Control Access to Content

Canvas Teaching Tips - Get the most out of Canvas

Canvas Teaching Tips are distributed by the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences Online and Academic Technology Services office and offer SHORT helpful tips about Canvas, online learning, and academic technology.

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Control Access to Content

Canvas has many great tools for posting content, but what if you want to help students access content at the right time and/or in the right order?

ANSWER: Use Modules and Module Settings!

MODULE SETTINGS LET YOU:

Set a date for the release of content
Provide a visual way for students to see what they have completed
Require students to move through items sequentially
Require students to complete tasks prior to the release of other content

EXAMPLE

The image below shows an example of what a student sees when prerequisites & requirements are being used. The student is clearly shown what they have completed and what is still unfinished or overdue.

Image of Canvas modules with prerequisites and requirements from student view. The first module is titled Start Here Module. A green checkmark indicates to the student that all module items have been completed. Below that is an expanded module titled Topic 1 Module. A red circle with a red line through it indicates that the module is unfinished. Within that module are pages titled Topic 1 Overview and Topic 1 Readings with green checkmarks on each indicating that these module items have been completed. The next two pages are titled Topic 1 Videos and Topic 1 Discussion and they have grey unfilled circles indicating these module items have not been completed. Below these is an assignment titled Paper 1 which has a red circle with a red line through it indicating the assignment is overdue. Below that is another expanded module titled Topic 2 Module. This module has text which reads Prerequisites Topic 1 Module indicating that this module's content is closed until the student completes all items in the Topic 1 module. At the bottom of this module is text which indicates the module is locked until March 21 and students cannot access module content until then. Inside this module are pages titled Topic 2 Overview, Topic 2 Readings, Topic 2 Videos, and Topic 2 Discussion.

Click here to view an example of controlling access to a page by using Prerequisites and Requirements in Canvas.

Guides

How do I add a module?

How do I add assignment types, pages, and files as module items?

How do I lock a module?

How do I add requirements to a module?

How do I add prerequisites to a module?

NEED HELP?

Canvas help is easy to find and always available. Click the Help button in the Canvas global navigation for 24 hour support and great help guides.

Click here to view a guide on using Canvas Help

Learn more!

If you'd like to learn more about this Canvas tip, or Canvas in general, please contact our office at 405.325.5854 or casonline@ou.edu.