Structuring Your Course
The resources in this "Survival Guide" have been developed and compiled for instructors who are new to Canvas and also for those who have some Canvas experience but would like additional reinforcement and helpful tips. Each page of the Survival Guide has two sections ("Getting Started" and "Going Deeper"), which are organized on separate tabs. The "Getting Started" content begins with a brief introduction to the page's content followed by a short tutorial video and, in some cases, annotated screen captures explaining how to access and use that tool or feature. The "Going Deeper" content includes resources for instructors who are comfortable using Canvas but might be looking for some examples of instructional techniques or ways to address specific challenges, or maybe even just a little inspiration.
This page explains:
- What modules are and the importance of using them to structure your course.
- How to add a module to your Canvas course.
- The different types of content that can be added to modules.
- How to add content to modules.
Let's dive in!
The Case For Modules
The most common way to structure courses in Canvas is by using Modules. Modules can be thought of as carefully curated containers that hold and organize your course materials. Imagine each module as a labeled box that neatly stores content, assignments, readings, and resources related to a specific week or specific course topic. These containers provide a systematic way to present your course, allowing you to group and arrange materials logically. Just as opening a container reveals its contents, expanding a module heading unveils a structured collection of resources and, as the instructor, you can decide the order and timing in which you'd like students to have access to these containers. For example, you can choose to keep each module locked until you're ready for students to open it and/or you can require that they explore all of the content in one module prior to opening the next, or you can permit students to open, browse, and interact with the contents of each module in the sequence and pace they choose. Using Modules can facilitate logical organization, transparency, and flexibility to accommodate each instructor's teaching style and student needs.
How Can I Create a New Module?
To create a new module:
- Within your course, select Modules from the left-side navigation panel to view the Modules page.
- Click + Module at the top-right corner of the page.
- Give your module a name and click Add Module. You should now see an empty module on your Modules page.
Students prefer well organized courses with clear navigation and an obvious path forward. Organizing your course content into weekly modules aligns with these student preferences and with effective teaching practices. Sequence and title your modules in a way that clearly communicates what each module is about and where it fits in with other course content. For example, "Week 1: Plate Tectonics" or "Module 4: Ekphrastic Poetry". Structured learning, consistent pacing, and incremental progress are among the benefits of this approach. How do you plan to sequence the modules in your course?
Next, let's take a look at the different types of content that you can add to a module.
What Types of Content Can I Add to Modules?
After you have a list of modules outlining your course, the next step is to begin populating the modules with content such as resources, learning activities, and assessments. Module contents might include a module overview to clarify the module goals, links to a textbook chapter, an assignment that must be submitted, a discussion board about the weekly topic, or whatever is needed to help students meet their objectives. Canvas helps us achieve this by enabling different ways to deliver content directly into the module. The available methods to deliver content and assessments are briefly described below.
Links: You can copy links to resources across the web and place them within your module. Keep in mind that students won't know what to do with these resources before clicking so they should either have a descriptive title, a module sub heading to describe them, or a module overview to describe how materials in the module should be used.
Files: Just like links to webpages, you can also upload files to a module. This could be a template for an assignment, or maybe a PDF of a textbook chapter for the week's reading. Just like links, files will need some additional context for students to know how to use them.
Pages: Just like the page you are reading now, pages can be linked directly into modules and are places where you can add text, files, images, videos, other content, and provide the context around what students should be doing with those resources all in one space. You can take a textbook style approach and write out the content on the page or use the page as a place to compile resources, or a mix of the two to help students meet a learning objective.
Assignments: Assignments are a type of page that allows students to submit their work as an attachment. Instructors can specify the types of submissions that are accepted, assign point values, and set due dates.
Quizzes: Quizzes follow Canvas' quiz formatting but can be used for everything from exams to general class work. Within a quiz, instructors can specify point values and set due dates.
Discussions: This is a place where everyone in the class can reply to a prompt and respond to each other's posts. Everyone in the class can see the posts and replies.
How do I Add Content to Canvas?
The easiest way to add learning materials into Canvas is by posting material into your Modules. This means adding content pages, files, assignments, or quizzes directly into the module for that learning unit. The short video below explains how to create, add content to, and manage a module.
To start adding content to your module (as shown in the video above), click the Plus Icon (+) to the right of the module title. Clicking this icon will open the Add Item window where you can choose the type of material you want to add. You can add an item that you've already created in Canvas or uploaded to Canvas or you can add a new item. For example, if you'd like to add a new file, select File from the drop-down list. You will then see a Create Files option which will allow you to choose a file from your computer to upload into Canvas. Once the file has been chosen and uploaded, click the Add Item button in the bottom right of the window. Keep in mind that the materials you upload into Canvas will need to be accessible by students. Accordingly, we recommend that you export word processing files in PDF format when possible or, better yet, provide materials that can be accessed online, without downloading, such as webpages, videos, and material built directly onto Canvas pages.
Not finding what you need? Still have questions, a comment, or suggestion?
Additional Resources
Canvas Guides: What are Modules? Links to an external site.
Canvas Guides: How do I add a module? Links to an external site.
Canvas Guides: How do I add course content as module items? Links to an external site.
Canvas Guides: How do I add a quiz as a module item? Links to an external site.
Canvas Guides: How do I add an external URL as a module item? Links to an external site.
Canvas Guides: How do I add a text header as a module item? Links to an external site.
Canvas Guides: How do I use the Modules Index Page? Links to an external site.
Canvas Guides: How do I publish or unpublish a module? Links to an external site.