[ARCHIVED] Navigation area vs front page modules

[drs02040]

Do Pages, Modules, Assignments, and Discussions have to be visible in the left-side panel navigation area in order for them to function correctly? I noticed this confuses some students who sometimes go there instead of entering the class via the modules listed in the center of the front page.  I tried hiding them in the left panel and they became non-functional from my front page.  It's redundant and confusing.

[kblack · Accepted solution]

Hi  @drs02040  - NO, you can make them disappear!  Do exactly what you want to do and hide as many as you can, as covered in this online lesson.  This is the first thing I recommend to my own faculty who use Modules; there is no reason to keep those other menu areas active at all, other than (perhaps) People, Grades, and Modules.  However, once "hidden" for students, that does not mean that you cannot use them.  YOU, as the instructor, always have access to those menu areas, such as to create assignments, quizzes, etc., and then add them to your modules.  I cannot emphasize enough that you should use the Student View as often as you can to get a good sense of what your students are seeing.

Hope this helps, David.

[drs02040]

Thanks.  I wonder why, when I tried to hide some of these things before, students emailed to say they couldn't get in to the discussion?  You're saying that shouldn't happen?

[kblack]

They definitely should IF the discussion is indeed available within the module.  Be sure that the module itself where that discussion is posted is published, as well.  (A very easy mistake to make!  Just because everything in a module is published, the module itself must also be published.)  If you get that complaint again, be sure to try the student view and see what error message you get; that will usually point to what the underlying issue may be.