change to your syllabus, students will be notified that the syllabus has been updated. The notification will include the date the change was made, but it will not identify what specifically was changed.
If the change is important or affects students, for example, a change to an assignment, course policy, or due date, we recommend communicating the specific change to students separately.
Need more Support?
We offer multiple ways to get support to ensure you receive the help you need:
Contact eLearning
- (206) 546-6966
- eLearning@shoreline.edu
- Location Room 4228 (located in Library)