Quercus and Canvas

Quercus is powered by Canvas, a learning management system developed by Instructure. You may notice that some support materials refer to "Canvas"—this is simply the platform behind Quercus. While U of T customizes Quercus for our teaching and learning context, much of the underlying functionality remains the same.

One of the first design decisions you'll make in your course site is selecting a Course Home Page layout. Quercus provides five layout options, each offering different benefits depending on how you want to structure your course and support your students.

Back to top

Home Page Layout Options

Below is a comparison table of the five Course Home Page layout options available in Quercus. Each layout name links to setup instructions and visual examples. If you'd prefer a quick audiovisual overview, you can also watch or listen to the embedded two-minute video. Select "CC" for closed captions.

Home Page Layout Options
If you want your home page to…	Use This Layout Option	What It Does	Pros and Considerations
Offer a welcoming, structured entry point that reflects your course tone and structure	Pages Front Page	Displays a custom, instructor-designed page using the Rich Content Editor. If you'd like to use a custom Page as your home page, you must publish it first and set it as the Front Page before selecting it as your Course Home Page. This is one of the most common and effective options at U of T. This self-paced program uses the Pages Front Page layout.	Pros: Offers full control over design and tone; supports multimedia, buttons, and course links Considerations: Requires setup and manual updates; must be published and selected as Front Page
Provide clear, linear access to weekly or topic-based course content	Course Modules	Shows students the course modules directly. You can also create a Pages Front Page that links to the modules list.	Pros: Clear, linear navigation; integrates with progress tracking and prerequisites Considerations: Requires consistent module setup and publishing to avoid confusion
Keep students up to date with frequent course activity and fast-paced communication	Course Activity Stream	Shows the most recent course updates (e.g., announcements, discussions, new assignments).	Pros: Keeps students up-to-date; no design work required Considerations: May feel cluttered or disorienting to students; does not show core course structure or instructor presence
Focus students on upcoming deadlines and and deliverables	Assignments Lists	Lists all graded activities—quizzes, assignments, discussions—by due date and point value.	Pros: Keeps students focused on due dates and expectations Considerations: Lacks context or instructor presence; students may not see how tasks connect to course goals or structure
Give students quick access to your syllabus via the default course navigation	Syllabus	Displays content added using the Syllabus tool, which also uses the Rich Content Editor. For a more welcoming and structured entry point, consider using a Pages Front Page instead.	Pros: Appears clearly in the course navigation as "Syllabus"; quick to access Considerations: May confuse students if the auto-generated Course Summary is left visible—turn off the Course Summary option to ensure students refer to your syllabus for all important dates

Back to top

Sample Home Page Layouts

Looking for inspiration? Below are a few examples of course home page layouts created by instructors at U of T and beyond. Each takes a different approach based on the course goals, teaching context, and student needs. Use these examples as a starting point to spark ideas for how to structure and personalize your own.

Back to top

Pause for Reflection: Which Layout Option

Reflect on your course goals, your students' experience, and the kind of tone and structure you want to establish from the very first click. What format might best support your course goals and your students' needs?

Do you want students to follow a weekly structure?
Would a personalized welcome page help orient them?
Do you prefer that students immediately see assignments and deadlines?

As you reflect, revisit the principles from Module 1—like accessibility, presence, and student-centered design. Consider how each layout can support Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies such as clarity, flexibility, and multiple means of access.

Back to top

Select the "Next" button in the bottom right to proceed to the next page.

University of Toronto, Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation