[Modules] color items in modules

[ChandlWM]

Problem statement:

I have lots of items in lots of modules. It would be nice if I could in class say, scroll down to the one I highlighted red for the day. I could see so many other uses for this as well. Some teachers might color them a variety of different colors for whatever reasons they choose.

Proposed solution:

Give teachers the ability to make items in modules colored. Then I can say scroll down until the red one in the module. I think it could be a faint pastel color behind the text kind of like what is done in the gradebook for late work.

User role(s):

instructor

[KristinL]

Hi @ChandlWM -

Thank you for sharing this idea with the Community! Instructure is driven to create accessible products, and relying on color coding would create inequities in the user experience.

In the past, these ideas have been suggested -

• Color Code Headings in Modules
• Colored Cells for Modules and Text Headers

Some instructors have used emojis in module titles to help them stand out. For example, the 📌 or ⭐, depending on how you wanted to create emphasis.

I know this is likely not the response you had hoped for, but I hope the explanation is helpful.

[cory_olague]

Problem statement:

Modules in Canvas are currently versatile and easy to customize to a limited extent. However, when used in K-12 (though perhaps even at the College level as well) modules are sometimes difficult to navigate for students. Icons for item types are small, some are even fairly similar (pages and assignments), and are simply color-coded based on published/unpublished status (green/gray). Another strength in Canvas (compared to other LMS services) is that HTML coding can be used to deeply customize pages and assignments that students interact with. Color-coding is an easy and accessible way to categorize and organize complex systems - such as a course curriculum - it can also provide a small boost to engagement with users. Currently, there's no way to color code modules or module items, teachers must develop some kind of system of categorization system that - depending on the complexity of the course - can be a challenge to manage. Colors can help with this problem. An example of this sort of organization can be found in Google Drive - users can color code folders to help organize and categorize folders in use. Modules are fairly similar to file management systems.

Proposed solution:

The solution is this: Include the option - perhaps in the "three dot" menu to add color to the modules. This can be done a few ways, 1 - color-coding at the module level allows teachers and users to navigate by color - "Please navigate to the green module to find your next assignment" or "Complete all activities in the Green module before moving on." 2 - color-coding at the item level allows teachers and users to navigate by color category - "All blue items are reading tasks, all yellow items are writing tasks, and red items are assessments." or "Today I want you to jump into the blue assignment in Module 2." 3 - color-coding at both levels allows teachers to use color to guide students to lessons quickly and visually, "Alright, today we're going into the red module and I want you to open the first blue activity you see." I think the color palette used in the RCE would likely be sufficient for color selections, allowing you to reuse assets from elsewhere. I also think the color could be for the whole "bar" or the color of the text (though the bar would likely look more striking/obvious and be more effective). At first, it might seem like a minor thing - why would color be helpful? Well, as UX design suggest, color can have a psychological impact on users making interaction in Canvas more engaging and even pleasing for students to navigate and teachers to use. But MORE importantly, color-coding makes it easier for students with learning disabilities and neurodivergence to engage and interact with Canvas and teachers will have many students with such needs in every classroom. I noticed there were others that suggested similar things but I don't think they adequately articulated the actual need of something like this. Hopefully this meets the requirements for your consideration.

User role(s):

admin,instructor,student,ta,designer,observer