What Is DesignPLUS?
DesignPLUS is a course design toolset for Canvas that makes it easy to create and style engaging content that is highly polished without requiring advanced technical skills or knowledge of HTML.
Why Use DesignPLUS?
- Design and aesthetics have an impact on how users perceive information and impacts many aspects of the learning experience. DesignPLUS provides courses with a consistent and polished look.
- Information can be presented in an intuitive and consistent, appealing manner so students focus attention on content rather than organization or style of the content, thus reducing cognitive processing.
- DesignPLUS makes it easier to build dynamic elements that display smoothly across browsers, mobile devices, and the Canvas student app – often in a way that’s also more accessible to assistive technologies like screen readers.
- DesignPLUS includes a Multi-Tool which can quickly build course modules and other features.
If you are curious to try out this tool in a space without students, request a development shell/sandbox.
Resources
- This DesignPLUS video provides a brief overview in just over 2 minutes.
- DesignPLUS Video Tutorials: playlist of features in DesignPLUS and how to implement them
- DesignPLUS Help Pages
Support
UCSC Support: For support with this tool, email tlc@ucsc.edu
DesignPLUS Support can be reached at support@cidilabs.com or from Cidilabs Slack workspace. It helps to include what went wrong, screenshots, HTML of the page (here’s how to get HTML from the page) and which browser you were using.