Copy a Module Structure

[jthoms]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

A good instructional design practice is to have a predictable module structure for students to follow throughout a course. This means repeating a similar flow of pages and assignments over multiple sections of a course.

Currently copying requires creating a new module and items for each section, and copying content for each item. By adding a “copy” option when editing a Module, the effort to build a course will be greatly reduced. If this triggered a dialogue to state how many copies to make, it would be very simple to quickly build out a course structure.

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-14759 .

[allison]

Hello all, the features you are describing make a lot of sense to me. In fact, as we are rebuilding Quizzes, you'll be excited to hear that we are building duplication functionality into the authoring process from the ground up. I believe that what is needed here is not a workaround or a surface extension of current functionality, but a rethinking of how modules are authored in Canvas to include: 1. the ability to set defaults for all modules created in a course, 2. the ability to duplicate modules and all the objects inside with suffixes the author can control (i.e. "-week 2"), and 3. the ability to leverage template pages and/or content throughout the course. All three of these features would support a much more efficient authoring workflow.

Modules will not be a focus for us in the next six months, so I think we should archive this for now. Please, please know, however, that we are aware of the pain that instructional designers and teachers feel when they author modules in Canvas and it is definitely something we would like to solve for in the future.

[kmeeusen]

Awesome Allison!

I can wait! The great new quiz features will make the time pass like a day in heaven!

Agent K.

[jthoms]

That is so cool to hear, Deactivated user​! Sounds like you all understand the issue and are rethinking things at a level that would provide a lot of benefit. Here's to hoping this will be come a focus in the later half of this year :smileygrin:

[Renee_Carney]

  Idea is currently in Product Radar Learn more about this stage...

[Nancy_Webb_CCSF]

We would be so excited to have this capability.  Better pedagogy and consistency, easier on course creators.  Any idea on when the new Quiz engine will be released, and is copying really being built in? 

Modules weren't the focus for 6 months, and now it's 11 months later... great that it's on radar.  Is 3 months on radar too soon to hope for a timeline? Are we in hiatus on ideas?

[scottdennis]

Hi Nancy,

Yes, the feature idea process is currently on hold while we reconfigure how community input into product development is handled.  We have been posting blog posts periodically here.  You can also follow a link to a preview and focus group here.  I hope this is helpful information.

[mary_primm]

I love the idea of copying module structure.  This would allow you to take time and create a module with all of the "bells and whistles" that you want and then be able to use it later in other courses.  This seems as though it will be a huge time saver and will create a uniform look and feel for your courses.

[cdproflaura]

This feature would have saved me a lot of time as I prepared a new course recently.  I had to copy each item in a module one by one and pull it into the new module (then rename everything, etc...).  It would be a great feature to add.

[chasedimarco]

Has there been any progress on this front in the past few years? I see discussions going back to 2018, but haven't been able to see if this functionality has been added yet. I don't see any thing on the course creation end thus far. This would definitely save a lot of time.

[cboyle576]

Hi there, I see that this went into the "Radar" stage in 2016, and the last comment (in 2016)noted that there wouldn't be a chance to work on it for the next six months. I think this idea is really crucial for helping instructors manage the time it takes to create a course, and also for helping organize a predictable workflow for students. What's being done to create this function?