[ARCHIVED] Folders for Instructor Organization

[miller3637]

As an instructor that has worked with Canvas for a while now, I have noticed several things that could use improvement, but one thing in particular that is needed is better instructor organization options.

Quizzes:  I used quizzes through Canvas regularly for the first time last semester, and I couldn't find any rhyme or reason to the organization pattern of quizzes.  I couldn't manually move the order, but they weren't in alphabetical order nor grouped by assignment type.  For example, I had quizzes marked as "Quiz #x" and others as "Exam #x" which were assigned to appropriate assignment groups, but they were all over the place in terms of organization and no way to fix it.  Thankfully, I only had about a dozen quizzes created, but I can't imagine how other instructors manage more.

Pages:  I understand that pages are listed in alphabetical order, but it would be nice to have folders to organize (or hide) pages that are infrequently used, in the same way we can organize files.

[kmeeusen]

Hi @miller3637 

While there are ways to organize content within their respective areas (Quizzes, Pages, Discussions, etc.) and in their Assignment Groups, the best way to organize content for both your students and yourself is to organize that content into modules; This blog I wrote quite awhile ago will help you understand why: UDL for Module Design 

To learn how to set up modules and add your content to them see,

• How do I add a Module?
• How do I add course content as Module items?

But, if you and your students prefer slogging through long pages of entries to find what you need, the following guides will help you organize your content in their respective content areas. You can drag/drop or use the Move command to move items on their Index pages:

• How do I add an Assignment Group in a course?
• How do I move and reorder an Assignment Group?
• How do I use the Pages index page?
• How do I use the Quizzes Index Page?
• How do I use the Discussions Index Page?
• How do I use the Assignments Index Page?

If you decide to switch to Module Organization, you can also hide the content areas you don't want students to access and be distracted by. learn more at: How do I manage Course Navigation links?

And, if some of your quizzes are called "quizzes" and some of your quizzes are called "Exams", that is because somebody named them that way, and you can easily change the names of each of those items by editing them. See Once I publish a quiz how do I make additional changes?

Finally, if you want to request that Canvas improve the organization tools in the content areas, please create a new Idea Conversation in this Community.

• How do idea conversations work in the Canvas Community?
• How do I create a new idea conversation in the Canvas Community?

I hope all of this helps. I know it's a lot but good course organization is very important in online teaching and learning.

Kelley

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hi @miller3637 ...

I'll just add to my friend's, @kmeeusen, response that there is a Feature Idea called Allow folders in Pages - Canvas Community which you might be interested in looking at.  If you feel that this Feature Idea aligns to something you'd like to see in Canvas, I would encourage you to rate it and post a comment letting Instructure engineers know why this is important to you.  I hope this will be of help to you...thanks!

[miller3637]

This is exactly what I want!!  I will be sure to rate it.  It is something that is long overdue.

[miller3637]

I guess from that language, it is the index pages that I want to organize.  I know modules is a way to organize material presented to students, but I want to organize things differently for my own viewing.  

For example, under "Assignments" I have the assignment categories and can move assignments within those categories.  I have free-range for doing so, as I am not limited by alphabetical order or due date.  I can then order things differently for my students in modules. 

I would like the option to organize the index page for quizzes and pages in a similar way, organizing them separate from the presentation of a module.

[Ron_Bowman]

@miller3637 @Chris_Hofer 

go to the following post I made which contains the information from the idea page mentioned in this post.  There is a chrome extension now that will organize pages in folders for the instructor view.

https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Question-Forum/Folders-in-Canvas-Pages/m-p/470002#M157587

same information is in the idea page towards the end.: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Idea-Conversations/Allow-folders-in-Pages/idi-p/360796