DesignPLUS for Canvas

DesignPlus Flex Workshop Recordings


DesignPLUS is a user-friendly Canvas plug-in that helps you build polished, engaging, and accessible courses efficiently. DesignPLUS is licensed for all faculty at MiraCosta College using Canvas.

DesignPLUS includes four primary tools:

  • Sidebar – a suite of rich content editor tools that help you create organized, accessible, engaging, and visually polished content in Canvas with ease.
  • QuickStart Wizard – design tools available when you are editing new content in Canvas (a new page, assignment, discussion, etc) to quickly add visual design elements or adopt existing templates.
  • Cidi Labs Multi-Tool – a time-saving tool that lets you quickly set up an engaging home page and create accessible templates for reuse across Canvas. It also can help you quickly build repeatable, consistent module structures. You can also adjust due dates and delay announcements using this tool.
  • Upload/Embed Image Tool – a tool that enables you to discover, add, edit, and place course images in Canvas

DesignPLUS Sidebar

When you are editing Canvas content, select the sidebar icon at top right to launch the Sidebar tool, which will then appear on the right. The Sidebar tool includes many enhancements to the Rich Content Editor in Canvas, enabling you to easily add a variety of attractive and engaging content elements.

Getting Started with the Sidebar

Learn more about the DesignPLUS Sidebar (Tap to open a list of resources).

Sidebar Basics

Sidebar Resources and Guide

Sidebar Training Videos

How do I build a basic page?

How do I build a home page?

DesignPlus Accessibility Tools

DesignPlus Accessibility and Usability Tools Overview

DesignPlus User Guide Canvas Course

DesignPLUS QuickStart Wizard

The QuickStart Wizard button appears when you open a new page, assignment, or syllabus for editing. Activating the Wizard gives you access to templates for the entire page, or pre-defined content blocks of different types to help you customize the page.

Getting Started with the QuickStart Wizard

Cidi Labs Multi-Tool

The Cidi Labs Multi-Tool shows up in the left course navigation menu of your Canvas course. You will be asked to authorize Cidi Labs to access your Canvas account. Once the Multi-Tool is set up, you can select from a variety of tools to help rapidly develop and update your courses. Watch the Multi-Tool orientation video to learn more about what it can do for you.

Getting Started with the Multi-tool

To learn more, see Multi-Tool FAQs.

DesignPLUS Upload/Embed Image Tool

This tool enables you to manage course images directly in Canvas. Upload, crop, resize, and embed images anywhere in your course, or quickly add free, high-quality images from Pexels and Unsplash. To access the Upload/Embed Image (U/EI) tool, go to apps through the Rich Content Editor (RCE). The first time you access the tool, you will be asked to authorize Cidilabs to access Canvas so this tool is available for you. Watch the Upload/Embed Image orientation video to learn how this tool works.

Getting Started with the Upload/Embed Image Tool

To learn more, see Benefits of using the Upload/Embed Tool or Adding the Upload/Embed (U/EI) Tool to the Rich Content Editor (RCE)

Additional DesignPLUS Support

DesignPLUS Customer Support: support@cidilabs.com

DesignPLUS Knowledge Base and FAQs

DesignPLUS User Guide

DesignPLUS Library of Designs and Templates

For support or training, contact instructional designer, Nadia Khan: nkhan@miracosta.edu

WeVideo (formerly PlayPosit) in Canvas

WeVideo Flex Workshop Recordings & Updates


WeVideo (formerly PlayPosit) is an interactive video learning tool that is fully integrated with MiraCosta College’s Canvas. WeVideo allows instructors to create activities using videos from Canvas Studio, 3C Media, YouTube, Vimeo, or other video sources. WeVideo now includes access for instructors to the WeVideo’s Multimedia tool to create instructional videos, podcasts or set up assignments for learners to demonstrate learning through media.

Create an Assignment in Canvas with WeVideo interactivity?

  1. In your Canvas course, click on Assignments
  2. Then + Assignment
1. Assignment, then 2. + Assignment

3. Enter the information for the assignment, change the submission type to External Tool, and click Find.

External Tool, then click Find button

4. Select the WeVideo (formerly PlayPosit) Interactivity tool from the list.

Click WeVideo (formerly PlayPosit)

5. Click the Set Link button on the gray screen.

Set Content Link page - Click Set Link

6. Click on the Canvas icon in front of the desired interactive video or playlist and click Link to assign it.

  • If you do not have an interactive video in your account yet, please follow the steps in this article to create your first interactive video.
WeVideo page - Click the Canvas Icon

7. Select the learner experience to be Self Paced or Live Broadcast, then click Set Link.

Click the Set Link button

8. Click Select to complete the process.

Click the Select button

Adjust the grading and due date for the assignment in Canvas. Please note that if you would like to have the grades synced, the points for the assignment in Canvas must be greater than 0.

