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Getting Started
In your web browser, go to Canva's website. Log into your account by selecting log in in the top right.
In the left menu, select SAU eLearning’s team and then Templates from the horizontal menu.
Select Course Banner Template and then Use this template.
Editing the Template
A new design will be created named “Copy of Course Banner Template.” Change this name if you wish by selecting the text in the top right.
There will be separate pages for each course modality. Only edit the page for your modality.
To find stock photos for each week, select the Elements tab in the left vertical menu, enter what you’d like to find in the search bar, and hit enter. It will search for all Canva elements, so be sure to just select Photos in the horizontal menu. Look for a photo that represents your course well.
Once you’ve found a photo you like, click and drag it from the list and place it on the cartoon landscape filler photo. It should conform to the frame automatically. Please note that some elements to the left of the frame may interfere with the placement of your stock photo. Hold down the mouse button over the filler image until you see a preview of the stock photo in the frame, and then release.
Double click the photo in the frame to adjust the crop. Click and drag the photo to adjust and click off the page or select Done.
Fill in the information for Program, Course ID, and Course Title with your course's information. Double click each text field to edit, making sure not to move their position.
When you are ready to export, select the Download button in the top right. Make sure PNG is selected in the first drop down menu, the size is 1, and Transparent Background and Compress file are not selected.
In the Select pages section drop down menu, only select the modality you edited. A single image will be downloaded.
Deploying the Images
Navigate to the corresponding Blackboard shell. Under Course Management, open the Customization section. Select Teaching Style.
Scroll to the Select Banner section at the bottom of the page and next to Attach File select the Browse Local Files button. Select your banner image in the window that appears.
Your image should now be uploaded. The banner will only appear on the Blackboard page that is set as the Entry Point, which is also an option under Teaching Style. Typically this will be set to the Announcements page.
