Add Items to Modules

Last updated on February 9, 2024

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. 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 (options include assignment, quiz, file, page, discussion, text header, and external links/tools).
4. Click New [Item Type].
5. Type the Item’s Name in the box.
6. 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 If a module is unpublished, then all of the items within the module will be hidden from students, even if the individual items are published.