After the content is linked, you will see the following window when launching the assignment as an instructor. There will be three options:

  • Unlink: unlink the content from this assignment so you can assign it to another assignment in this class if needed. Once the content is unlinked, the learners’ grades will be archived and not visible from the monitor page. They will need to complete the activity again in the new assignment to gain their grades.
  • Preview: Preview the content that is linked to this assignment.
  • Monitor: Open the monitor page for this assignment for you to review and adjust learners’ grades. Please see the next section for more information.
Manage Link page within WeVideo

Monitor Learners’ Grades from Canvas

Click the Monitor button on the gray window to launch the monitor page.

Click the Monitor button

On the monitor page, you can see learners’ names, responses to each question, and their grades.

The monitor page within WeVideo

If you need to update learners’ grades or provide points to manually graded questions, click the response and assign points to it.

Points page within WeVideo

After grading, please ensure that you click the Sync Grades button at the top to sync the most updated grades to the Canvas grade book.

Sync All Grades button within WeVideo

For additional information refer to the WeVideo – ‘How do I assign Interactivity content to Canvas?’ guide

New RCE


WeVideo Support and Help

WeVideo has support services for your questions or problems.

Turnitin for Canvas LTI 1.3

MiraCosta College has an unlimited license to Turnitin, GradeMark, and Peer Review, and Turnitin is available within Canvas. No separate login or password is required for faculty or students. You have two options for how to use Turnitin with Canvas.

The primary difference between the two is that the Turnitin LTI 1.3 integration is best used if faculty prefer to use Turnitin for grading and feedback; the Turnitin Plagiarism Framework is preferred by faculty who want Turnitin for plagiarism prevention but like to use the Canvas grading and feedback tools.

Create a Turnitin LTI 1.3 Assignment in MCC Canvas:

  1. Click on Assignments from the course navigation menu.
  2. Click on the 3 Dots Assignment Settings button.
  3. Click on Turnitin in the menu.
Turnitin LTI 1.3 in MiraCosta College Canvas

Turnitin Canvas LTI 1.3 Resources


Testing a Turnitin Assignment with your MCC Sample Student

Turnitin is an LTI tool that is globally installed on our Canvas system. LTI tools are not native to Canvas so they will not work in the internal Canvas Student View. You must log off of Canvas, as an instructor, then log on with your MCC Sample Student account. Now you will be able to experience a Turnitin assignment within your Canvas course as a student.

Additional information

Turnitin Canvas Plagiarism Framework

Turnitin Plagiarism Framework is available within Canvas and offers a tighter integration between a Canvas assignment and Turnitin than the Turnitin 1.3 LTI Canvas integration. No separate login or password is required for faculty or students.

The primary difference between the two tools is that the Turnitin LTI 1.3 integration is best used if faculty prefer to use Turnitin for grading and feedback; the Turnitin Plagiarism Framework is preferred by faculty who want Turnitin for plagiarism prevention but like to use the Canvas grading and feedback tools.

MiraCosta College has an unlimited license to Turnitin, GradeMark, and Peer Review.

Turnitin Canvas Plagiarism Framework Guides

Turnitin Integration Canvas Resources


Testing a Turnitin Assignment with your MCC Sample Student

Turnitin is an LTI tool that is globally installed on our Canvas system. LTI tools are not native to Canvas so they will not work in the internal Canvas Student View. You must log off of Canvas, as an instructor, then log on with your MCC Sample Student account. Now you will be able to experience a Turnitin assignment within your Canvas course as a student.

Additional information

TidyUP: Canvas Content Cleanup Tool

TidyUP logo

TidyUP is available within a Canvas course to help quickly identify and clean up course content. Identifying and deleting extra files, folders, pages, or assignments that are no longer in use will make your course easier to manage and more usable for everyone.

Note: TidyUp does not identify files that are being used in Question Banks 

Enable the TidyUp tool in a Canvas course

  1. Start within your Canvas course, click on Settings at the bottom of the course navigation menu.
  2. Click on the Navigation tab.
Step 1 and Step 2

3. Click on the 3 dots to the right of TidyUp.

4. Select + Enable.

5. Click Save.

Step 3, 4, and 5.

The TidyUP tool will now be available on your course navigation menu near the bottom of the list.

6. Click the TidyUP link.

7. Click the Authorize button the first time you launch the tool.

Step 6 and Authorize TidyUP

You are now ready to use the TidyUp tool. Click the Scan Course button to get started.

Welcome to TidyUP screen

TidyUP Training & Support Resources

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