Mirror Sites – Instructor Guide

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.

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 will 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

Step 1: Launch Mirror Sites in the RU Faculty Tools

In Course Navigation, click the RU Faculty Tools Portal. If RU Faculty Tools is not listed, please enable it in the course navigation.
Click the Launch Mirror Sites button to open the tool in a new tab.

Note: You must have an active NetID and be enrolled into this course with an editing role to use the Mirror Site tool.

Step 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, it will display each section in a separate row. Check the box for each section a Mirror Site is needed and click the Create Mirror Sites button 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. Click here for example of a previously requested Mirror Site.

Step 3: Mirror Site Confirmation Page

confirmation page after requesting mirror site

When the request is completed, it will bring you to the Confirmation page with 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.

Note: Each selected section will create a separate mirror site. If you are looking to merge multiple mirror sites into 1 course site, please use the Canvas Cross-Listing Feature.

Step 4: Review Mirror Site Course Settings

mirror site course settings with indicated changes

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 what displays on the Dashboard. It is recommended change the Name so users can differentiate the Mirror Site and the original site.
The Course Code is what displays on the top of page in the course. It is recommended change the Course so users can identify they are currently viewing the Mirror Site.
The Start and End Date will be set to the Term defaults dates. To allow early access or immediate access, these dates will 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

After a Mirror Site is requested, the requester will be added immediately. The student roster will be added in the next student enrollment update. Additional information about students updating in Canvas can be found on the Canvas Provisioning page.

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 the University.
Logging into Canvas with a Rutgers NetID. Email accounts will not work.
Enrolled into the Canvas Section 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.
Canvas section is associated with an active 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.

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 Rutgers Course Scheduling system.

If you believe your sections should be listed, please send please send your course information to help@canvas.rutgers.edu.

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.