Try These 10 Things To Fix Your Computer Problem Before You Call Support

Troubleshooting computer problems is part of modern life when you teach online. Before you make that support call, try your hand at fixing some of the most common problems yourself.

  1. Check your Course Management System (CMS) Status
    Is it a maintenance time? Or is  Canvas currently experiencing an outage?
    1. Canvas Status Updates
    2. Stay Up To Date with Changes Happening within Canvas
  2. Clear Browser Cache (history, cookies, etc.)
    Clearing your browser cache often will resolve the problem by allowing your computer to download the latest version of the webpage and/or software.
  3. Try a Different Browser
    If you have cleared your browser cache and things are still not working as you expect try a different browser. Example: if you are using Chrome, try Firefox and visa versa. Ensure that your browsers are up to date. You can always download the latest version free online.
    1. Chrome
    2. Firefox
    3. Which browsers does Canvas support?
  4. Restart your Computer
    Many faculty and staff solve their problems with this simple step. Always a good option to try.
  5. Check your Internet Connection Speed
    A slow connection could be why your CMS system is running slow.  Share your result with your internet service provider as necessary to resolve.
  6. Enable Browser Cookies
    Cookies are small files which are stored on a user’s computer. They are designed to hold a modest amount of data specific to a particular client and website, and can be accessed either by the web server or the client computer. This allows the online server to deliver a page tailored to a particular user, or the page itself can contain some script which is aware of the data in the cookie and so is able to carry information from one visit to the website (or related site) to the next.
  7. Enable Java
    It strongly recommended to have the latest version to ensure proper functionality of our online systems.
    1. Review ‘What is Java and Why do I need it?‘
    2. Download Java
  8. Manage Pop-Up Blockers
    Pop-up windows, or pop-ups, are windows that appear automatically without your permission. They vary in size but usually don’t cover the whole screen. They are often required for certain online website applications to work properly.
  9. Make sure that your Operating System is fully updated. 
    Neglecting updates could deprive you of important bug and performance fixes.
    1. Apple Computer
    2. PC Computer 
  10. Check your Device Settings

Dropped Students in Canvas – People Roster

Students that drop a course in SURF after the semester has started remain on the People roster in Canvas, but with an inactive role. Students in the inactive role do not see or have access to the Canvas course, but faculty may access activities and grades of an inactive student. This is particularly helpful when a student grade is challenged or if a faculty member is evaluating whether a dropped student is eligible to be reinstated to a course.

People

Within the People roster on Canvas, students that have dropped will have the inactive tag displayed to the right of their name. This identifier will remain next to the student’s name throughout the course unless the student is reinstated to the course. Click the student’s name to access additional information about the student and review the student’s completed activities.

  • You cannot hide inactive students in the People roster.

Grades

Inactive students are hidden by default in the gradebook. To view the grades of inactive students, choose Show Inactive Enrollments in the Gradebook settings. For complete details, see: How do I view grades for inactive student enrollments in the Gradebook?

Online and OER/ZTC tips and opportunities – Oct 2026

Dear faculty colleagues,

I hope your October is more treat than trick so far! I have some timely online-related things to share with you, and below, see the latest from the ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI) – some good overview webinars this month on finding OER, using Creative Commons licensing, AI and OER, and UDL and OER. 

  • Any questions about MiraCosta’s new Distance Education Certification / Recertification? Don’t hesitate to contact me!
  • CCC Online Teaching Conference – this year will be in Anaheim June 28-30
  • Perusall just kicked off a “4-week virtual, author-facilitated reading experience with author Flower Darby” focused on her book, The Joyful Online Teacher. Learn more on the Perusall event site(there is a small cost to gain access to the eBook).
  • SDCCD invites area faculty to attend part of all of their free annual DE Summit – Amplifying Human Potential: Designing Learning Experiences That Reveal, Empower, and Challenge Students
    • Friday, November 13, 8 am – 2 pm at their North City Campus Rm #101 or Online via Zoom
    • The day features a keynote speaker (Jenae Cohn – she’s great), student panel on their experiences in Canvas, faculty showcases, and more. Breakfast and lunch are provided for in-person attendees. Register here.

 Please let me know if you have any questions about anything online or OER/ZTC related!

– Jim Julius
Faculty Coordinator, Online Education

• Back to Basics – Getting Started with Open Educational Resources (OER)•

Tuesday, October 13, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Back to Basics: Finding Open Educational Resources (OER)
Curious about OER and you don’t know where to start? Join us to start your OER discovery journey. Where can you find existing OER for your discipline? Join us to learn how to find OER – and options to consider when you can’t find anything.
Register for Back to Basics: Finding OER

• Creative Commons (CC) Licensing •

What exactly is a Creative Commons license – and what does it do? Whether you are new to the OER space or struggling to select the right license, we have a webinar for you.

