How to build an outcome

Keep in mind: It is best to build Outcomes at the Sub-Account level in Canvas. Though it is possible to create Outcomes within an individual course site, the real power of Outcomes is in the ability to gather data across course sites and terms. This is only possible when the Outcomes are created at the Sub-Account level and then imported into your course site.

If you are already familiar with the Outcomes interface, skip down to the how to create an outcome directions.

Using the Outcomes Interface

+Outcome Button

The +Outcome button in the upper left of the Outcomes page is used to create new Outcomes.

When you type in a name for your outcome in the Name this outcome box the name will update in the navigation area.

+ Group Button

The +Group button is used to create folders to better organize Outcomes. When you type a name into the Name this group box the folder name will update in the navigation area.

Find Button

Use the Find button to locate and import desired Outcomes into your course site.

After clicking the Find button, a popup window will appear. In this popup window you can navigate through the different Sub-Account groups to find the specific Outcome that you wish to import to your course. Once you have located the specific Outcome, select it with your cursor, and then click the garnet Import button to add it to your course.

Back Button

When building Groups and Outcomes you will drill down into folders, outcomes, and sub-folders. Clicking the Back button brings you back up a level.

In the example in the images below, we start with the "1. General" folder group on the far left of the screen. Then, we press the Back button and we see that the "1. General" group is a part of the "Progress" group.

"..." Button

The button in the top right corner with three horizontal dots on it allows you to access and manage your course rubrics.

How to create an Outcome

1. Navigate to the Outcomes area.
2. Ensure that you are in the desired group/folder you want the Outcome built within. A few things to note:
   • If you are not using Groups you will be defaulted to the correct level.
   • If you need to create a new group, selecting +Group will do this. After you have created a Group, your future content will be placed there unless you "go Back" up a folder level by clicking the Back button.
   • To enter an existing Group simply click on it through the navigation column on the left of the page.
3. Select the +Outcome button to create a new Outcome.
4. Enter in your Outcome information:
   • Assign an Outcome name. Canvas will sort Outcome names alphanumerically.
     Quick tip: A pre-planned naming convention will go a long way in helping you keep your Outcomes organized and easy to find.
   • The "Friendly Name" is what will display for students. If you choose to leave this blank, then students will see the normal name.
   • Provide a description. This description will appear in a pop-up with extra information about the Outcome when an instructor uses it while grading.
     
   • Choose the criteria ratings. Canvas will always default to dispalying these ratings in order from highest to lowest from left to right. Select the pencil icon next to a particular criterion to edit the the existing cell. To create a new cell, select Insert where you wish to place the new cell. The text field is the name of the cell and is used to show what the point value of the cell means (e.g., in the image below 3 points means "Meets Expectations").
     
     Points are the point value you assign to a particular criterion cell. Do not assign the same point value to multiple cells - this will cause all the criteria values to be applied even though only one is selected while grading.
      
   • Assign a Master at value. This is the value a student will need to earn to master the Outcome. It can be lower than the maximum point value for the criterion. Whan aligned to a quiz, the mastery value can be set to a percentage based on how well students did within the aligned question bank.
      
   • Select the Calculation Method, which will be used to track students' progress. Because a single Outcome can be used multiple times throughout a course, it is possible to track the progression of students in specific areas.
     • Decaying Average: Calculates an average of all the times the Outcome has been used with the most recent scores having a greater weight than the earlier scores.
     • n Number of Times:This sets a number of times the student will be required to score the "mastery" rank before they are considerd to have mastered the Outcome.
     • Most Recent Score: The most recent Outcome score is applied.
     • Highest: The highest value is applied.

   

5. Click the Save button.