Using Buttons to access Modules and/or pages

[SarahHemmings]

I am trying to be creative with my canvas course and add buttons to make it easier for students to access information.

Is there a way of only linking one module per button?

Each time I try and link a module it shows all the other published modules in the canvas course.

Or do I have to create another page with buttons that link to individual pages?

Keen to see if I can resolve this issue.

Thanks in advance.

[SusanNiemeyer]

I teach ESL at a community college. I have just one button on my Home Page. It says "Start Here" and takes the student to the very first introduction module.

After that, I have my students access everything from the Course Navigation Bar. If they want the Syllabus, they click on Syllabus. If they want to go to Modules, they click on Modules. (I disable Assignments, Pages, Discussions and Quizzes. Everything can be accessed from the Modules.) I always move the newest Module to the top of the list. My ESL students can easily learn to do this.

In my opinion, buttons can be cute, but they can be overdone. They are also redundant when the students already have the Course Navigation Bar. Also, keep in mind that these buttons only really work for students who are accessing Canvas through a laptop, Chromebook, or PC. If they are using a mobile device, they will see the Course Navigation Bar when they open up your course, not the Home Page with your buttons!

Anyways, this has been my experience. 

[SusanNiemeyer · Accepted solution]

@SarahHemmings  I know that you are reading my initial response and thinking, "Well, that doesn't quite answer my question." So, let me explain how to link the buttons to individual modules.

Let's say your course has 15 weekly modules, so you have created 15 buttons for your Home Page. Now, for example, to link the Week 5 Button to the Week 5 Module, do this:

1. In the "edit" mode, click on the button and then "Insert Link" and choose "Course Link."
2. On the right, you'll see the pop-up menu. Click on the > symbol next to Modules, and then choose the Week 5 Module.
3. Finally, click on "Save."

Now, here are some caveats:

• If the semester is just starting and the Week 5 Module is unpublished, the students will see a padlock and the words "Access Denied" if they click on that button. I suppose that you could wait until Week 5 begins to create the link.
• Alternatively, you could publish just the Week 5 Module, but make all of the contents "unpublished" until the beginning of Week 5. (That will involve clicking on each item individually.) Your students, though, might wonder why the Week 5 Module is devoid of content.

Some instructors just have one button that says "This Week's Module," and then they change the link every week. To me, that's extra work.

So, my advice is to experiment a bit. Click on the Student View to see what your students are going to experience. Maybe, just save all of your creativity and hard work for the actual content in your pages and assignments.

I've taken a lot of professional development courses on Canvas, and while the buttons can look nice, they really don't add much at all to my overall experience as a student in those courses.