Use the Cidi Labs syllabus template

One of the navigation links in all Canvas courses is the syllabus link. Students know to click on this link to find the course syllabus. It’s a good idea to include your syllabus on the Syllabus page in Canvas because this page includes the course calendar and the course schedule. When all these items are gathered in a single location this can help your students stay organized. The Cidi Labs syllabus template makes it easy to build an accessible and engaging syllabus in Canvas.

Instructions for using the classic Design Tools syllabus template

Use these instructions if your Cidi Labs interface looks like this image.

Note: This version of Cidi Labs will not be supported after Dec. 31st, 2024.

Cidi Labs Design Tools interface
Cidi Labs Design Tools interface
Cidi Labs Design Tools interface

  1. Click on the “syllabus” link in the navigation area of your Canvas course.
syllabus link in the Canvas navigation menu

2. Click on “edit.”

edit button on the syllabus screen

3. Launch the Design Tools interface by clicking on the rocket icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, or by using the short-cut keys Option-Shift-D on a Mac or Alt-Shift-D on a PC.

design tools launch icon on the syllabus edit screen

4. Choose “Create/Edit Syllabus Content” in the Design Tools editor.

create/edit syllabus content option in the design tools menu

5. Choose “Copy Existing Content.”

copy existing content option in the create/edit syllabus content menu

6. Under “Institutional Syllabus Templates” choose “Syllabus Template 1” from the dropdown menu. This is the Bellevue College accessible syllabus template.

syllabus template options in a drop down menu

7. Click on “update syllabus” at the bottom of the Canvas syllabus editor to save your changes.

Update the syllabus button at the bottom of the syllabus page in edit mode.

  1. Click on “Choose a Theme” in the “Create/Edit Syllabus Content” drop-down menu.
Choose a theme button on the Design Tools menu.
  1. Hover over the different themes to see a pop-up view of that theme. Choose a theme.
Hovering over a theme in the Design Tools theme menu shows an example of the applied theme.
  1. Choose “Update Banner Text” in the “Create/Edit Syllabus Content” drop-down menu.
Customize banner text option on the Design Tools menu.
  1. Add your course name and quarter and the section number and section into the text fields available.
Text editor pop up in Design Tools to change heading text.
  1. Click on “Choose a Banner Image in the “Create/Edit Syllabus Content” drop-down menu.
Choose a banner image option in the Design Tools menu.
  1. Choose the banner image that you prefer. Keep in mind that some of the banner images may work better with some themes than others.
Banner images options pop-up in Design Tools.
  1. Update the syllabus page to save the new settings.
update syllabus button at the bottom of the rich content editor

  1. Choose the Syllabus link in the course navigation, then choose edit to open the rich content editor for the syllabus.
Edit button at the top of the syllabus page.
  1. When in Edit mode, you’ll see content boxes with the title Editor Only Instructions. These boxes contain helpful information for filling out the different sections of the syllabus.
Editor only instructions in a purple box.

You can remove the editor only instructions simply by deleting the text and the box like you would any other content in the Canvas rich content editor.

3. Add your own information to the syllabus by clicking in the rich content editor at the spaces where you would like to add/edit/remove content.

Rich content editor in Canvas.
  1. Check your work, then save the syllabus by choosing “update the syllabus” at the bottom of the Canvas rich text editor.
Update syllabus button at the bottom of the syllabus page.

Instructions for using the updated DesignPLUS syllabus template

Use these instructions if your Cidi Labs interface looks like this image.

Cidi Labs DesignPLUS interface

  1. Choose the Syllabus link in your course Navigation.
syllabus link in the Canvas navigation menu

2. Choose Edit.

Edit button on the syllabus page

3. Launch DesignPLUS. by choosing the rocket icon in the upper right hand portion of your screen. If you do not see DesignPLUS, press SHIFT+OPTION+D (Mac) or SHIFT+ALT+D (PC).

DesignPLUS rocket icon

4. Enter “template” into the search option in the DesignPLUS tool. Then choose Template Content.

type template into the search bar and choose template content

5. Choose Bellevue College, then choose Syllabus. Choose the syllabus you want to import.

Template interface in DesignPLUS

6. At the bottom of the Canvas Syllabus edit page, choose Update Syllabus.

Update the syllabus button at the bottom of the syllabus page in edit mode.

  1. Choose the Syllabus link in the course navigation, then choose Edit to open the rich content editor for the syllabus.

2. When in Edit mode, you’ll see content boxes with the title Editor Only Instructions. These boxes contain helpful information for filling out the different sections of the syllabus.

You can edit the syllabus template content in the rich content editor just like you edit other content in Canvas. As you replace the content and complete any actions suggested in the Editor Only Instructions, follow the instructions below to remove the Editor Only Instructions.

3. Click anywhere in the Editor Only Instructions. Then, choose the target tab in Design Plus followed by the Action Items Information tab. Choose Remove to delete the current Action Item.

4. Don’t forget to choose Update Syllabus when all your content has been added and the Action Items have been removed.

Update the syllabus button at the bottom of the syllabus page in edit mode.

A note about printing web-based syllabi

If you choose to use the Cidi Labs template syllabus, you’ll need to provide information to students on how to print the syllabus. Alternatively, you can copy the syllabus from the Canvas rich content editor in edit mode and save the content as a Word document, then place that file in your course so that students have both a virtual and a hard copy of the course syllabus.

First time using Cidi Labs?

Click on Edit on any page. In edit mode, choose SHIFT + OPTION + D (Mac) or SHIFT + ALT + D (PC) to launch Cidi Labs. It will show up as a small rocket icon in the upper right corner of your screen. See Getting Started with Cidi Labs.

Drop into eLearning live Zoom support, M-F, 11-3, where we will be happy to assist you with your Cidi Labs syllabus questions.

Last Updated February 28, 2024