Canvas for Students

SPSCC uses Canvas in all courses to provide online learning activities, videos, discussions, grades, and more. Canvas is browser-based and works on PCs, Macs, phones, and tablets – anywhere you can find a reliable internet connection.

If you're a new student, or new to online learning, we highly recommend doing a short, online Canvas orientation. You'll learn the basics of Canvas so you can start your online classes with confidence. Visit the Learning @ SPSCC Canvas page for training, Canvas orientation, and more.

Getting Canvas Support

Your instructors and Learning Support Services (Tutoring) are here to help you get the most out of your online learning experience. If you have a question about an assignment or about how to do something in Canvas, please reach out!

FAQ

Click the topics below to get answers to frequently asked questions. If your question isn't here, try searching the Canvas Guides or email our office at ctol@spscc.edu.

Clipper ID Users

Most students will login using their Clipper ID. Go to MySPSCC on the SPSCC website, and click the Canvas link,  or go directly to https://spscc.instructure.com

  • Login with your Clipper ID (your @spscc.edu email)
  • If you've forgotten your password, try the handy Recovery Form or call the SPSCC helpdesk at 360-596-5544

Continuing & Continuing Education (CCE) Students

  • Follow the instructions that you received from CTOL to access your account
  • Login with your ctcLink ID or email and password here.

  • For best performance, Canvas should be used on the current or previous major releases of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
  • Currently, Safari may have trouble downloading files and displaying images in Canvas.
  • If you are having trouble viewing anything in Canvas, it's best to try switching browsers.
  • If switching browsers doesn't work, you should try clearing your caches. Occasionally,  Canvas will appear to act "broken" because your browser is using old data in its local memory cache, or storing an outdated access cookie. It's easy to fix this issue by clearing your browser's cache and cookies. If the issue persists, try an "incognito" or "private" browser window. It's also important to regularly update your browser, too!

You can login from your mobile device by using the Canvas App.

Once you have downloaded the app and opened it for the first time, you will be asked to select a school. Search for and select “South Puget Sound Community College.” Your login information is the same on the app as in the website. Functionality on the mobile version is limited, so be sure you can plan access to a desktop version to confirm you are getting all the information you need from your instructors.

NOTE: You cannot do everything you need to do using the Canvas App! Be sure you have access to another non-mobile device. Users have reported that the Canvas App sometimes has errors with discussion posts, quizzes, and assignments. If you are using the app, always double check that Canvas has saved your submission.

Guides for Mobile App users

If you plan to use the Mobile App, here are links to the App Guides:

If you need to turn in handwritten or hand-drawn work online, you can take pictures of your  work and convert it to PDF (even multipage PDFs) in Microsoft Lens or Camscanner. Download the app on your phone, and follow the video tutorials.

Microsoft Lens

We recommend Microsoft Lens because it integrates with your SPSCC OneDrive.

Camscanner

When you've been assigned to record a Canvas native video, it's important to prepare your device and browser.  Please note:

  • Recording a video in Canvas requires a strong internet connection
  • Chromebook users should not use the app for video; instead record in the Chrome Browser version of your assignment
  • When your recording is complete, press the Save button one time and wait. Clicking elsewhere may break the data stream to Canvas. It can take a few minutes for a video to save. Be patient and stay on the screen!

Canvas video is a heavy data transaction. Before you begin to work on a video assignment, be sure that you check off this list:

  1. Update Browser [Chrome and Firefox]
  2. Clear cache and cookies
  3. Restart your device or computer
  4. Verify internet speed [ https://speedtest.ookla.com ]

Learn more about using video in your device here:

While a Chromebook seems to be an economical solution to online learning, consider a few points before you decide to use only a Chromebook for college programs.

  • You will need to use the Chrome Browser on your Chromebook to access Canvas; the Canvas App does not function correctly on Chromebooks. Please note that at this time, Chromebooks cannot run the Firefox browser effectively for your work in Canvas
  • Chromebooks cannot run the complete downloadable Office 365 suite. If your classes, such as OFTEC, require intensive work with natively-installed Office apps, then a Chromebook is not a good solution for you; instead consider a laptop or desktop solution
  • All Chromebook users at a college level will need a USB memory drive to allow for storage of downloaded and created documents. The Chromebook Download memory area is quite small, and will not support heavy file usage or digital media files.

Until a course is published (made public), you cannot access any of the content for that class through Canvas. To see all of your courses, click the Courses icon in the left-hand navigation, then click the text link “All Courses”. From the All Courses page, you will also see a complete list of your SPSCC courses, including its publishing status. The Introduction to Canvas video demonstrates how to add and remove courses from your main dashboard. 

If your course vanishes during the quarter, check your enrollment status. You may have been dropped from the course for non-payment or non-participation. You can check with Enrollment Services at (360) 596-5241 or visit the One Stop desk for instructions on resolving the issue and being re-added to your courses.