This page describes how an instructor will use Mirror Sites in Rutgers Canvas to create a new blank course site and mirror the student roster for active sections.
Table of Contents
Important Information before using Mirror Sites
- Mirror Sites are only available for active Rutgers Course Offerings. This tool cannot be used with RBHS BANNER courses or any manually-created sections.
- Mirror Sites cannot use the Canvas GradeSync tool. Make sure to keep final grades in the original site if you plan to use Canvas REGIS Gradesync.
- Mirror Sites cannot use First Day Course Materials. First Day content will need to be shared in the original course site to take advantage of the discount course materials program.
- You must be enrolled in the section as a teacher, TA, Facilitator, Course Support, or other editing role. If you are a sub-account admin, you must first add yourself into the section with one of the specified roles.
- Only one Mirror Site may be created per section. If another course instructor has already requested a Mirror Site for a section, their NetID and request date will be listed on the request page.
Requesting a Mirror Site
Part 1: Launch Mirror Sites in the RU Faculty Tools
You must have an active NetID and be enrolled into this course with an editing role to use the Mirror Site tool.
- In Course Navigation, click RU Faculty Tools. If RU Faculty Tools is not listed, please enable it in the course navigation.
- Click Launch Mirror Sites to open the tool in a new tab.
Part 2: Select Sections to Request Mirror Sites
On the Mirror Site landing page, there will be an overview about the tool and the list of active sections pulled from the course. If the course has multiple sections or is cross-listed, each section will be displayed in a separate row.
- Check the box for each section a Mirror Site is needed and click Create Mirror Sites to submit the request.
- If the Request Status says “In Use”, then the Mirror Site already exists. Additional information about the previous request will be displayed on the table.
Part 3: Mirror Site Confirmation Page
When the request is completed, a confirmation page will provide links to each Mirror site. You can go to the site by clicking on the Mirror Course Title or find Mirror Sites listed on your Canvas Courses page. Additional configuration inside Canvas is recommended after the Mirror Sites are created.
Each selected section will create a separate mirror site. If you need to merge multiple mirror sites into 1 course site, please use the Canvas Cross-Listing Feature.
Part 4: Review Mirror Site Course Settings
Mirror sites will be created in the same Term and Sub-Account as the original site. There are additional course settings that can be updated by the requestor to create a better experience for the students.
- The Course Name is displayed on the Dashboard. It is recommended change the name so users can differentiate the Mirror Site and the original site.
- The Course Code is displayed on the top of page in the course as a breadcrumb. It is recommended change the course code so users can identify they are currently viewing the Mirror Site.
- The Start and End Date are set to the term dates as the original course. To allow early access or immediate access, these dates need to be updated. See additional instructions on how to set earlier access.
- All sites are Unpublished by default. After reviewing the start/end dates, publish the site to allow student access.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the students get updated in the Mirror Sites?
After a Mirror Site is requested, the requester are added immediately. The student roster are added in the next student enrollment update. Additional information about students updating in Canvas can be found on the Canvas Provisioning page.
Why am I getting an error when opening Mirror Sites?
There are user and course requirements for Mirror Sites to work properly. If any of these requirements are not met, it may return a specific error message to you,
User Requirements:
- Currently an active faculty or staff at Rutgers.
- Logging into Canvas with a Rutgers NetID. Email accounts will not work.
- Enrolled into the Canvas section as a teacher, TA, Facilitator, Course Support, or other editing role.
Course Requirements:
- Requesting for a current or future term. Past terms are disabled and will not update the roster.
- The Canvas section is associated with an active REGIS registration index number. This tool cannot be used with RBHS BANNER course.
If you receive any error messages, please send your course information and the error to help@canvas.rutgers.edu.
Why are only some of the sections listed on the Mirror Site request page?
Mirror Sites are only available for active Rutgers course offerings. This tool cannot be used with RBHS BANNER courses or any manually-created sections. If you created your own section, it will not have the required ID to pull the roster from the Rutgers Course Scheduling System.
If you believe your sections should be listed, please send your course information to help@canvas.rutgers.edu.
How do I transfer the grades on my Mirror Site to Rutgers?
Mirror Sites cannot use the Canvas GradeSync. Grades will need to be submitted from the original course site after it is finalized.
To copy the grades in the Mirror Site, you can create assignment columns for non-submission assignments in the Gradebook as the placeholder in the original site. If you need assistance with copying the grades, please email help@canvas.rutgers.edu.