Wednesday, October 21, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Introduction to Creative Commons Licensing

Understanding Creative Commons licensing is critical when working with open educational resources. In this interactive webinar, we’ll explore the nuances of the various Creative Commons licenses for when a resource is used, adapted, or created.
Register for Introduction to Creative Commons Licensing

Wednesday, October 21, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Curation and Advanced Licensing

How do you remix and attribute content with different open licenses? How are collections and remixes different and why does it matter? This interactive session is intended for those who are familiar with the Creative Commons licenses and would like to expand their understanding. Bring your questions and licensing challenges.
Register for Curation and Advanced Licensing

• Interactive Office Hours: Artificial Intelligence (AI) •

Join the OERI’s AI Lead, Liz Encarnacion, for a series of interactive office hours centered around using AI to create and adapt OER.

Thursday, October 22, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Office Hour: Accessibility for Open Educational Resources (OER)

Join this interactive office hour focused on accessibility questions and concerns when using generative AI to create, adapt, and share OER. Engage in discussion around reviewing AI-generated text, images, alt text, documents, and other course materials for accessibility prior to publishing or adopting. Bring your questions and draft materials as this office hour will provide practical guidance, peer support, and strategies for ways to use AI-enabled technology responsible to keep accessibility in the forefront of our OER work.
Register for AI Office Hour: Accessibility for OER

Thursday, November 5, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Office Hour: AI Resilient Assessments for Courses Using Open Educational Resources (OER) 

Join this interactive office hour that will focus on designing AI-resilient assessments for OER and OER-based courses. Bring your assessments and OER material that need the most support to workshop practical solutions that emphasize authentic learning, student process, reflection, application, and meaningful demonstration of course outcomes. We will discuss how the flexibility of OER can be used to create accessible, equitable, and AI-aware assessments that support learning, rather than just simply detecting AI use.
Register for AI Office Hour: AI Resilient Assessments for OER Courses

• Universal Design for Learning and Open Educational Resources •

Thursday, October 29, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Beyond Compliance to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) for Open Educational Resources (OER)

How do we create OER that meet the needs of our diverse student body? UDL helps us build resources that maximize student access, engagement, and learning. Focusing on UDL also places accessibility guidelines in a context that aids us in achieving those goals.  From describing complex graphics to providing multiple modalities for content, UDL offers a framework that supports us in creating resources which best serve our students. Open Educational Pedagogy (OEP) can take us to the next level by empowering students to participate in content creation that solidifies their learning and critical thinking – and it also improves our OER for future students.
Register for Beyond Compliance to UDL of OER

Online Education Workshop Archives

Flex Credit is available for viewing MiraCosta online workshop archives. Contact the Professional Development Program / Flex for more information.

If you require improved captions for any of the video recordings below, please contact Jim Julius.

Fall 2026

Fall 26: New and Next Series

Spring 2026

Spring 26: DesignPLUS Train and Play Series

Fall 2025

Spring 2025

Fall 2024

Spring 2024

Fall 2023

Spring 2023

Fall 2022

Spring 2022

Fall 2021

Spring 2021

Equity Online: Celebrating Our Collaborative Work In Progress


Flex Week

Fall 2020

Summer 2020

Canvas Basics

Additional recorded zoom sessions and online teaching guides from Summer 2020 can be viewed within the PROJECT Online Teaching Foundations Canvas course.

Spring 2020

Fall 2019

Spring 2019

Fall 2018

Spring 2018

Fall 2017

Spring 2017

Fall 2016

Reset Your Canvas Course Content

Overview

From time to time, you may want to delete all of the content in a Canvas course site. This is most typically needed early in the course building process. For example, after importing content from another course, you may realize that you imported from the wrong course. The directions described below will delete all content from your course site, but leave the course roster intact.

Warning about Deleting All Course Content

WARNING: This step deletes all existing content from your course. Take steps to preserve any content you want to keep (for example, copy and paste to a Word doc, copy select course elements to a sandbox course, import the course into another empty shell, etc.) before proceeding. DO NOT complete these steps in a current term course that is currently in process!

Reset Course Content in a Canvas Course

Canvas Guide: How do I reset course content?

1. Navigate to the course with the content you wish to delete.

2. From the course navigation menu, click the Settings link.

Settings

3. In the sidebar, click the Reset Course Content link.

Reset Course Content

4. Click the Reset Course Content button.

A completely new course shell with a new ID (the number following “https://miracosta.instructure.com/courses/…”) will be generated. All users previously enrolled in the course will remain enrolled.

Made a Mistake?

If for some reason you reset your course and it was a mistake report it as soon as possible. We have Test and Beta instances of Canvas we may be able to refer to for the content and/or to restore the original course.

Contact Karen Turpin, Instructional Technology Specialist at [email protected] or Canvas Faculty Support 24/7 at 1- 833-345-2890 for assistance.

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