Quercus (Canvas) Modules

Quercus (Canvas) Modules allow instructors to organize course materials and activities into structured learning pathways. Modules can bring together Pages, Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, Files, external resources, and other course content in one place.

Instructors can organize Modules by week, unit, topic, or another structure that supports their course. Modules can provide students with a clear way to navigate materials and activities, while optional requirements and prerequisites allow instructors to guide progression when a particular learning sequence is important.

Creating and Organizing Modules

Modules provide a way to organize course materials and activities into a navigable sequence. They can be used to present content in a consistent structure without requiring students to complete activities in a prescribed order.

Organizing Course Content with Pages and Modules

Pages and Modules serve different but complementary purposes in Quercus.

Pages	Modules
Present information and learning materials in one place	Organize materials and activities into a navigable sequence
Combine text, images, videos, links, and files	Bring together Pages, Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, Files, and other items
Useful for lesson overviews, instructions, and topic summaries	Useful for organizing content by week, unit, topic, or learning outcome
Can be linked together or accessed independently	Can include requirements and prerequisites to guide student progression
Can serve as a course Home Page	Can serve as the course Home Page layout

Pages and Modules can be used together. For example, an instructor might create a Page introducing a weekly topic, then add that Page, the assigned readings, a discussion, and an assignment to a Module. This gives students both the context for their learning and a clear way to navigate the related activities.

For instructions on creating and managing Pages, consult Quercus (Canvas) Pages.

Creating a Module

To create a Module:

Open your Quercus course.
Select Modules from the course navigation menu.
Select + Module.
Enter a descriptive name, such as Week 1: Course Introduction or Unit 2: Visual Analysis.
If needed, review the optional settings for locking the Module or adding prerequisites.
Select Add Module.

The new Module will appear on the Modules page. You can then add content and activities.

For detailed instructions and screenshots, consult Canvas’s How do I add a module?

Organizing and Reordering Modules

Modules can be organized by week, topic, unit, learning outcome, or another structure appropriate to the course.

To reorder Modules or their contents:

Open Modules in your Quercus course.
Locate the Module or item you want to move.
Use the drag handle to move it to the desired location. You can also use the Options menu to access available movement controls.
Review the resulting order.

Use consistent, descriptive Module titles to help students understand the course structure. For example, Week 3: Analyzing Primary Sources communicates more information than Week 3 alone.

Within Modules, text headers and indentation can help group related activities. Avoid excessive indentation or unnecessarily long Modules that make it difficult for students to locate information.

For detailed instructions, consult Canvas’s How do I use the Modules Index Page?

Adding Content to Modules

Modules can contain new or existing Quercus content, allowing instructors to organize materials and activities without recreating them.

Adding Module Items

To add content to a Module:

Open Modules in your Quercus course.
Locate the Module where you want to add content.
Select the + icon beside the Module title.
From the Add menu, select the type of content you want to include.
Select an existing item or create a new item, where supported.
If needed, choose an indentation level.
Select Add Item.

Available item types include:

Assignment: A graded or ungraded activity created using Quercus Assignments.
Quiz: An assessment or practice activity created using Quercus Quizzes.
File: A document or other file available through Quercus.
Page: A Page containing course information, instructions, or learning materials.
Discussion: A course discussion activity.
Text Header: A heading used to organize items within a Module.
External URL: A link to a website or other external resource.
External Tool: A supported external application or integration.

For activities such as Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions, it may be helpful to create and configure the activity first, then add it to the Module. This allows you to review the activity settings before making it available to students.

For detailed instructions, consult Canvas’s How do I add course content as module items?

Organizing Content Within a Module

Instructors can use text headers, indentation, and a consistent order to help students understand how the materials and activities relate to one another.

For example, a weekly Module might include:

Start Here: A Page introducing the week’s topic and learning outcomes.
Prepare: Assigned readings, videos, or other resources.
Engage: A discussion, practice activity, or collaborative task.
Apply: An assignment or other opportunity to demonstrate learning.
Reflect: A short reflection or self-assessment activity.

This is one possible structure rather than a required format. The organization should reflect the learning activities and needs of the course.

Publishing and Managing Module Access

Publishing a Module makes it available to students, subject to the publication status and access settings of its contents.

Publishing Modules and Module Items

Modules and their individual items have publication settings that affect student access.

To publish a Module:

Open Modules in your Quercus course.
Locate the Module you want to publish.
Select its Publish menu.
Choose the appropriate option:
- Publish module and all items: Publishes the Module and its contents.
- Publish module only: Publishes the Module without changing the publication status of its individual items.
Review the publication status of each item.

Important: Publishing a Module does not necessarily make every item available to students. Items must also be published, and their individual availability and assignment settings may affect access.

An unpublished Module prevents students from accessing its contents through Modules, even when individual items are published. However, published items may still appear elsewhere in Quercus. Review both Module and item settings when managing student access.

Before publishing, review the status of the Module and its items. Use Student View to check what students can access.

For detailed instructions, consult Canvas’s How do I publish or unpublish a module as an instructor?

Locking Modules Until a Specific Date

Instructors can lock a Module until a particular date and time.

This can be useful when course materials need to become available at a scheduled point, such as the beginning of a new unit.

