Skyline College is offering weekly DesignPlus Drop-In sessions every Wednesday from 3-4 p.m. online, where faculty and Canvas users can explore interactive tools that boost course design and student engagement.
Hosted by the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL), these casual yet impactful workshops offer guidance, support, and hands-on help in building more engaging student-centered course pages.
The sessions repeat weekly until May 21, giving instructors the opportunity to explore the DesignPlus software, a Canvas plug-in that gives faculty the tools to craft visually appealing, functional, and accessible content pages.
Andrea Fuentes, an instructional designer at Skyline and co-facilitator of the drop-ins, emphasized the impact the tool can have on teaching and learning.
The sessions are primarily designed with faculty in mind, but the doors are open to anyone using Canvas.
“It helps make professors’ pages more visually compelling and easier for students to interact with,” Fuentes said. “Even though the drop-ins are mostly for instructors, anyone curious or working in Canvas is welcome to stop by.”
Attendees can come with specific questions or just explore the software in a guided environment; a typical session is flexible and tailored to each participant’s needs.
“You can expect to work directly with an instructional designer,” Fuentes said. “Last week, we helped a psychology professor choose images that were easily accessible.”
Instructors frequently bring questions about layout, especially when they try to combine certain design elements effectively.
“A common thing we see is people asking how to get text to wrap around an image properly,” Fuentes said. “DesignPlus has a lot of features, and people get confused. That’s what these drop-ins are for.”
Beyond technical troubleshooting, the sessions also create collaboration and innovation through DesignPlus and the company behind it, CidiLabs.
“Faculty share ideas and inspirations with us,” Fuentes said.
Fuentes recalled moments where professors started moving away from heavy traditional text blocks and instead embraced multimedia, making the content easier and more enjoyable for students to engage with.
“We once worked with a professor to build a course page using soft purple tones because she felt it made students feel calm and focused,” Fuentes said.
For those unable to attend during the scheduled hour, the CTTL offers multiple alternatives for getting support.
“They can email me or Terri Hannon directly, or drop by the CTTL in person. We’ll gladly set up an appointment that fits their schedule,” Fuentes said.
As part of the ongoing effort to make course design easier, the team is also rolling out new templates for instructors. Whether you are new to Canvas or ready to refine your course’s visual identity, these weekly sessions offer something for everyone.
“We know that most faculty aren’t looking to become coders,” Fuentes said. “So our goal is to provide more templates to make designing easier.”
To attend a drop-in, simply click the Zoom link under the event’s description to join, Wednesdays between 3-4 p.m.
To schedule a private session or learn more, contact Andrea Fuentes or Terri Hannon, or visit the CTTL website.
