Atomic Search is a comprehensive search tool that allows instructors and teaching assistants to search Canvas courses.
How to Use Atomic Search
To use the search, simply click on the Search button in the left-side global navigation menu [A] or click on the Search button located in your Canvas course site's course navigation menu [B]*. On the subsequent page, type your search terms in the provided text box and click the search button (or hit Enter on your keyboard).
Choosing a search method
When deciding which Search button to use, keep in mind that:
Using the Search button from the left side Global Navigation menu [A] will provide search results from all courses where you have a Teacher/TA/Designer role.
Using the Search button from the Course Navigation menu [B] will by default provide search results from only the current course - but you can use the filtering tools to expand your results to include content from all courses where you have a Teacher/TA/Designer role by selecting "My Courses"
The course navigation Search button is only visible to users with the role of Teacher, TA, Undergraduate TA or Designer in the course. If have one of these roles and do not see the search button in the course navigation menu it may be because:
- You or another instructor in the course has hidden the Search button from the navigation menu (see our Canvas Course Navigation help guide to see how to add/remove items to the course navigation menu).
- You may not have a Teacher/TA/Designer level role in a different course but not the current course.
How to Filter Search Results
Once you have entered your search, the page will refresh to display the results of your search. At the top of the list are some filtering tools [1] you can use to limit your search by:
Content Type (e.g. Announcements only, Assignments only, Files only, Syllabi only)
Relevance (better match) / Recency (most recently create/added/edited)
Current Course (if applicable) / My courses (all courses in which you have a Teacher/TA/Designer role).
With the search results, you will be able to see the title of the content [2] (which is also a clickable link that will take you directly to the content), followed by the type of the content indicator [3], and if the content is not published, you will see an unpublished indicator [4].
Resources
Need Additional Help?
- The Digital Learning and Design (DLD) team is piloting this tool and welcomes any feedback. Please write to [email protected] with your comments or questions.
- For help with Canvas, please contact [email protected]
To discuss strategies for implementing Canvas and DLD approved integrated learning tools into your course, please contact [email protected]