Canvas - Module Workflow

The Canvas LMS integration provides a range of options for what 'Workflow' will best suit your administrative needs for managing the SMS and LMS data relationship. This article will work to clarify the Module Workflow.

This Canvas Workflow works by pushing across students from Programs in the SMS into a single Course set up in Canvas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Explanation of Workflow Purpose/Design
• Module Workflow Terminology
• Workflow Configuration
• How to Trigger Module Workflow
• Module Workflow Field Mapping
• Visual Examples of Module Workflow Mapping

Explanation of Workflow Purpose/Design

Within the Course in Canvas, each assessment, quiz or assignment will be mapped to a unit that a student is enrolled in (within the Program/Course on the SMS side).

These must have the unit code from the SMS between brackets so we can determine student competency when transferring the results. I.e., “Written Assessment (BSBLDR501)”.

If there are multiple assignments that contribute to a unit grade, apply the same unit code across multiple assignments.

An example of this setup can be viewed below:

This workflow can make it easy to manage Qualifications that require multiple single unit enrolments that are spread across multiple courses on the SMS which make up the qualification or if there are multiple Courses on the SMS running in conjunction with on another that all contain the same units.

The Module Workflow will map to the SMS as shown in the below diagram:

• You will have a Singular Program on the SMS. 
  • This will be linked up to the Canvas Course 
• This Program can have any number of Courses within it.  
  • These will be linked up to the Course Sections within the Canvas Course 
• The students enrolled into the SMS Course will be in turn enrolled into the units within the course.  
  • These will link the assignments within the course sections on Canvas. 

Module Workflow Terminology

The terminology in the Canvas Module Workflow matches up to data in the system as follows:

Workflow Configuration

As part of Configuring Your Canvas Workflow, you will be prompted to enter details based off the workflow method selected. This will appear like so:

There are some unique fields to be configured/reviewed in this area, including:

• Transfer Outcomes to - This is the completed Outcome – in most cases this should be “Competent”.
• Update outcome if current outcome is blank or - This will determine what outcomes are allowed to become Completed or which outcomes can be updated by the next dropdown.
• Update unit/subjects after first graded assignment to - This will determine the outcome that’s selected when a student starts an assignment on Canvas.
• Populate start date with- This can either be Canvas push date or First Assignment Completed Date
  • Special note: “First assessment Completed” will only update based on a grade being passed through the integration for a particular assignment. Assignments that are started by a student, but not graded, will not update with this value. 
• Results last transferred at - This field will update once a Result Transfer has occurred, displaying the details of when that process took place.
• Only transfer results greater than or equal to- This is the percentage value that determines if an assignment qualifies for being a completed passed grade.
  • Special note: The total % on the Canvas grading page does not reflect to the passed to grade score set in the above field. On Canvas the total % simply reflects the score that the student has received for the assignments they have actually started.
• Last Outcomes Transfer Request at - This field will update once a Outcome Transfer Request  has occurred, displaying the details of when that process took place.

How to Trigger Module Workflow

The Program based workflow is triggered whenever an enrolment is created within a Program that has the integration set up. The enrolment will become a single student enrolment in Canvas. No units are pushed (this will be manually configured by linking the units with the activities within the section). 

The Party is exported as a Canvas user when they are pushed across. A first request is made to check if the user already exists in Canvas, if it doesn't, we push the new user, if it does exist, no duplicate will be created. 

Once an enrolment is pushed across from the SMS to Canvas a Course Section will be created based on the enrolled course on the SMS side. 

Module Workflow Field Mapping

• Party ID is the SIS ID and Integration ID in Canvas (for a user) 
• Course Scope (Program) Code matches a Course SIS ID in Canvas (found under Course Details). 
• Course Scope (Program) Code matches a Course Code in Canvas (found under Course Details). 
• Course Number matches the Section ID under a Section in a Course in Canvas. 
• Unit Code matches an assignment name in a Canvas course (It’s important that the unit code is at the end of the assignment name within brackets e.g (HLTAID001) 
  • Note: It’s possible to have a single assignment on Canvas push a result back through the integration for multiple units. This can be done by adding additional Unit codes to the end of the assignment name in the same fashion you would normally, like so:
    • Single unit: Project (BSBTWK502)
    • Multiple units: Project (BSBTWK502)(BSBCMM511)(BSBCRT511)
      
  • Once a single assignment has been graded, a result can be pushed back through the integration and each of the units listed this way will be updated.
• Trainer/Assessor needs to be filled in. 

Visual Examples of Module Workflow Mapping

• Course Details Mapping Visual (Module Workflow)
  
• Course Section Mapping Visual (Module Workflow)
  • Canvas Course Section
    
• Assignment Mapping Visual (Module Workflow)