Quick Tips IMPROVE Series, Part 5: Other Content Types (Links, Files, Images, and Videos)

 
Welcome back to Part 5 of our IMPROVE series. We’re on to the letter O in our IMPROVE acronym, which stands for Other Content Types.

Last time, we discussed how to use the Rich Content Editor (RCE) to present textual content within Pages in your Canvas courses. In Part 5, we will expand on embedding other types of content and media.

JUMP TO:  Links  |  Files  |  Images  |  Videos
 

Add Links to Pages

There are two types of links you can create in Canvas Pages: 1) external links, which link to URLs outside of Canvas, and 2) course links, which link to other pages, assignments, or items housed within your Canvas course.
  

Insert an external link

The web is full of great instructional materials that we can include in our courses.  But sometimes, there are so many great resources out there that we might get carried away.  Make sure that any web resources you select support your course and module learning objectives and add value to the course.

Once you’ve selected your materials, you can follow these steps to create the links in Canvas.

1. Navigate to the Page where you want to add the link.
    
2. Click the Edit button in the top right corner.
    
3. Place your cursor in the textbox where you want to add the link.
    

4. Click the Links button in the toolbar, then select External Link from the drop-down menu.

   

    

5. A dialog box will appear.  
   
   In the Text field, type in the text you want to display within the page.  This should be descriptive text that tells students what you are linking to, not the URL itself. 
   
   In the Link field, paste in the URL.

   

    

6. Click the Done button.  You’ll see the textbox light up yellow for a moment, and then you’ll see the link you created in blue, underlined text.

   

    

7. Continue editing the page as needed.  
   
   Tip: As a best practice, include some text alongside the link to provide additional context, description, or instruction for your students.  If you passed out a handout in a face-to-face class, you would tell the students what you were handing them and what to do with it.  You should do the same with online content.  
   
   What is this link?  Why should students read it?  Is it required or optional?  How does this content relate to the other content?  How will this link help students complete upcoming assignments? These are all questions to ask yourself that can inform how you present that link to your students within a Canvas Page.
    
8. When you are done editing the page, click the Save button in the bottom right corner.

Here is our finished page with the external link added:

Insert a course link

In addition to linking to content outside of Canvas, you can also link to content within your Canvas course by inserting course links.  This can be useful if you need to refer students to view another page, assignment, module, or tool within your course.

You can see an example of course links in action on the Home page in the Kent State Online Template.  In the screenshot below, “Syllabus” and “Announcements” are course links that take students to those pages within the course, and “Getting Started in Online Learning” is an external link.

Add Files to Pages 

Why add files to Pages instead of Modules?

While it is possible to upload files directly to a module, there are many benefits to uploading them in Pages instead:

1. Add descriptions: You can introduce the file to students and provide some additional context or instruction within a page.  There is no way to add this extra text when uploading directly to a module.
    
2. Group multiple files: You can upload multiple files within a single page.  This allows you to group related content and present it to students all together.  When uploading directly to a module, each file is its own separate module item.
    
3. Provide a better experience for students: You can ensure that files will open in new tabs.  Put simply, your file links will just work more smoothly.  Often, we see files (and web links) added to modules that fail to embed properly, requiring several extra clicks for students.
    

How do I upload files to Pages?

You can both upload and link to files, including documents, PDFs, PowerPoints, and more by using the Rich Content Editor within a Page.  You have a couple different options for this: 1) you can upload a new file and create the link at the same time, or 2) you can link to a file that you have already uploaded in the course files.
 

Option 1: Upload a new file in a Page

1. Navigate to the Page where you want to add the link, then click the Edit button in the top right corner.
    
2. Place your cursor in the textbox where you want to add the file.  
    

3. Click the Documents button in the toolbar, then select Upload Document from the drop-down menu.  

   

    

4. A dialog box will appear.
   
   Click the rocket ship to browse your computer for the file, or drag and drop the file from your computer.
    
5. Click the Done button.  You’ll see the textbox light up yellow for a moment, and then you’ll see the link you created in blue, underlined text.
    

6. By default, the display text will show the file name.  To add a more useful descriptive name, click on the link, then click the Link Options button.  

   

    

7. A side panel will pop out on the right.  In the Text field, replace the file name with a descriptive name.  You can also adjust how the file will be displayed (note that the Disable Preview option will automatically download the file). Then click the Done button.

   

    

8. Continue editing the page as needed.  
   
   Tip: As a best practice, include some text alongside the link to provide additional context, description, or instruction for your students.  
    
