If you need to create a virtual space to communicate, collaborate, or publish information to a group of people, please consider the following options rather than creating a course in Canvas. 

Would you like to share files or collaborate on documents with a group?

• Microsoft Sharepoint/OneDrive: SharePoint provides cloud storage for entire departments or other work-units. It is more efficient than OneDrive for sharing files with a group of people because files and folders are automatically shared with the site members based on their assigned permissions.
• Google Workspace: Google Workspace for Education provides a secure teaching and learning environment to share out from a core set of familiar Google applications including Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Meet, Chat, Sites, and Jamboard.
  
  NOTE: Storage in Google Workspace is limited. If you plan to store a significant amount of date, consider using OneDrive or SharePoint instead.

Would you like to communicate with a group in a discussion forum?

• Microsoft Teams: Teams are groups with a running list of posts and the ability to chat, share files, and host online meetings.
• Microsoft Viva Engage (Yammer): Viva Engage allows users to interact asynchronously with a like-minded community by posting messages, sharing files, creating channels, and sending notifications to members or the whole group. Viva Engage integrates with Outlook, SharePoint and Microsoft Teams.
• Piazza: Piazza is a discussion forum for class Q&A, with syllabus and file sharing capabilities similar to the Canvas LMS. You can post questions, announcements and polls.

Would you like to publish static information on a webpage to display it for others?

• Sites: With Sites at Penn State, you can easily build websites, blogs, and portfolios at no additional charge.

Would you like to provide a non-academic training site, such as an onboarding process for an internship? 

• Microsoft SharePoint: SharePoint is a webpage interface that allows you to display content, events, and files in a designated order on a page. Files and folders are automatically shared with the site members based on their assigned permissions. 
• Microsoft Teams: Teams allow new users to request to join collaboration groups that have tabs for posts, files, calendar events, and other optional apps. Teams have associated SharePoint sites to view the shared files in alternative layouts. 
• Microsoft Power Automate: Power Automate is a web-only application that allows you to create automated tasks and processes across applications and services. You can create workflows to receive notifications, such as emails or text messages, when something happens; automate approval processes; or manage your social media accounts.