Using MEETS in Canvas

‘Meeting up’ might look a little different this year . . .

        Use MEETS in Canvas to attend and manage your online meeting spaces . . .             All your class meetings in Canvas, all in one place!

Same, same, but different: USask roommates take a needed coffee break. – Photo by B. D. W. Kristoff, CC by 2.0

Brette D. W. Kristoff, Graduate Student – Communications Specialist, GMCTL, January 26th, 2021

What is MEETS?

Canvas uses MEETS to host and manage WebEx virtual classrooms and online meeting spaces. 

    • Canvas course lectures may be hosted and scheduled through the MEETS tool in Canvas.
    • Join events in MEETS for video conferencing or for scheduling meetings with your instructors.  

Here are a few other things we think you should know about using MEETS with Canvas:

  • The first time you use MEETS you may be prompted to install:
    • WebEx Desktop App or Desktop Extension/Add-on for your browser
    • Install the Webex app for your mobile device. 

Tip!  Google Chrome seems to be the quickest for using/installing the add-on. Make you do this before your first scheduled MEET. 

How do I attend a scheduled session?

  1. Once you’ve logged into your Canvas Course, the MEETS tab is accessible from your Course menu.
  2. Upcoming sessions will be listed under the Event Calendar tab at the top of the screen.
  3. Under Events, select the event titled in blue font, and click the orange Join button, just before the event/meeting/class starts.

Sign-up for Office Hours/One-on-One Appointments:

Book Appointments with your instructors or view office hour availability using MEETS:

1. Select Appointment Booking.            2. Choose “Book appointment with” from the drop down menu if there are multiple instructors in your course.

3. Select a time slot marked “Available.”

4. Next, fill in the necessary information to Reserve Appointment. Best to add your name into the Appointment Topic text box.

5. You will then receive an email confirmation. When it’s time for your appointment, click Join under Events in your MEETS page. The appointment is exclusive to you and no other student has access to join the appointment during the time slot.

Accessing Recorded Sessions: 

  • Access previously recorded sessions from the Event Recordings tab on your MEETS homepage: 
  • Here you’ll find a list of recorded content. Select View Recordings to watch. You can stream or download the recordings.

We’d like to thank Carmen Harder, ICT Support Services, Training Specialist for her help in writing this blog!

For more support options with Canvas, see the USask Student Canvas page.

We acknowledge that the University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respect to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. 

3 Canvas Tips to Stay Organized

Brette D. W. Kristoff, Graduate Student – Communications Specialist, GMCTL

October 1, 2020


Staying organized and on top of your coursework is easier with Canvas. Here are a few tips to help you use Canvas tools this term!

1. It’s important to keep all your deadlines together, in one place. This is the function of the Canvas Calendar—all your important Canvas course dates will be synced to your Calendar when your instructors update the course schedule to Canvas.

    • Visually, this will help you map out the flow of the term. Take note of all major deadlines and assignments (Any weeks where you have multiple things due? If so, prioritize, and plan ahead accordingly!)  

2. One time I couldn’t get my computer to turn on 3 minutes before a timed final exam. To avoid this stress, I recommend you give yourself some time (15 minutes at least!) to secure your web connection and platform access before any remote learning sessions, MEETS, or online exams (worst case, you’ll have more time to review your notes). 

Here’s a list of web browsers supported by Canvas. 

  • Tip: Unsupported browsers such as Internet Explorer will not run Canvas properly. Most other major Internet browsers will work just fine for most Canvas functions.
  • For troubleshooting tips and IT help, go here.

3. Try out the What-If Grades function on Canvas to predict your grades and averages: 

  •  Under your Grades tab, select the course and assignment and enter a hypothetical score to see the What-If result (sorry, this won’t change your actual grade – only instructors can do that). So feel free to plug in any numbers at first to get the feel for it! 
  • Canvas will show you how this new hypothetical score would affect your overall grades. This can be done with all upcoming or completed assignments or tests.
  • Predicting your grades like this will give you a better sense of your overall grade standing in each of your courses.

Click the arrow beside your What-If grade to revert to your original score.


Remote learning is an adjustment for everyone but Canvas is designed to streamline our student experience. What’s been your biggest adjustment in transitioning to remote learning?

For more support options with Canvas, see the USask Student Canvas page.