The ODL Quality Course Shell contains a Module Overview Template that assists in automating the process of creating an overview page for each of your Canvas course's Modules. The Module Overview Template provides a space for you to go over the learning objectives and requirements for a given Module to more thoroughly engage your students with respect to your course content.

Each Template page includes headings for an overview of the module itself, a list of learning objectives, required materials and readings, as well as a space for including multimedia content associated with the module. Below is a preview of the Template.

This article will demonstrate how to use Canvas' Multi-Tool function to quickly create multiple modules (each with their own Overview page) within your Canvas course site which contain the Module Overview Template. Learn more about Canvas' Multi-Tool feature.

Import the Module Overview Template into your course site

The Module Overview Template is included with the ODL Quality Course Shell. Learn how to add the ODL Quality Course Shell to your course or development site. If you want to import the Module Overview Template directly without downloading the rest of the ODL Quality Course Shell, follow the below instructions:

1. Navigate to Canvas Commons by clicking the Commons icon on the left-hand side of your Canvas screen.
   
2. Go to the search bar within the Canvas Commons menu and type "ODL Module Overview".
   
3. This should return a few search results. Select the ODL Module Overview by John Braswell. Click the blue ODL Module Overview title link to open this template.
   
4. Once you open up the ODL Module Overview template, go the right-hand side of the screen and click the blue Import/Download button.
   
5. This will open up a pop-up menu on the right side of your screen. Using the check-boxes, select the course into which you would like to import the Template. You can also use the search bar at the top. From there, click the blue Import into Course button.
   
6. This will begin the import process into the desire course site(s). This may take a few moments. When you are ready to create your course modules, please navigate to the Canvas site where you imported the template.

Create new modules with the Module Overview Template using Multi-Tool

Once you have imported the Module Overview Template into your course site (either separately or with the ODL Quality Course Shell), you can use it in conjunction with Multi-Tool to quickly create all of the Modules for your course. To create the modules:

1. Navigate to the Multi-Tool link on the left-hand course navigation bar.
   
2. Click the Module Builder.
   
3. This will take you to the Module Builder menu. Note the following options and set them according to your needs.
   1. Module Prefix, or what name Canvas will use for each module. The drop down menu will display a variety of common-use terms (Unit, Module, Lesson, etc.) as well as a Custom field for using your own naming scheme. Canvas will produce modules with the format [Prefix] [Number] (e.g. Unit 1, Unit 2, etc.) depending on how many it is directed to create. You can further edit the proper name of each module (e.g. Unit 1: Jane Austen) once you have generated the modules.
   2. Number of Modules to Create, or how many modules with the selected prefix Canvas will create.
   3. Starting Number, or what number Canvas will start at when building sequential modules. This setting by default starts at "1".
4. Click the Page icon in the upper left of the New Module Pattern menu. This will create a new page to be included in each Module.
   
5. These will now be a text field that reads Page Name (optional) and a drop down menu currently set to [Blank Page] below the Module options. Go to the [Blank Page] drop-down menu and select [template] Module Overview.
   
6. Type in the desired title for each Module Overview page in the Page Name (optional) field. Canvas will automatically apply this name to each Overview Page in the Modules it creates.
   
7. Once you have selected your desired settings, click the Generate Module List. Note the below screenshot. This Module Pattern is set to make 6 Modules, each entitled "Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3...", each with a page entitled "Module Overview" based off of the ODL Module Overview Template that you imported earlier.
   
8. Canvas will then list the Modules you have opted to create and provide room to customize each one in the Customize Modules menu. Each Module will be displayed and have the option to have a custom title (in the Module Title field) as well as the ability to edit the title of the individual pages within each module. Scroll down and make any more specific changes to the Modules that you would like.
   
9. Once you have customized the individual Modules to your liking, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the + Add Modules to Course button.
   
10. Canvas may take a few moments to create the requested modules. It will note the progress of this process in the bottom-right side of the page. Allow Canvas to go fully complete each of these three steps before moving forward.
    
11. Once the process is complete, a new Existing Modules menu will appear on the top of the page. You can click the title link on each Module to edit its name or content.
    
12. To see your new Modules in context, go the left-hand side of the Canvas menu within the course navigation bar and click Modules.
    
13. You can now see each newly created Module, complete with its own Module Overview page. You can navigate to each individual Module Overview page and edit each page to fill in important information for that particular Module.