Adding Modules to Courses

Activity modules are added to courses through a simple linking process. Once added to a course, modules can have course-specific settings that override or extend the default module configuration.

Adding Modules to Courses

Activity modules are added to courses through a linking process:

Step 1: Create the Activity Module

First, create an activity module independently. The module can be created by any user with the appropriate permissions and exists in your module library. You can create modules before having a course to add them to.

Step 2: Link Module to Course Section

Once you have a course and sections set up, you can link activity modules to specific sections. This creates a connection between the module and the course, allowing students enrolled in the course to access the module.

When linking a module to a section, you can specify:

• Which course the module belongs to
• Which section contains the module
• The order of the module within that section

Module Reusability

A key feature of Paideia LMS is that a single activity module can be linked to multiple courses. This means you can create a module once and reuse it across different courses, saving time and ensuring consistency.

For example, you might create a “Introduction to Statistics” module that you use in multiple statistics courses, or a “Citation Guide” module that appears in several writing courses.

Course Module Settings

When a module is added to a course, it becomes a course module with course-specific settings. These settings allow you to customize how the module behaves within that particular course, without affecting the module’s default configuration or its use in other courses.

Each module type has different course-specific settings available. For example:

• All modules can have a custom module name that overrides the default name for this course
• Interactive modules (assignments, quizzes, discussions) can have submission dates, due dates, and cutoff dates
• Other settings may be available depending on the module type

These settings help you customize modules for different course contexts while maintaining a single source of truth for the module content itself.

Interactive Modules and Submissions

For interactive modules (assignments, quizzes, and discussions), students can create submissions. This is different from user modules, which are just the configuration of the module itself.

What are Submissions?

Submissions are student-created responses to interactive modules:

• Assignments - Students submit files, text, or other work for grading
• Quizzes - Students answer questions and submit their responses
• Discussions - Students create posts and replies as submissions

Submission Management

Each submission is tied to:

• The course module (the module as it appears in the course)
• The student who created the submission
• The submission date and time

Instructors can view, grade, and manage all submissions for course modules within the course context.

Module Configuration vs. Course Module Settings

It’s important to understand the difference between:

• Module configuration (user module settings) - The default settings for the module, which apply across all courses where it’s used
• Course module settings - Settings specific to how the module appears and behaves in this particular course

Course module settings can override or extend the module’s default configuration, allowing you to customize the module for each course while maintaining a single source of truth for the module content.

Best Practices

When adding modules to courses:

• Use course-specific settings to customize modules for different course contexts
• Set clear due dates to help students manage their time effectively
• Use cutoff dates to allow flexibility while maintaining course structure
• Customize module names when the same module serves different purposes in different courses
• Review submission settings to ensure students can access and submit work at appropriate times

Learn more about activity modules and course structure.