Create Modules in Canvas
- Christine Sandella
Canvas Modules provides a space to bring assignments, quizzes, discussions, files, or more of these elements together into a single area, which allows you to build cohesion and flow into your course.
Using modules provides a way for you and your students to stay organized in the course, and helps you manage student expectations. Common uses of modules you may want to consider is matching your modules to your syllabus. If your syllabus is ordered by week, consider adding modules by week that include what students should be completing for that week.
Why Use Canvas Modules?
Group and organize related course content together.
Set and moderate student progress through requirements and prerequisites.
Provide paths to meet requirements for learning objectives.
Facilitate self-paced or asynchronous learning.
Canvas Modules Examples
Below are examples of how instructors can use Canvas Modules:
Organize weekly course content spread out across the Canvas site into one linear space that contextualizes the content as it relates to the syllabus.
Set requirements on specific modules that only become available upon certain criteria being met by the students.
Develop various learning paths for students to select that allow them to choose the direction of their learning by what interests or suites them.
Add a Module
In the course navigation menu, click Modules.
Click the +Module button in the top-right corner.
In the pop-up window, enter a Module name.
The module name can represent the different weeks and/or topics from your syllabus (i.e., Week 1: Introduction), or some other categorization of how you want to organize/display course content.
Select a Lock Until date and Prerequisites, if applicable.
Once your settings are complete, click Add Module to finish. You will now see an empty module that is ready for content to be added.
Add Content to a Module
Click the "+" button to the right of the module title.
From the drop-down menu, select an item type that you would like to add.
Once an item type is selected, a list of existing items will appear to choose from. You can also create a new item in any of the item types.
Once you have selected an item to add to the module, click Add Item.
Be sure to Publish both the module and the items in order for students to view.
Controlling Module Access
By default, students can move through modules in any order. This means they can skip to future modules that have been published, as well as skip items within a module. However, there are a few ways to control students' access to and flow through a module:
Set Lock Dates: control when a module will open so students can’t access content too early.
When you create or edit a module, you can set a lock until date. While students can see published items in the module, they will not be able to access them until the lock date has passed.
Set Prerequisites: control what modules must be completed before moving on to the next module.
You can select a previous existing module as a prerequisite for the selected module. This means that student will not be able to access the selected module until the prerequisite module has been completed.
Set Requirements : indicate what items within a module must be completed. There are two requirement options:
Students must complete all of these requirements: which means that all items in the module must be viewed and completed. In this option, you can also indicate that students must complete the module items in the order that they are presented by checking, “Students must move through requirements in sequential order.”
Student must complete one of these requirements: If this option is selected, you will be presented with a drop-down menu of the module’s items. Select the item that you want the student to complete as well as what is considered, “complete.” To add more than one item, click +requirement again and repeat.
Assign Modules to Specific Students or Course Sections: You can assign an entire module or individual items within a module to specific students or course sections.
Assigning to Specific Students: From the module or item’s settings, select the “Assign To” option and enter the names of the students. Only the assigned students will be able to view or access the content.
Assigning to Course Sections: Use the “Assign To” option to select specific course sections. This ensures only those sections can access the module or item, while others won’t see it.
When assigning individual items rather than the entire module, students will only see the assigned items in their respective feature areas (e.g., an assignment in the Assignments page), not the entire module’s content.
What will my students see?
When students access your course and navigate to the Modules section from the course navigation menu they will see the Modules and content that you have organized. Students can view the module names, the added course content, lock dates, and the prerequisites requirements set for accessing the module and it's content.
You have the option to publish the entire module or each item individually so you can work on modules without worrying about students viewing your work. Once you are ready for students to view, you simply publish the item or module.
When students enter the module, they can then click Next at the bottom of the page and will be brought to the next item within the module. If there is an item with a future lock date, the students will be able to click on the item, but will be notified that they do not have access to the item until the set date.