With the recent announcement of the move to Canvas as the single UMass LMS, we’re excited to help you ease into learning the new LMS and get started. Canvas is a user-friendly learning management system that allows you to create engaging online course content and activities.
View the multi-year transition plan.
Ask a Canvas question (instruct@umass.edu)
As part of the process, and to help you get familiar with Canvas, we’ve created a self-paced training course for you to explore. This will give you a feel for what it’s like to be a student using Canvas.
We’ve also added you to a sandbox course, which is a blank space for you to explore without any content or students. This is not meant to be the course you teach from, but rather a place to try out Canvas’s various features.
Accessing Canvas
Log into Canvas.
- Navigate to the Canvas Login page (http://umass.edu/it/canvas)
- Click Try Canvas.
- Log in with your NetID and password
- You will be logged into Canvas and brought to your Dashboard.
When you first log into Canvas, you’ll be brought to the Dashboard. There, you’ll see the two courses you have access to, Canvas Training and Support, and your Canvas Sandbox course. They should look like the two course cards below.

Canvas Training and Resources
This course will walk you through the basics of the Canvas interface, how to customize your course, and begin adding to it. You can use this as a guide or just visit if you get stuck.

Your Sandbox Course
Your sandbox course is a unique course that you can play in. You can explore design, structure, activities, and more. It’s not connected to SPIRE, so students will never access it. This is a place just for you so you can practice in a safe place.
Explore your way
Explore Canvas your way, whether you prefer to learn by experimenting on your own, watching and listening, or following step-by-step documentation.
- Canvas Tips for Course Setup
- Canvas Example Course and Training Videos
- Canvas Instructor Guide Pages
UMass Training Sessions
The IDEAS Team has created a series of webinars to help you with learning and getting comfortable with Canvas. We’ve got two ways for you to join us, in 30 minute Quick Preview Sessions, or 60 minute Practice Sessions. Our first offerings kick off on May 3, and will be going on throughout the summer.