Canvas

Modules are a tool for organizing all course content, handling files, lectures, assignments, discussions, quizzes, and external links.

Modules are designed to guide students through course content by organizing course material in a structured way.  Modules are often a useful for making content easier to find and to help students gain a structural framework for the course content.  The Modules tool can also help scaffold student learning and helps students situate course materials, activities, and readings within the broader context of the course.

Selectively Release Modules

Each Module can be selectively released to sections or students. If this feature might be useful in your teaching (in a course where students have a choice of content to work with or some might need supplementary material, or a combined site serves multiple sections with content that occasionally diverges, etc.), please review the information from Canvas on assigning a module to individual sections or students.

Methods of Organizing Modules

There are many ways to organize course modules.  Some faculty members choose to organize their content in Modules based on specific topics or order of the course.  Below are some examples of how someone might organize a course in Western Civilization.

Topics

Organizing content around topics can help students manage their reading. More than this, however, the ability to place all course content and activities, including assignments and discussions, within modules means that students encounter each topic as an integrated whole.  While traditional files and folders are helpful for organizing documents and presentations, modules allow faculty to place course activities in the same place as course materials and files.  In the example below, students access course readings, activities, and assignments all in the same place, further helping to scaffold learning through the course.

• Module 1: The Renaissance
  • Reading: Machiavell, The Prince
  • Textbook: The Renaissance, pp. 22-53
  • PPT Lecture: The Renaissance
  • Discussion: The Renaissance
  • Assignment 1: Weekly Reflection
• Module 2: The Reformation
  • Reading: Martin Luther, 95 Theses 
    
  • Textbook: The Reformation, pp. 54-88
  • PPT Lecture: The Reformation
  • Discussion: The Reformation
  • Assignment 2: Weekly Reflection
  • Weblink to Martin Luther Documentary

Course Dates

Course dates can be another helpful way to organize content in the course for students.  In particular, the use of dates helps students manage their readings, activities, and assignments week-to-week.  This organizational structure also has the benefit of reinforcing the course syllabus.

One disadvantage of placing dates in the modules names is that it makes the process of copying your course content from one semester to the next more challenging.  Rather than allowing Canvas to adjust dates for you (if all course dates are entered in the date field of assignments, discussions, and other course activities), placing course dates in modules will require you to change module names semester-to-semester.

• Week 1: Sept 2-6
  • Reading: Machiavell, The Prince
  • Textbook: The Renaissance, pp. 22-52
  • Discussion: The Renaissance
  • Assignment 1: Weekly Reflection
• Week 2: Sept 9-13
  • Reading: Martin Luther, 95 Theses 
  • Textbook: The Reformation, pp. 54-88
  • Discussion: The Reformation
  • Assignment 2: Weekly Reflection
  • Weblink to Martin Luther Documentary

Course Content

Organizing your modules by course content is another helpful way to organize files in your course. Students will have quick access to notes, lectures, readings, and other course materials.

• PPT Lectures
• Class Notes
  • Week 1 Notes
  • Week 2 Notes
• Course Readings
  • Machiavell, The Prince
  • Martin Luther, 95 Theses

Note that shorter module titles can help streamline your site and are optimal for accessing your Canvas site on a mobile device.

For further information, see these guides from Instructure:

• How do I create a new Module?
• How do I add items to a Module?
• How do I reorder Modules?
• How do I edit Module items?
• How do I delete a Module?
• How do I remove Module items?
• How do I assign a module to individual sections or students?

Additional information on modules can be found in the Modules chapter on the Instructure website.