Module Requirements

What is a module Requirement?

Requirements refer to a set of actions or tasks a student must complete within a specific module before it is considered finished. Adding requirements to a module, dictates which content students need to view, submit, or interact with to progress through the course material. This allows the instructor to control the order in which students access and complete content before moving on to new content.

Requirements are set up at the module level within a course. Instructors should set up customizable actions with the requirements. The customizable actions that can be assigned for module requirements are:

View an item: Requires students to click on the content item and view it.
Mark as done: Allows students to click the button "Mark as done" for the content. (The button appears on the content page when the students clicks on the assignment.)
Submit the assignment: Requires students to make a submission in the Canvas course.
Score at least: Requires students to meet a minimum submission score on the assignment.

The image below displays how the Mark as done button will appear in the student's view.

Instructions: Add a Module Requirement

Click the Modules link in the white navigation menu located at the left side of the screen.

2. Locate the Module where you want to add the Requirement. Adding the requirement to the "first" module listed in the course will require the students to access and complete the first module's content before progressing to the subsequent modules. The subsequent modules will be given Prerequisites, which will direct the students to complete the first module. The first module listed in the course should be the Census Activity module. Click the three stacked dots for the options menu. As a note, any module can have a requirement added to it.

3. Click the Edit button.

4. The Edit Module Settings window will display. Click the Requirement button.

5. The options associated with Requirements will display. Determine what Requirements will be added to the modules. Select Complete all, or Complete one. After determining the Requirement be sure to select a student action to be associated with the specific requirement(s).

6. Navigate to the Modules page in the course to confirm the Requirements are added.

The image below displays the, "Complete All Items", Requirement. The second image below displays the, "Complete One Item" Requirement.

Module Prerequisites

What is a module Prerequisite?

Prerequisites allow the course instructor to lock modules to prevent students from accessing course content until the student has performed a specific task(s) in another or previous module. Prerequisites require students to complete previous modules before accessing new modules. Prerequisites can only be set at the module level. Course Instructors cannot make a single content item within a module a prerequisite. As a note, the first module in a course can not have a Prerequisite added to it. Prerequisites can be added to the subsequent course modules.

Note: The Academic Integrity Quiz is in the Census Activity Module. To prevent students from bypassing the Census Activity Module and potentially missing the Academic Integrity Quiz add a Requirement to the Census Activity Module and put Prerequisite(s) on the subsequent modules where the content has due dates within the course census period. Doing so, makes it easier to navigate student submissions during the Census period.

Instructions: Add a Module Prerequisite

1. Click on the Modules link in the navigation menu.

2. Locate the module where you want to add the Prerequisite(s). This should not be the first module in the course. Click on the three dots to display the menu options and click Edit.

3. The Edit Module Settings window will display. Select the Prerequisite(s). Prerequisites can be placed on all modules after the first module in the course. The setting is not limited to just one module. Published modules and the associated content can be Locked Until a specified date. The module and content should be published when using the Lock Until setting.

4. Click the Save button before navigating away from the window.

Additional Insight + Images

Student View: The Course Homepage & the Student To Do List

The image below displays the course Homepage from the Student's View where course Prerequisites and Requirements are added to modules.

If the student clicks on the Homework link from the To Do List, if the Prerequisites are set correctly the student will receive a message that a Prerequisite is set on the assignment and will display the information.

Canvas alerts the student that their are prerequisites that have not been met.

Student View: Module Page

The first module is available for student access. Modules with Prerequisites and/or Requirements will remain greyed out until the Prerequisite or Requirement is completed. Students will be able to see the Module Titles, but they will not be able to access the content until the Academic Integrity Quiz is completed.

Using Requirements and Prerequisites in a course can aid both the instructor and the students with keeping track of submissions and progress in the course.