Managing Module Settings in Canvas

In Canvas, modules allow instructors to create the structure and organization of their course. For fully online courses, modules are suggested as the method of content organization that works best keeping the course and students on task.

Modules have settings that will help you control what content is accessed by your students, when it is accessed, prerequisites for access, and the order in which it may be accessed.

You can leverage module settings in the following ways:

1. Set completion criteria.

Instructors can set completion criteria within a module so students can see the requirements needed to complete a module. By setting completion criteria, instructors can also follow the progress of each student. This can be helpful in assessing where students are in your course progression. Who hasn't started a module, who is in the middle, who has completed, etc.

2. Control Access to Content By Date

Instructors can lock modules by date. This can be helpful in preventing students from accessing content ahead of time. If you choose to lock module until a given date, the module will become available to students at the specified date.

3. Control Access to Content By Pre-Requisites

Instructors can set pre-requisites to modules so students have to complete a previous module prior to progressing to the next module. There are times you may want students to complete a quiz or submit an assignment before moving on to a new module or content area.

Setting Up Prerequisites/Requirements

To set up prerequisites/requirements in an exiting module, click on the gear icon located in the top-right portion of the module. In the drop-down menu, click on Edit.
In the Edit Module Settings window, you can add prerequisites under the Before students can view this module heading and you can add requirements under the This module is complete when heading:

Prerequisites

Requirements

Click on the Add Prerequisite button
In the drop-down menu, select the previous module(s) that you would like the student to complete prior to viewing the current module
You can add more prerequisites by clicking the Add Prerequisite button again

Click on the Add Requirement button
In the first drop-down menu, select the assignment within the module you would like the student to finish prior to moving onto the next module
In the second drop-down menu, select what action you would like the student to perform on the assignment. Here, you have 4 options:
1. view the item
2. contribute to the page
3. submit the assignment
4. score at least (when selected, a third box will appear where you can add a score)

4. Control access to content by order

Instructors can require students to progress through the module in sequential order. NOTE: Use this setting in conjunction with other settings to work correctly. If you choose students must move through requirements, students must complete the content sequentially in the module before moving on in the course. Used alone, it causes student access issues in some browsers at this time.

5. Publish and un-publish (also called Draft state)

Instructors can publish or un-publish modules at any time by clicking on the cloud icon.