CAB, CourseTools, Canvas and Self Service Banner
are platforms used by faculty, students and staff to support the first two weeks of classes, or “Shopping.”
- Faculty upload syllabi to be viewed by students and advisors using CourseTools.
- Students review syllabi and access Canvas course sites using CAB.
- Faculty give assignments or use other Canvas tools to determine which students should participate in their course using Canvas.
- Faculty communicate with prospective* and registered students using Self Service Banner.
Note: Starting two weeks before the first day of classes and ending two weeks after the first day of classes, “shopping period,” students that have shown an interest in a course by placing it in their primary shopping cart in Courses@Brown (cab.brown.edu) are considered “prospective students" and will have access to the courses' associated Canvas sites. Prospective students that do not fully register for the course will be removed from Canvas course sites at the conclusion of "shopping period." |
Overview of Course Management Platforms
This guide outlines how to use key platforms—Self Service Banner, Courses at Brown (CAB), CourseTools, and Canvas—for common course-related tasks.
1. Communicating with Students
Emailing Registered and Prospective Students
- Faculty can email registered students using class lists in Self Service Banner.
- Emailing prospective students may require additional tools or workflows depending on access.
Ongoing Communication During the Semester
- Faculty should primarily use Self Service Banner course email (via the Class List page or direct email tools).
- Canvas messaging can also be used, but:
- Messages are internal to Canvas.
- Students may opt out of notifications.
- Faculty should remind students to check Canvas messages or update notification settings.
2. Viewing Enrollment and Student Information
Prospective Student Lists
- Courses at Brown (CAB) provides access to lists of prospective students.
Enrollment Numbers
- CAB displays up-to-date enrollment numbers.
Viewing Student Names
- The Canvas People tool allows faculty to view enrolled student names.
4. Course Registration and Shopping Period
Registering for Courses
- Students:
- Register for courses through CAB.
- Use Self Service Banner to:
- Drop courses
- Change grade options
Accessing Course Materials During Shopping Period
- CAB provides links to Canvas course sites for both:
- Registered students
- Prospective students
- In Canvas:
- Both registered and prospective students can access course materials.
- Faculty can actively use Canvas tools to engage students during this period.
5. Grading and Academic Actions
Entering Midterm and Final Grades
- Faculty enter grades in Self Service Banner.
Course Override Codes
- Faculty generate override codes in Self Service Banner.
- Students enter override codes through CAB during registration.
Key Notes
- Self Service Banner is primarily used for:
- Emailing registered students
- Grading
- Enrollment actions (drop/change options)
- Override code generation
- CAB is used for:
- Viewing enrollment and prospective students
- Accessing syllabi
- Registering for courses
- Linking to Canvas during shopping period
- Canvas is used for:
- Course content and materials
- Student participation (including during shopping period)
- Internal messaging (with limitations)
- Course Tools is used for:
- Managing and uploading syllabi
- Controlling what appears in CAB
Resources: |