Designing Your Homepage & Publishing Your Course

 Designing Your Homepage & Publishing Your Course

Think about what you want your students to see first when they click on your course? Think of your course Home Page as the "doorway" to your digital classroom.

The NVC Course Layout includes a Home Page that can be edited and customized to your liking. Please visit the Canvas Course Layout for Faculty section of the NVC Instructional Innovation Center Links to an external site. webpage.

Canvas Commons Link: NVC Layout Condensed Orientation 


A Good Home Page Should:

  • Welcome students to the course. 
  • Include identifying course information (Course Name and Number)
    • CLOs do not need to be included on the Home Page. They are included on the more detailed Welcome Page.
  • Include the instructor's contact information
    • We recommend you use the Canvas inbox as your preferred method of communication
    • Please do not share your cell phone, home phone, or personal email
  • Include a link or directions to the syllabus
  • Provide students with a  get started link or button
  • Aesthetic appeal, usually including an image and good use of layout and white space
  • Uses editing toolbar to create headers
  • Your home page should make a good first impression!

Canvas Instructor Guide: How do I use the Course Home Page as an instructor? Links to an external site.


Publishing Your Course

Once your course design and editing is complete, publish your course. Instructors must select the Publish button on the front of the Home Page to make the course accessible to their students. 

You must publish a course before students can access it and its contents. Students cannot see unpublished courses and content.

publish and unpublish button in Canvas