How to Make Your Course More Mobile Friendly

Mobile App Checklist

Please Note: This resource was originally designed to act as an addendum to the Canvas Community - Course Evaluation Checklist and Mobile App Design | Course Evaluation Checklist from the Canvas Community. This page is remixed from the original content and has been customized for Lake Land College faculty.

Below is a printable checklist for designing courses that are mobile friendly. The checklist is based on Universal Design for Learning guidelines. Use the checklist as a guide to help you to review content for mobile accessibility. The list below gives brief explanation of each guideline with links to additional resources.

How to Optimize Content for Mobile Devices

Below are steps you can take to make your course content more accessible. Click an item to view or use the expand all option to see all items in the list.

Chunk Content in Modules

Students can be overwhelmed by the amount of content in a course. This can be especially true when they view your course in the Canvas Student mobile app. It is important to organize or chunk content into smaller parts so it is easier to navigate (UDL 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure). You can use modules to organize content into a table of contents.

Using Modules to Organize Content

Use Module Text Headers

When you add Text Headers in modules, this can to help guide students when navigating your course (UDL 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure). It is important to use a consistent naming scheme with the module and content titles.

How do I add a text header as a module item?

Present Content with Canvas Pages

When possible, use Canvas Pages to create content rather than Word documents and PowerPoint presentations (UDL 7.3 Minimize threats and distractions). This is especially true of content with several links to outside resources. Canvas pages are much easier for students to read in the Canvas Student app. For example, in the screen shot below are three examples of the different files as they display in the Canvas student app. From left to right there is PDF document, Word document, and Canvas page.

example of mobile content in Canvas Student app

When you create modules, you can create or add pages directly from the module add option in the module title bar. When you edit pages in the rich content editor be sure to structure pages with headings and small paragraphs so content is easy to scan for information.

Instructions Should be Platform Neutral

All of the assignment directions or any instructions you create should be platform neutral to minimize student confusion (UDL 7.1 7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy). For example, the process to submit assignments from desktop computer will vary from when a student submits assignments from the Canvas mobile app. Make sure your directions don't confuse students. Avoid using statements that include specific directions for one platform only. In your assignment directions include guides for all platforms. Add the following student guides to your assignment pages.

Give Students Information on File Formats Used

Let students what file formats you are using for your content. This is especially important is the format is not a widely used format (UDL 7.3: Minimize threats and distractions). Give them instructions on what program they will need to download and view the content. For example, if you embed Flash cards in a format that is not supported in mobile, be sure to add a note above the content so students will understand why they can't see the content in the Canvas Student app.

example of inaccessible content in the mobile app

Use Module Requirements

The module requirements will give students a visual bookmark of their progress (UDL 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure). You can also add prerequisites to modules to help structure the modules so students don't skip important content.

Consider Mobile Options when Designing Assignments

Create assignments that take advantage of the additional tools students have when working on a mobile device - camera, video, audio, file upload, GPS (UDL 5.3 Build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance). For example, students have a camera that can create video content that can be uploaded to Studio as an assignment from the mobile app. Another example, students have the ability to use the Mobile Annotations tool on an assignment that uses an uploaded PDF.

Additional Resources

Below are additional resources.

Canvas Live Presentation: Canvas Mobile Design, Ryan Seilhamer, UCF
Canvas Blog: Are Courses Really Mobile First? Ryan Seilhamer, UCF
Design a Mobile Ready Course with Universal Design, Kate Miller, CU Online
Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0
Video: Going Mobile with Webcourses@UCF