To lock a Module:

Open Modules.
Locate the Module and select its Options menu.
Select Edit.
Enable Lock Until.
Enter the date and time when the Module should become available.
Select Save.

Locking a Module restricts access until the specified date. It does not replace the publication or availability settings of individual activities.

Assigning Modules to Students or Sections

Instructors can assign Modules to particular students or course sections. This can support differentiated learning activities or situations where different groups need access to different materials.

To assign a Module:

Open Modules.
Locate the Module and select its Options menu.
Select Assign To.
Review the current assignment settings. By default, Modules are generally assigned to everyone in the course.
Select the students or sections who should have access.
Select Save.

Important: Module-level and item-level assignment settings both affect access. Students assigned to a Module can only access the items within it that are also assigned to them. Students assigned to an individual item but not its Module may be unable to access that item through Modules.

Review the assignment settings of both the Module and its contents when using differentiated access.

For detailed instructions, consult Canvas’s How do I assign a module to individual sections or students?

Guiding Student Progress Through Modules

Modules can be used simply to organize course materials, or instructors can add requirements and prerequisites to guide students through a particular learning sequence.

These settings are optional and should be used when they support the intended learning activities.

Setting Module Requirements

Requirements define what students must do for a Module to be marked complete.

Depending on the content type, requirements can include:

View the item: Open a Page, File, or other content item.
Mark as done: Indicate that an activity or Page has been completed.
Contribute to the page: Participate in a discussion or contribute to an editable Page, where supported.
Submit the assignment: Submit an Assignment, Quiz, or graded Discussion.
Score at least: Achieve a specified minimum score on a graded activity.

To add requirements:

Open Modules.
Locate the Module and select its Options menu.
Select Edit.
Select + Add Requirement.
Choose the item and the completion requirement.
Add other requirements as needed.
Choose whether students must complete all requirements or complete one of the listed requirements. If students must complete all requirements, you can also require them to complete the items in sequential order.
Select Save.

Requirements can help students track their progress and understand what is expected. However, not every activity needs to be required, and some requirements may introduce unnecessary restrictions.

For detailed instructions, consult Canvas’s How do I add requirements to a module?

Setting Module Prerequisites

Prerequisites control access to a Module based on completion of earlier Modules.

For example, an instructor might require students to complete an introductory safety module before accessing a laboratory activity.

To add prerequisites:

Open Modules.
Locate the Module and select its Options menu.
Select Edit.
Select + Add Prerequisite.
Choose the earlier Module that students must complete.
Add other prerequisites if needed.
Select Save.

Important: A prerequisite only restricts access when the prerequisite Module has completion requirements. Without those requirements, students may be able to access the subsequent Module without completing the earlier content.

Requirements and prerequisites serve different purposes:

Requirements determine what students must do to complete a Module.
Prerequisites determine which earlier Modules students must complete before accessing a later Module.

Before enabling prerequisites, consider whether a required sequence is necessary for learning or whether students would benefit from flexibility in how they access course materials.

For detailed instructions, consult Canvas’s How do I add prerequisites to a module?

Monitoring Student Progress

Instructors can use the View Progress feature to review students’ completion of Module requirements.

To view progress:

Open Modules.
Select View Progress.
Select a student to review their Module progress and completion status.

Progress information can help instructors identify activities students have completed and where they may be encountering difficulties.

Note: Module progress tracking requires configured completion requirements. Without them, instructors cannot meaningfully track students’ completion of individual Module activities.

Using Modules as the Course Home Page

Instructors can use the Modules list as the course Home Page, allowing students to access the organized sequence of course materials and activities immediately upon entering Quercus.

To use Modules as the Home Page:

Open your Quercus course.
Select Home from the course navigation menu.
Select Choose Home Page.
Choose Course Modules.
Select Save.

Using Modules as the Home Page can be useful when the course is organized primarily around weekly or topic-based learning activities.

Alternatively, instructors can create a customized Page as the Home Page and provide links to Modules or other course areas.

For guidance on designing an effective course Home Page, explore Quercus Home Page Foundations (QHPF), CTSI’s self-paced learning program.

Designing Clear and Flexible Learning Pathways

Modules can support students’ organization, planning, and executive functioning by making course materials and activities easier to locate and navigate.

When designing Modules, consider:

Consistent organization: Use a predictable structure across weeks or units so students know where to find information and activities.
Clear titles: Use descriptive Module and item names that communicate the topic, purpose, or expected activity.
Orientation: Begin Modules with a short overview explaining the learning outcomes, activities, and expectations.
Manageable sections: Group related materials using text headers and indentation without creating unnecessarily long or complex Modules.
Meaningful sequencing: Arrange activities in an order that supports learning, while allowing flexibility where a prescribed sequence is unnecessary.
Student choice: Consider whether all activities need to be required or whether students can select among different resources and approaches.
Accessible content: Ensure that Pages, Files, videos, and other materials within Modules are accessible. Adding content to a Module does not automatically make it accessible.
Student perspective: Use Student View to review navigation, publication, and access before making materials available.

A consistent structure can help students understand their learning pathway, but Modules do not need to impose a rigid sequence. Requirements and prerequisites are most useful when they serve a clear learning purpose.

For additional guidance, consult Quercus (Canvas) Pages, Quercus (Canvas) Student View, and Quercus (Canvas) Accessibility Checker.