Canvas Tool: Modules Copy

Canvas Modules allow instructors to design their course using distinct learning units that include clear objectives, learning content, activities, discussions, formative and summative assessments, and opportunities for synchronous (real time) or asynchronous interactions. 

To promote instructor-student interaction, the following elements can be utilized within Modules: 

  • Unit Orientation Materials
    • Unit video to provide context, overview, objectives, and to encourage interaction via commenting on embedded video.
  • Content Pages
    • Regular and substantive interaction can be provided via Canvas content pages in the form of links to relevant, instructor-created support videos, to Zoom office hours information, and to surveys and/or the Instructor Q&A that provide opportunities for students to “raise their hand” to request support.
  • Assignments
    • All assignments are opportunities to engage in regular and substantive interaction; however, student self-assessments are particularly effective in terms of sparking meaningful interaction. Self-assessments are essential in encouraging metacognition and in opening the doors to meaningful discussions about your students’ progress. These types of assessments can take the form of brief surveys and/or longer reflections.
    • Rubric Evaluation: A well-constructed rubric is a powerful communication tool that will provide a clear, measurable preparation process for students and a time-efficient, consistent grading process for instructors.
  • Discussions
    • Canvas Discussions offer exceptional opportunities for regular and substantive interaction, both between instructors and students and among students. When creating discussion board prompts, consider opportunities for meaningful interaction that promotes dialogue and collective problem-solving.
    • Discussion boards can be created to accomplish the following:
      • Scheduled, weekly class communication through threaded discussions;
      • Group/Team projects;
      • Peer review activities;
      • Impromptu discussions that align with the weekly planned content.
  • Quizzes
    • The quiz feature in CANVAS may be used in the following ways to support regular and substantive contact:
      • Create a graded or ungraded survey named “self-assessment” and ask students to evaluate their performance.
      • Create an assignment and ask students to conduct a self-assessment based on the rubric.
      • Add instructor-created embedded feedback to quiz questions to provide immediate corrective feedback to students.

Ready to dig a bit deeper into Canvas? Learn how to customize your Modules in this Byte-sized video from Helen Graves: