Combining Sections Into One Canvas Space
When courses for a quarter are automatically created, Canvas assigns one Canvas "shell", or space, for each section that you are scheduled to teach. When classes are clustered together in some way, it's possible - and sometimes necessary - to combine courses into one Canvas space. Some examples:
- Linked courses, such as ENGLP and MATHP, where students enroll in a placeholder course, and then are distributed into other courses
- Coordinated Studies
- Multi-level courses, e.g. ABE and ESL courses, and some PE courses.
Only courses which meet the policy regarding merging sections can be combined in Canvas or other instructional web sites.
Coordinated Studies and Linked Classes (e.g. ENGLP, MATHP)
In most cases, Coordinated Studies and extra support courses should be combined. Students register for one item number, but are split into the individual courses mid-quarter. If the sections aren't combined, the students will lose access to the materials in Canvas once that split occurs.
However, we strongly recommend avoiding the attendance tool when combining Coordinated Studies and linked courses. When the courses are split, attendance data is lost, and is not recoverable.
For instance: take a Coordinated study listed in the class schedule as item #3000, consisting of item 1234 and item 5678. Students will register for item 3000, and be placed in the Canvas space for that section. To avoid disappearing course materials, the following items need to be combined: items 3000, 1234, and 5678.
Multi-level classes and other clustered classes
Combining sections works well if:
- You use Canvas mostly for posting content and/or collecting assignments, and
- The two sections will be looking at the same material throughout the quarter.
It can be a headache if you have lots of different materials for each of the different levels in the one classroom.
Combining other classes
In the past, it was possible to link multiple sections of the same course for any class. However, due to student safety and regulatory concerns, we are no longer able to merge other types of classes.
The following ARE NOT permitted:
- Merging face-to-face and hybrid courses, when those sections meet at different times or in different places. For instance, merging the 8:00 and 9:00 sections of a class in one Canvas shell, publisher web site space, or other online resource is not permitted.
- Merging different sections of online courses. For instance, merging two or more online sections of English 101 is not permitted.
See the Highline Instruction Cabinet policy regarding merging sections, and the associated FAQ Links to an external site..
How do I combine sections?
Combining sections should happen before any content is added to the Canvas shell. It must happen before students submit work.
Combined courses (those with multiple item numbers in one course shell) must be requested via the Course Request web site. You'll have access to this site once you complete the Canvas Orientation. The Course Request web site is also available on the Educational Technology web site.
See the video:
