Combining Course Sections in MyCanvas
Cross-listing refers to the process of combining multiple sections of the same course (in the same modality) into a single MyCanvas course. This can be especially useful for instructors who want to manage content and communication more efficiently across several sections.
Important Guidelines for Cross-Listing Requests
- Cross-listing requests must be submitted at least two business days prior to the start of the semester.
- Requests should be made before making any changes to course content, especially graded assignments.
- Cross-listing cannot be performed once classes have started.
Selecting the Main Course
Instructors must determine which of their course sections will serve as the Main course. After cross-listing, students will see the name of the Main course (e.g., Aircraft Maintenance – AMEM-10018 – 12345.202525) in their MyCanvas Dashboard and in their list of courses. It is recommended that instructors inform students of this change to avoid confusion.
MyCanvas offers a feature that allows both instructors and students to create custom nicknames for their courses. Instructions for setting course nicknames can be found HERE.
Post Cross-Listing Overview
- The Main course will be the only course visible to both instructors and students on the MyCanvas Dashboard.
- Students enrolled in the cross-listed (Section) sections will automatically appear in the Main course.
- All course content, including assignments and grades, will be managed through the Main course.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Cross-Listing
Advantages:
- Centralized Content Management: Content created in the Main course is automatically available to all cross-listed sections.
- Efficiency in Updates: Changes made in the Main course are reflected across all sections.
- Unified Gradebook: All students from cross-listed sections appear in a single Gradebook and in the People tab.
- Section-Specific Flexibility: Instructors can create assignments, graded discussions, and quizzes targeted to specific sections or assign the same activity to all sections.
Disadvantages:
- Irreversible Action: Once cross-listed, course sections cannot be separated without losing all student submissions and grade data.
- Grade Muting Limitations: It is not possible to mute grades for specific sections—muting must apply to all sections uniformly.
- Gradebook Export Constraints: While filtering by section is possible within MyCanvas, exported Gradebooks will include all students from all cross-listed sections.
Important: Inform Students
All cross-listed sections display under the Main course’s CRN.Term (e.g., 12345.202525). For instance, if AMEM-10018-01 and AMEM-10018-02 are cross-listed, both will appear as 12345.202525 in MyCanvas. Instructors should clarify this via the course Homepage, Announcements, or email to avoid confusion and ensure a smooth transition.
Faculty
Upon reviewing the above, please complete the MyCanvas cross-listing form by clicking the button below