Can I link course enrollments with cross-listing a course?

[JaredWall]

My university has just switched to Canvas from Moodle. We will officially switch in Spring 2024. Currently, in Moodle, I (admin) use Meta Linking as an enrollment option to populate some non-academic courses. For example, our Biology Lab has a separate Moodle Course for supplemental materials for all Biology Lab Students.  Each semester I add the meta link to all BIOL courses in that course so that enrollments populate from those official courses. Now, all students enrolled have those materials in a separate Supplemental materials course. 

Fast forward to Canvas. I know that I can cross-list courses in Canvas, but it is my understanding that cross-listing actually means the content from the child course would be overridden by the parent course. First, am I accurate in that understanding?

If so, is there a way to link enrollments only as described in Moodle's use of enrollment meta linking?

I appreciate any feedback.

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @JaredWall ...

---

Fast forward to Canvas. I know that I can cross-list courses in Canvas, but it is my understanding that cross-listing actually means the content from the child course would be overridden by the parent course. First, am I accurate in that understanding?

---

Not exactly.  Cross-listing only moves enrollments from one course to another.  It does not move course content.  If you had two courses that you wanted to cross-list together, one could be considered the "parent" (course A) and the other could be the "child" (course B).  If you want all enrollments from course B to flow into course A, you can do that.  You would typically want to do any cross-listing before your semester starts to avoid any potential headaches down the road.  Also, cross-listing can sometimes create some FERPA issues, so you'd want to investigate that as well.  As I mentioned, cross-listing does not move course content.  So, if course A and course B had completely different content in them, only the content in course A would be shown to all of your students.  However, if an instructor was teaching two identical sections of the same course but wanted his/her students together in one course, then cross-listing them is an option.  Instructors may not be able to cross-list courses on their own, however.  If you cannot do this, then you'll need to reach out to your school's Canvas admin.  This person would be able to tell you if they are willing to cross-list courses for you...or what their policy is on this.

• How do I cross-list a section in a course as an instructor?
• How do I cross-list a section in a course as an admin?

I hope this will help to clarify how cross-listing works in Canvas.  Sing out if you have more questions about this...thanks!

[TrishaMeyer1]

Hi @JaredWall ,

I had to read your post multiple to understand what (I think) you're trying to do. You have multiple BIOL classes with unique rosters. You want all of the students from each of those rosters to have access to a common additional Canvas course with supplemental resources.

I think you might be able to do what you want with the poorly named Canvas for Elementary version. But since that version isn't being marketed to or used by institutions of higher learning, you may be able to use Classic Canvas to create your supplemental course and set it up for self-enrollment. You would provide the students in the BIOL courses a registration code so that they would be able to join the supplemental course, and its roster would be created that way. You could set this up as a link from each BIOL course. The self-enrollment option has to be enabled by your institution.

How do I enable course self-enrollment with a join code or secret URL?

Sorry if I've misunderstood your question. I don't know anything about Moodle.

[chriscas]

@JaredWall,

I was going to reply along the same lines as @TrishaMeyer1. Core Canvas does not really have the concept of "meta linking" that you've described to us from Moodle.

One workaround would be to make the courses you used to meta-link into self enroll ones as mentioned earlier.

You could also perhaps adjust your SIS processes to send the correct info to all of your courses (including labs).  This is the approach we have used for the last 10 years, but I realize it may not be possible depending on what SIS you use, how you list your courses in it, and how you sync things from there to Canvas.

Let us know if any of the information given so far is helpful!

-Chris

[JaredWall]

Thank you all for the responses. You all definitely understood the scenario. I believe the self-enrollment link in the courses maintained by faculty is a good start. I can wipe the enrollments each semester and have it ready for the next.