Add Items to Modules

Last updated on August 28, 2025

Tools: Modules

Modules are the “building blocks” of a Canvas course. Modules help organize a course and ensure that students will access all materials in the desired order. A wide variety of different items can be added to a Module, including pages, discussions, assignments, quizzes, files, headers, and links. Adding different types of items to Modules makes a course more engaging and accommodates learners with diverse preferences.

Best Practices

• Use modules to split up the course by week, chapter, topic, or theme.
• Begin each module with an Overview page that describes the module and its objectives.
• Add all items that students will interact with to the Module in sequential order.
• Include various types of resources to target diverse learners.
• Use headers and indents to break up and organize larger modules.

Let’s walk through it together

Add a New Item to a Module

1. Go to MSU Denver’s Faculty and Staff Hub.
2. Click Quick Links on the top right of the page.
3. Click Canvas from the menu options that appear.
4. Log in to your Canvas Account.
5. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
6. Click Modules in the course navigation menu.
7. Click the + Icon to the right of the Module title.
8. Select the Type of item you want to add to the Module from the drop-down menu (options include assignment, quiz, file, page, discussion, text header, and external links/tools).
9. Click Create [Item Type].
10. Type the Item’s Name in the box.
11. Click Add Item.

Add an Existing Item to a Module

1. Click Modules in the course navigation menu.
2. Click the + Icon to the right of the Module title.
3. Select the Type of item you want to add to the Module from the drop-down menu.
4. Click the Item’s Name.
5. Click Add Item.

Organize Items in Modules

1. Click and drag on the 8-Dot Icon to the left of an item’s name to reorder it.
   • Alternatively, click the 3-Dot Icon to the right of and item and select Move-To to reorder it.

Publish items in Modules

1. Click the Circle with a Slash through It (“no” symbol) to publish an item. When the green checkmark icon appears, the item has been published and is visible to students.
   • Note:  Make sure that you also publish the module itself. There should be a green checkmark on the right side of the bar with the module title. If a module is unpublished, then all of the items within the module will be hidden from students, even if the individual items are published.