What Is a Canvas Course Blueprint?
A Canvas course blueprint is a听primary听course shell that allows departments to manage and share common course materials, structure, and settings across multiple course sections. Rather than building each section from scratch, a blueprint makes it possible to create a consistent foundation that can be pushed out to associated courses while still allowing instructors some flexibility where听appropriate. For more information, please see:听听
Why Might a Department Use One?
Blueprints can be especially helpful when a department wants greater consistency across multi-section courses, general education courses, or gateway courses with shared learning outcomes and student expectations. They can support course coordinators and chairs in making sure that core materials, grading structures, policies, navigation, and key assignments are aligned across sections.听This can improve the听student听experience by reducing confusion and helping ensure that all students听encounter听the same essential elements of the course, regardless of instructor or section.听
How Can Blueprints Support Digital Accessibility?
Blueprints also offer a strong opportunity to improve digital accessibility at听scale. When accessible design practices are built into the听primary听course shell from the start鈥攕uch as clear heading structures, organized navigation, accessible document formats, consistent page design, captioned media, and thoughtfully designed assessments鈥攖hose practices can be extended across every associated section. This helps听ensure that the accessibility work听that is completed听for a course听is consistent across all course sections, allowing for digital accessibility at scale.听听
What Are Good Use Cases?
Departments often find blueprints useful for:听
- courses with multiple sections taught by different instructors, TAs, or adjuncts听
- ability to lock听module order and structure听
- include instructor-facing materials for consistent course听facilitation听
- general education or high-enrollment courses that need a common student experience听
- ability to lock core course elements听like general听education听high-impact practices (HIPs)听
- courses with shared outcomes, assessments, or accreditation expectations听
- programs aiming to improve quality, consistency, and accessibility across offerings听
Interested in Exploring a Blueprint in Your Department?听
A good first step is to听identify听a course or course group where consistency matters most, such as a multi-section course or a general education requirement. From there, department chairs and course coordinators can begin conversations about which elements should be shared across sections, what flexibility instructors should听retain, and how accessibility and student success goals can be built into the design.听听
To obtain a blueprint course shell, contact CASL and听submit a request using the CASL Support Form.听