When should you use Canvas' files, pages and modules for course organization?
There are three common methods for organizing your course:
- Modules
- Pages
- Files
Each of these methods comes with its own list of advantages and disadvantages. Most importantly, you should understand that Canvas was designed to allow you to use all three features at the same time for maximum flexibility.
This article covers the following topics:
Modules are the default home page for every new course. That's because Modules are a great way to organize your course materials by week or by topic to make course materials easy for students to find.
Pros
The Modules area is similar to folders, with each Module containing links to content. Modules can incorporate all types of content(e.g., Pages, Quizzes, Assignments, Links, etc.), as well as files (PowerPoint, PDF, Word).
Modules provide students with a much clearer view of the course. Student feedback regarding courses that use Modules has been positive. Particularly when Modules are structured by Week or Unit, students tell us that Modules make it quick and easy to find readings, assignments, quizzes and other content because it's all in one place.
Cons
Like the Files area approach, Modules doesn't provide a narrative to accompany the content. Often, instructors want to provide a back-story or rationale for why a particular reading is assigned or how it might relate to another reading.
In situations where instructors want to give students a sense of what's taking place and how all the pieces of content fit together, Canvas provides even more capability via Pages.
When students click on a specific page, such as this overview page for one week of content, they're taken to a page with the week's topic, readings, assessments to complete, and a short explanation or introduction to the material. Pages are just like web pages in that you can type content, link to the content, and embed images and videos.
Pros
The instructor provides context for what's taking place this week, what the students are expected to learn, and which files, assignments and discussions they will need to complete.
The advantage of Pages is the ability to provide additional explanation that gives students a better understanding of the content, activities and assessments assigned. Pages also allow instructors to use images, tables, charts and embedded videos. For blended and online classes, it is essential to provide context for the content in Modules and remember that Pages can be added to Modules.
Cons
For face-to-face courses that require a less significant Canvas presence, using Pages might not be necessary, as you are providing context in your face-to-face meetings.
If your purpose in using Canvas is to post readings and provide a place to turn in assignments, you may prefer to use Modules. Some instructors use Pages with richly detailed descriptions, images, embedded YouTube videos, links to other pages and other features that make their Canvas courses look more like websites or e-Books.
Pros
The Files area is immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with Finder on a Mac or Windows Explorer on a PC. It's a simple way to upload files to Canvas. You can create and organize files and folders just like you do on your personal computer, Google Drive or Box.
Cons
The downside to this method is that it provides little to no context for what the files are or how they relate to the course (beyond the folder and file names). If you want to store files that are only accessible by the instructor, such as exam answer keys, setting permissions on files is challenging.
We recommend you use one of the other methods to display content to students. It can be difficult for students to find the correct content unless all files are carefully named.
For more information on using Canvas, please visit the Canvas Community for comprehensive resources beyond St. Edward's.