9. When you are done editing the page, click the Save button in the bottom right corner.

Option 2: Link to an existing course file in a Page

If you want to link to a document that you’ve already uploaded to your Canvas course, you will not want to re-upload it, as that will cause you to have duplicate files in your Course Files. Instead, follow these steps to link to an existing file:

1. Navigate to the Page where you want to add the link, then click the Edit button in the top right corner.
    
2. Place your cursor in the textbox where you want to add the file.  
    
3. Click the Documents button in the toolbar, then select Course Document from the drop-down menu.  
    

4. A side panel will pop out on the right.  Locate and click on the name of the file you want to add.  You’ll see the textbox light up yellow for a moment, and then you’ll see the link you created in blue, underlined text.  
   
   Note: If you have a lot of files in your course, try typing into the Search bar at the top to locate it more easily.

   

    

5. Follow Steps 6-9 above to give your file link a meaningful title, set any additional display options, add a description, and save the page.

Did you know?  If you have made changes to a file that you already uploaded and linked in your Canvas course, you can overwrite the existing file with your updated one.  To do this, go to Files and navigate into the folder in which the existing file resides.  Then upload the new file there using the Upload button or drag and drop. A prompt will pop up; click the Replace button to overwrite the existing file with the new one.  Any existing links to that file within that course will now automatically point to the updated version.  

Here is our updated page with the document added.  Note that the icons following the links denote whether it is a file (download arrow) or a web link (browser icon).

Embed images in Pages

1. Navigate to the Page where you want to add the image, then click the Edit button in the top right corner.
    
2. Place your cursor in the textbox where you want to add the file.  
    

3. Click the Images button in the toolbar, then select Upload Image from the drop-down menu. 
   
   Note: Just like with Files, you can also select an image that has already been uploaded to the course.  

   

    

4. A dialog box will appear.  Click the rocket ship to browse your computer for the file, or drag and drop the file from your computer.
    
5. Click the Done button.  You’ll see the textbox light up yellow for a moment, and then you’ll see the image you inserted.
    

6. By default, the image will display full size. To resize the image and to add alt-text, click on the image, then click the Image Options button.  

   

    

7. A side panel will pop out on the right.  In the Alt Text field, replace the file name with a descriptive name or, if the image doesn’t impart meaning, you can mark it as decorative (1).  You can also adjust the image size as desired, either using custom dimensions or preset sizes (2).  Then click the Done button (3).

   

    

8. You’ll see the textbox light up yellow for a moment, and then you’ll see the image you embedded.
    

9. Optional: You can adjust the alignment of the image if desired.  In this case, we will float the image on the right by selecting the image, then clicking the Align button > Align Right.

   

    

10. When you are done editing the page, click the Save button in the bottom right corner.
     

Here’s a look at our finished page with the image embedded:

Embed videos in Pages

How you embed a video in Canvas depends on its source.  For Kaltura videos, you will want to use the “Embed Kaltura Media” tool.  For all other videos, including YouTube, TED, etc., you will want to use the “Embed” tool.

Reminder: As with all of the content you’re adding in your Canvas course, don’t forget to add some context or instructions to introduce the video and its purpose to your students.
 

Option 1: Embed a Kaltura video in a Page

We already have instructions written up on our website to walk faculty through embedding Kaltura videos in Canvas Pages, so to save space in this post, we’ll just link out to those: Embed a Kaltura Video in the Canvas Rich Text Editor
 

Option 2: Embed other videos in a Page

Step 1: Copy embed code from video page

1. Navigate to the web page where the video is hosted.
   
   Note: For these instructions, we’ll show you how to copy the embed code for a YouTube video. The steps for locating the embed code may differ slightly depending on where the video is hosted.
    
2. Click the Share button.  
    

3. A dialog box will pop up.  Click on the Embed button.

   

    

4. Another dialog box will pop up, showing the embed code.  Click the Copy button in the bottom right corner to copy it to your clipboard.

   

    

Step 2: Paste embed code in Canvas

1. Navigate to the Canvas Page where you want to embed the video, then click the Edit button in the top right corner.
    
2. Place your cursor in the textbox where you want to add the file.  
    

3. Click the Embed button (looks like a cloud) in the toolbar.  If you do not see the Embed button, click the three dots to the far right of the toolbar to expand to the next row.

   

    

4. A dialog box will pop up.  Paste the embed code into this box, then click Submit.

   

    

5. You’ll see the textbox light up yellow for a moment, and then you’ll see the video you embedded.
    
6. When you are done editing the page, click the Save button in the bottom right corner.
    

Here’s a look at our finished page with the video embedded:

Return to Quick Tips Blog  |  View Next Post >>