Autoplay a Song

[ryan_corris]

I had a Jr. High teacher ask me a great question today!  She wanted to know if it was possible to have Canvas play a celebratory song after students completed a module.  This teacher wanted to have a few seconds of "We Are the Champions" by Queen play upon successful completion of a module.  Initially I wasn't sure if it would be possible.  After thinking for a few minutes, I had an idea that ended up working.  This is what I did to make it work.  Hopefully it will work for you as well.  

I created a module and I made the music file the last item in my module.  (I would more than likely have more than two items in a module for this, but this is what I was experimenting with at the time.) 

I added the mp3 file as a file upload.  When I move to it from the previous item (in this case FlipGrid 2) the music automatically plays.

This is how I added the sound file as a file upload...

When you add a module item, select File from the drop down menu and click New File (assuming the file has not already been uploaded to your course). 

Click Choose File, and browse for the music clip on your computer, select it, and click Open.

Then click Add Item.

(For more information see How do I add assignment types, pages, and files as module items?‌)

<<<<<Extra>>>>>

If you want to make sure students do not open the music file before everything is completed, you can set requirements within the module and select the option to make sure that module items are completed in sequential order.  To do this, click on the gear to the right of the title of the module and select Edit.

• Add requirements at the bottom of the window making sure that the music file is the last requirement.  
• Check radio button for Students must complete all of these requirements.
• Check the box for Students must complete all of these requirements in sequential order.
• Then click Update Module.

(This should make students complete every item before being able to access the music file.  When they access the music file, it should open a page and play automatically.)

Disclaimer:

My items in this module only have the option to set the requirement to View the item. There are other completion options for various items such as... submitting for an assignment replying to a discussion scoring at or above a minimum score (set by teacher) on quizzes or other graded items etc. For more information on setting requirements in modules see How do I add requirements to a module?‌

It is always fun to find new ways to do things and make things work in Canvas.  If you use this idea, I would love to hear about it.  If you find an easier way to do this, I would love to hear that as well.

[KristinL]

 @ryan_corris ‌ ~ What a fun addition to a module! I can see students getting excited about this!! I can see this being neat to extend with videos as well. Additionally -- wouldn't it be cool if teachers created their own "quest" videos that prepared students for the next module? Ah! The possibilities here are endless. I think teachers could get fairly creative with this one. Thanks for sharing this idea! :smileygrin:

[ryan_corris]

 @KristinL ‌ Definitely!  There are so many possibilities!  It's the little things in life that make such a big difference. I love your idea about the videos preparing students for the next module.