Launching Your Course - The PLAID Criteria

PLAID (Peer-Led Analysis of Instructional Design) provides guidelines for strong Canvas courses. This module will address the following PLAID criteria:

The first page a student sees offers a clear sense of direction telling students how to get started in the course, such as a Start Here module.
Course contains how-to guides or other instructions to help students who may be new to Canvas.
Minimum technical skills and technology requirements expected of the learner are clearly stated, and path to technical support is identified.
Course materials articulate or link to an explanation of how the institution’s student services and resources can help learners succeed and how learners can obtain them.

Instructor provides ground rules for interaction in the course.
Instructor describes best contact methods and expected response time.
Instructor introduces him/herself to students.
Course organization clearly identifies how the student can get started and proceed through the course.
Course includes opening activities to assess that students have logged in and have begun engaging the material.
Instructor clearly delineates the role the online environment will play in the total course.

For more information on the PLAID Rubric, and how it works, see the PLAID page on the Instructional Design website.