Introducing Modules
Just the Basics
If you're new to Canvas, or this is your first time designing a fully online class, you'll need to understand one of the basic structures of Canvas, Modules.
Modules are Buckets
Modules are empty buckets. They hold the content and activities you create and curate to teach your students. There are a variety of things you can put into a Module, called Module Items. The most commonly used are:
- Content Pages
- Assignments
- Discussions
- Quizzes
Canvas will also allow you to include Files, External URLs, and External Tools in a Module, but we recommend those under only very specific circumstances (more on that later!)
When you first begin designing a brand-new course, there are not any Modules, but you can add as many Modules as you want to your course, and your Modules can be as long as you want (they can have as many Pages, Assignments, Discussions, and Quizzes as you want). Don't go crazy, here -- remember that many studies have shown that students learn best when material is segmented in digestible chunks.
Modules Act Like Chapters in a Book
Modules are like chapters in a book. There is a unique feature of Canvas that allows students to move through the items you've placed in the Module by selecting the Next button (or Nexting,) like turning the pages of a book.
Thus, the items you place in your module are chronological -- you move your students through content and activities in an order you feel best supports their learning. Well designed modules integrate content and activities so that students can learn, practice, and apply information.
Well designed modules allow you to segment material into Content Pages, Activities, and Assessments so that students can stop and think, re-read or review material, and apply what they've learned to see if they "get it."
As you design your modules, think about how you'll segment the material in your class into modules, and how you'll segment material within a module. Remember, consistency helps students predict how they will spend their time, which aids learning by reducing anxiety.
Module View is a Table of Contents
There is one other very handy feature of Modules. You've probably already noticed that Modules appear in the Course Navigation Menu. When students select Modules from this menu, they enter the Module List, which is, essentially, a Table of Contents for your course. This allows students to get a big picture of the Module, and if all your Modules are published, a big picture of your course.
From the Modules List view, your students can get an outline of your course that will allow them to see how pieces fit together, and if your pages and activities are named well, will allow them to find material for review quickly and efficiently. This gives students a sense of autonomy and control that is important in online learning, but it also means the way you segment your course into modules and how you segment the material within modules needs to be done with conscious effort--you need to design intentionally.
Canvas Tutorials
We hope you have a better sense of what Modules can do for you, but we'd also like to encourage you to take 5 more minutes to view this video from Canvas. While you may have the concept of Modules nailed, it's also important to fully understand the vocabulary Canvas uses. So, grab a cup of coffee, and sit back and watch this short but informative video on Modules.
522 - Modules: Creation & Management Links to an external site. from Canvas LMS Links to an external site. on Vimeo Links to an external site..
More Resources for Modules
Here are some Canvas resources you may want to bookmark or archive to help you use Modules
Modules as buckets
- How do I add a module? Links to an external site.
- How do I edit a module? Links to an external site.
- How do I add assignment types, pages, and files as module items? Links to an external site.
- How do I remove module items? Links to an external site.