Canvas Insider Starter Pack #2
Continuing the series of helpful items that my clients have found useful in their Canvas course development, here are some more ways to improve your course content and your online life:
Section Headings for the win
Bigger font size in a document is so 1996. When you use Headings in the Rich Content Editor for course content pages, you create better accessible content for all learners. In addition to the drop-down shown below, you can select Format, then Blocks in the menu list:
Revisiting Web Links in Course Content
One of the more popular web accessibility sites on the internet, webaim.org, states:
“Most screen readers say "link" before each link. For example, a "products" link would be read as "link products" by JAWS… Links should make sense out of context. Phrases such as “click here," "more," "click for details," and so on are ambiguous when read out of context.
Perhaps choosing a couple of key words when linking to web content might help improve your course content for all learners? Do keep in mind, I’m still learning about effective accessibility with my Canvas Insider content and make mistakes. Keep learning!
Creating a Strong Password With Diceware
I’m wagering you are required to change your password twice a year at your school or workplace. That begs the question: what should you change your password to when it’s time to update?
One method: Have your new password created for you.
Diceware is, “…a method for picking passphrases that uses ordinary dice to select words at random from a special list called the Diceware Word List. Each word in the list is preceded by a five digit number. All the digits are between one and six, allowing you to use the outcomes of five dice rolls to select a word from the list.”
Check out this Diceware Password Generator to randomly create a new password based on the number of words you want to have:
Another method: Create your own Diceware list
IF you don’t want random words to contend with, create categories that matter to you and will be easier for you to remember. For example:
A Strategy to Maintain Sanity with New Passwords
Now that you have a new password created, it’s time to commit it to memory. By writing your new password down on a sheet of paper, by manually typing it in a word processor, or by saying it out loud (when no one else is around to hear you,) you are taking steps to commit it to muscle memory. Don’t think you can remember three random words, a number, and a special character?
Most of us memorized "I pledge allegiance…” when we were younger. That’s a 31-word phrase. You can do it. It just takes some time and effort. :)
Thank you for your time and attention! If you found value with these tips, shoot me an email to let me know. If you prefer I stick to just talking Canvas, shoot me an email to let me know. I appreciate your feedback…
-Chris