Quercus (Canvas) Files allows instructors to upload, organize, and manage documents, images, and other files used in their courses. Files can be shared with students through Modules, Pages, Assignments, and other areas of Quercus.
Files provides storage for course materials, while Modules and Pages help instructors organize and present those materials to students. Using these features together can make course resources easier to find and access.
Understanding Files in Quercus
Quercus provides three types of file storage:
- Course Files: Files associated with a particular course, such as readings, assignment instructions, slides, and other teaching materials.
- Account Files: Personal files associated with an individual Quercus account.
- Group Files: Files shared within a Quercus group, which group members can use for collaborative activities.
For most instructional purposes, instructors will work with Course Files.
Quercus provides up to 3 GB of file storage per course. For large collections of audio or video, consider using a dedicated media hosting service rather than uploading everything directly to Quercus. Consult CTSI’s Media Hosting and Sharing for Teaching resource for guidance.
Uploading and Organizing Course Files
To access and manage course files:
- In your Quercus course, select Files from the course navigation menu.
- Select Upload to add files from your computer.
- Select + Folder to create folders for organizing course materials.
- Move files into the appropriate folders and use descriptive names to help identify their contents.
Folders can be organized by week, module, topic, or another structure that aligns with your course. Files and folders are displayed alphabetically and cannot be manually rearranged within Files.
When organizing materials, consider:
- Consistent naming: Use descriptive filenames that identify the content, such as
Week 03 - Lecture Slides.pdf. - Logical organization: Group related materials so instructors and teaching assistants can manage them efficiently.
- Maintenance: Remove outdated or duplicate files when they are no longer needed, and check links when replacing or reorganizing materials.
Files can also be copied between Quercus courses when preparing materials for a new course offering.
Sharing Files with Students
Uploading a file to Quercus does not necessarily make it easy for students to find. Instructors can provide access to course materials through Modules, Pages, Assignments, and other course areas.
Common approaches include:
- Modules: Add files as module items alongside readings, activities, assignments, and other learning materials.
- Pages: Use the Rich Content Editor to link to or embed files within instructions, explanations, or other course content.
- Assignments: Use the Rich Content Editor to link to or embed files within assignment instructions, such as templates, supporting materials, or other resources students need to complete an assessment.
Instructors can also hide Files from the course navigation menu while continuing to share individual files through Modules, Pages, and Assignments. This can help students find materials in the context of their learning activities rather than navigating a separate file repository.
Depending on the file format, students may be able to preview files directly in Quercus without downloading them.
Where possible, organize materials around what students need to do rather than requiring them to search through a large collection of files.
For instructions on adding files to Pages and other content areas, consult Quercus (Canvas) Rich Content Editor.
Managing File Access and Availability
Instructors can control when and how students access course files.
Depending on the file or folder settings, instructors can:
- Publish files: Make files available to students with access to the course, subject to other course restrictions.
- Unpublish files: Prevent students from accessing files until they are ready to be shared.
- Restrict access to links: Hide files from the Files listing while allowing students to access them through links provided elsewhere in the course.
- Schedule availability: Specify when files become available to students and, where appropriate, when access ends.
Important: Restricting a file to students with a link is not the same as making it private. Students who receive the link through a Page, Module, or other course area may still access the file.
Before publishing course materials, check both the file’s access settings and the availability of the Page, Module, or Assignment where it is linked. A file may have different access restrictions from the course content that links to it.
If you need students to access files only during a particular period, use the appropriate availability settings rather than relying solely on when a link appears in the course.
Creating Accessible Course Files
Files shared through Quercus should be accessible and usable by students with different devices, assistive technologies, and learning needs.
When preparing course files, consider:
- Accessible documents: Use meaningful headings, readable text, descriptive links, and appropriate document structure in Word, PowerPoint, and PDF files.
- Descriptive filenames: Choose names that help students identify materials without opening every file.
- File formats: Consider whether students can open and use the file with commonly available software and assistive technologies.
- Alternative formats: Where possible, provide accessible alternatives when a particular file format creates barriers.
- Preview and download: Check whether students can access the content using both Quercus’s file preview and the downloaded file. Some document features may behave differently depending on the format or viewing method.
- Clear organization: Place materials within relevant Modules or Pages and explain how students are expected to use them.
The accessibility of a file depends on how the document itself was created. Uploading an inaccessible PDF or PowerPoint file to Quercus does not automatically make it accessible.
For additional guidance, consult CTSI’s Accessibility Guidelines for Teaching and Learning.
Managing Storage and Maintaining Course Materials
The 3 GB course storage limit makes it important to manage files intentionally, particularly when courses contain many images, presentations, or recordings.
To maintain course materials:
- Review files periodically and remove unnecessary duplicates or outdated versions.
- Consider using Microsoft OneDrive for ongoing file storage, collaboration, or materials shared across courses.
- Use dedicated media hosting services for large audio and video collections.
- Check links and file availability when copying materials into a new Quercus course.
- Confirm that students can access the intended files before the course begins or materials are released.
For additional options, consult Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft OneDrive in Quercus (Canvas), and Media Hosting and Sharing for Teaching.
Additional Information and Support
For detailed instructions on uploading, organizing, sharing, and restricting files, consult Canvas’s Files documentation.
For assistance with Quercus, contact your divisional teaching and learning technology support team or consult Quercus (Canvas) Support.