Creating Your Own Canvas Sandbox Course

Faculty can now create their own sandbox course sites in Canvas for course development and experimentation. These sandbox environments provide a safe space to build content, test features, and prepare materials without affecting your official course sites.

Faculty can now create their own sandbox course sites in Canvas for course development and experimentation. These sandbox environments provide a safe space to build content, test features, and prepare materials without affecting your official course sites.

What is a Sandbox Course?

A sandbox course is a development space where you can:

• Build and organize course content before copying it to official courses
• Experiment with Canvas features and tools
• Collaborate with colleagues on course design
• Test new teaching strategies and technologies

Important: Sandbox courses are for development only. Do not enroll students in these sites.

Creating Your Sandbox

1. Log in to Canvas and navigate to your Dashboard

2. Click the "Start a New Course" button

3. Fill in your course details:

   • Course Name: Enter any appropriate name for your sandbox
     • Recommended: Include [Sandbox] at the start of your sandbox course name (e.g., "[Sandbox] BIOL 101 Spring 2025") to easily distinguish your development sites from your official courses when looking at your Canvas Dashboard.

4. Click "Create Course" to generate your sandbox

Your new sandbox will appear in your course list and includes a helpful template with resources and instructions.

Note: The "Start a New Course" button appears for anyone who is currently a teacher in at least one Canvas course. New instructors who haven't been assigned a course yet can submit a request for service, using the button to the right, to request their first sandbox.

Working with the Sandbox Template

Each new sandbox includes a welcome page with:

• Links to Canvas training resources
• Professional development opportunities
• Instructions for removing the template if you prefer a blank course
• Guidelines for safe file management when copying content

To start with a completely blank course, follow the template's instructions to remove the default welcome page.

Safely Copying Content Between Courses

Review the following Knowledge Base article that covers our most up to date course cleanup and import process.

1. https://services.stthomas.edu/TDClient/1898/ClientPortal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=167707

Collaboration and Sharing

You can share your sandbox with colleagues for collaborative course development:

• Add other instructors as teachers or designers
• Work together on course materials and design
• Test peer review and group activities

Remember: Sandboxes are for development and collaboration only, not for teaching students.

Important Reminders

• No Student Enrollments: These development spaces should never include actual students
• Naming Guidelines: While there are no strict naming conventions, course names are audited to ensure appropriateness
• Future Changes: Retention policies for sandbox courses may be implemented in the future
• Full Feature Access: Currently, all Canvas features are available in sandbox courses

Need Help?

For assistance with Canvas sandbox courses or course development:

• Email stelar@stthomas.edu
• Book a one-on-one consultation with the STELAR team
• Visit the STELAR Training and Events page for workshops and resources

Start creating your sandbox today to enhance your course development process!