Multi-Section Courses in Canvas

Canvas synchronizes with the University’s Student Enterprise System, CAESAR, to maintain and update its course and enrollment data from the Office of the Registrar. Most Registrar courses are automatically created in Canvas via this process. Some courses have multiple sections that students may enroll in within CAESAR. For courses like this, each individual section automatically has its own course site created within Canvas. 

Northwestern faculty and staff can request a combined course site in Canvas – that is, a single Canvas site that contains all the students from each requested section of the course -- by filling out the online Course Combine Request Form via the "Request Service" button to the right. 

 

Available to

  • Faculty 
  • Staff 

 

How to Request Service

Click the "Request Multi-Section Courses in Canvas" button to the right.

 

Managing Multi-Section Courses 

Instructors who teach multi-section courses may manage their sections either separately or by combining them using one of the following options: 

  • Option 1: Maintain Separate Course Sites for Sections (No further action required.) 
  • Option 2: Cross-List Sections into an All Sections Course Site 
  • Option 3: Maintain Both a Separate All Sections Course Site and Individual Section Course Sites 

The description and features of each multi-section course option are provided in the comparison chart below: 

Comparison of Multi-Section Course Options

A chart comparing features of each multi-section course options.

Features Option 1 Option 2 Option 3

Enrollments update automatically from CAESAR

  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission denied.
Different assignments can be created for each section  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.
Individual section course sites  Permission granted.  Orange star signifying manual setup required  Permission granted.
Overarching all sections course site  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.
Course materials posted to one section are available to all sections  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Orange star signifying manual setup required
Grading: All students appear in a single gradebook  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Orange star signifying manual setup required
Grading: Gradebook view can be restricted by section  Permission granted.  Permission granted.  Permission granted.
Grading: All grades appear in single gradebook  Permission denied.  Permission granted.  Permission denied.

Table key: green checkmark is permission granted; red x is permission denied; yellow star is requires manual setup.

Multi-Section Course Site Options

Each option is unique in the way it treats enrollments, content, grades, and assignments.
Use the following key to understand the graphical representations of the options.

 

This is the key to the subsequent images for each option.

 

Option 1: Maintain Separate Course Sites for Sections 

This option maintains each section as a separate Canvas course site, acting independently from the other sections. By default, this is how Registrar courses are automatically created in Canvas.

This is a visual representation of what is described in course site option 1.

Option 1 may be most useful when more than one instructor is teaching a course and each individual instructor wants to maintain their own course materials and gradebook.

For example, if you have a three-section course, it will automatically be created in Canvas as three individual Canvas course sites. You do not need to complete the Course Combine Request Form.

Advantages

  • Enrollment is automatically updated with adds and drops from CAESAR.
  • Discussion boards, readings, and course content are separate for each section.
  • Assignments and gradebooks are separate for each section.

Limitations

  • Instructors are unable to share content across sections.
  • Instructors are unable to share gradebooks.

Option 2: Cross-List Sections into an All Sections Course Site

This option combines the student enrollments from each individual section into one Canvas course site.

This is a visual representation of what is described in course site option 2.

This option may be most useful when multiple instructors wish to share course materials, assignments, quizzes, and grades.

Option 2 offers the flexibility to provide course content and assignments either to the class as a whole or to an individual section through Canvas groups and Canvas sections.

For example, if you have a three-section course and you choose this option, you will have a single Canvas course site containing all of the sections’ enrollments.

Advantages

  • Enrollment is automatically updated with adds and drops from CAESAR.
  • There is a common gradebook across all sections (filterable by section).
  • Common course materials are accessible to all students.
  • Instructors can email individual sections within Canvas.
  • Instructors have the option to create group sites so individual sections have their own area for content.
  • Instructors have the option to assign an assignment to a specific section through differentiated assignments.

Limitations

  • If instructors are using Canvas groups to share materials across sections, students will have to be manually added to the group. However, if they drop the course, they will be dropped from the group automatically.
  • While Canvas groups are immensely useful, they are not as robust as a separate Canvas course site.

 

Option 3: Maintain Both a Separate All Sections Course Site and Individual Section Course Sites

This option provides an overarching All Sections course site and the ability for individual sections to be maintained in their own Canvas course sites.

This is a visual representation of what is described in course site option 3.

Option 3 may be best for instructors who would like each individual section to have its own separate Canvas course site while allowing the flexibility to share some course materials.

For example, if you have a three-section course and you choose this option, you will have a total of four Canvas course sites — one for each of the three sections and one for the All Sections course site.

The All Sections course site is where you will place all the students enrolled in your course and any course materials you wish to share.

Advantages

  • Materials may be shared in the All Sections course site.
  • Each individual section has a separate Canvas course site including its own gradebook, assignments, and course content.

Limitations

  • Enrollment must be manually maintained. Students will need to be manually added and dropped from the All Sections course site by one of the instructors.
  • Students will need to look in multiple places for materials. Each student will be enrolled in two Canvas course sites for your course — the All Sections site and the individual section course site that corresponds to the section they are enrolled in within CAESAR.
  • Instructors who grade in both the individual section course sites and the All Sections course site will need to manually aggregate the grades.

If after reviewing the multi-section course options, you are uncertain which option is best, you may request a consultation.