Video Tutorial: Collaborations

Canvas leverages Google Docs to allow multiple users to work together on the same document at the same time. Collaborative documents are saved in real-time, meaning a change made by any of its users will be immediately visible to everyone. Your instructor may have the entire class work on collaboration together or may ask to collaborate with you privately. Collaborations may also be used in groups. In the video below you can see how collaborations may be used in a course.

Important!

If your instructor or fellow student creates a collaboration using GoogleDocs, you must use your Google account to view the collaboration. Your student.northpoint email address is a Google hosted address, so you may use this account for GoogleDocs. For more information about GoogleDocs, please visit the What Is Google Docs? page. The GoogleDocs account must be registered in Canvas on your personal profile so you can login to the Collaboration.

Example of GoogleDoc Collaboration

Below is an example of GoogleDoc Collaboration. Review the numbered items below.

The document is stored in the Google Drive account of the person who started the collaboration. Click the blue area in upper left to open your personal Google Drive account. If the document was shared with you, you can always access shared documents in the left menu of your Google Drive account
The title will display to the left. The document can be starred. This will allow you to filter your Google Drive account by starred items. Below the title is the menu and formatting toolbar. As changes are made to the document the changes are automatically saved.
The collaborators profile icons will display at the top right.
All collaborators can add comments on the document. The comments will display on the right side of the document. Any collaborator can reply to a comment as well. Collaborators can also chat with each other in the chat window as well.
The document can be shared with other people who are not part of the Canvas collaboration.

Canvas Guides for Collaborations

What are Collaborations?
How do I join a Google Docs collaboration?
How do I add people to my Collaboration?
How do I start a new Google Docs Collaboration?
How do I delete a Google Doc Collaboration?