Canvas - Blueprint Courses [UW-Madison]
What is a Blueprint course?
A Canvas Blueprint is a course that can share the same content across multiple other courses, and also have content that is specific to the other individual courses.
There will be a single parent course and multiple child courses.
- Parent: Blueprint
- Child: any non-academic timetable course that will receive content from the parent
Who can use a Blueprint?
A Blueprint should only be used by non-credit program facilitators. However, non-credit program facilitators actually need a Sandbox instead.
If faculty, lecturers, teaching assistants, and those in other academic-related roles want a Canvas shell to practice with and begin developing their for-credit course materials, then a Canvas Sandbox should be requested instead.
**Please speak with the Non-Credit Learning Consultant or Non-Credit Instructional Designer with the Learn@UW Team before requesting a Blueprint.**
Who can create a Blueprint?
Only Canvas Sub-Account Administrators can create a Canvas Blueprint Course.
In the Canvas course, go to Settings and choose Enable course as Blueprint course. Select any locking preferences that will lock content in associated courses. (These settings can be changed later).
**Please contact the Non-Credit Learning Consultant or Non-Credit Instructional Designer with the Learn@UW Team before creating a Blueprint.**
Who can edit content in a Blueprint?
- Canvas Sub-Account Administrators
- Anyone who has been added to the Blueprint course AND has an editing role:
- Any Course Instructor Role
- Staff
Who can connect associated courses to a Blueprint?
Only Canvas Sub-Account Administrators can connect the child associated courses with the parent Blueprint.
Click on the blue square in the upper right corner and select Associations. Search for the child associated courses that you want to connect to the Blueprint. You can add multiple courses at once, or you may need to add them one-by-one. When ready, click Save. If needed, more associated courses can be added later.
**Please contact the Non-Credit Learning Consultant or Non-Credit Instructional Designer with the Learn@UW Team for assistance.**
Who can remove associated courses from a Blueprint?
Only Canvas Sub-Account Administrators can remove the child associated courses from the parent Blueprint.
Click on the blue square in the upper right corner and select Associations. Identify the course(s) that you wish to remove from the Blueprint and click the red X on the far right side of the course(s). This will move the course(s) from the Current list to a To be removed list. Click Save to completely remove the course(s). If needed, more associated courses can be removed later.
**Please contact the Non-Credit Learning Consultant or Non-Credit Instructional Designer with the Learn@UW Team for assistance.**
Who can Sync content from the Blueprint to Associated courses?
- Canvas Sub-Account Administrators
- Anyone who has been added to the Blueprint course AND has an editing role:
- Any Course Instructor Role
- Staff
Note that the syncing option only becomes available IF, and ONLY IF content was added or edited in the Blueprint.
Should learners/participants be enrolled in a Blueprint?
No. Learners/Participants/Users should not be enrolled in the parent Blueprint course.
However, learners/participants/users can be enrolled in the child Associated courses that are connected to the Blueprint.
Creating content in a Blueprint
Just like any other Canvas course, content (Modules, Pages, Discussions, Assignments, Quizzes, Files) can be created and added to a Blueprint course.
Any content that is created and added to a Blueprint course will appear in Associated courses after a sync is initiated.
Exceptions can happen; however, this is not an ideal result of a Blueprint sync and should be avoided. See the Unlocked Content section below to learn more about exceptions.
Locking content in a Blueprint
Any content in Canvas (Pages, Discussions, Assignments, Quizzes, Files) can be locked in the Blueprint. You can choose to lock all content or lock specific individual content.
Locked content
If content is locked in the Blueprint and then synced to the Associated courses, changes cannot be made to that content within the Associated courses.
Locked Blueprint content in individual Associated course(s) cannot be changed even if a person has an editing role in the Associated course(s) AND an editing role in the Blueprint course.
The only way that locked Blueprint content can be changed is directly within the Blueprint course itself by someone with an editing role.
Unlocked content
If content is not locked in the Blueprint and then synced to the Associated course(s), anyone with an editing role can make changes to the content synced by the Blueprint within the individual Associated course(s). (Note that this will not change the content in the Blueprint course).
Furthermore, if changes are made to unlocked Blueprint content within the individual Associated course(s) and then a sync occurs, updates from the Blueprint will not overwrite or update the content in the individual Associated course(s). Instead, the content will be shown as an exception in the Blueprint course under sync history.
Creating content in an Associated course
Content created in or added to an Associated course should be specific to that course and separate from the content created in the Blueprint course. Any content that is created in an Associated course will not be added to the Blueprint course or other Associated courses.
Just like any other Canvas course, content (Modules, Pages, Discussions, Assignments, Quizzes, Files) can be added.
- Note that if you want to have a specific Module structure across multiple courses, then it is strongly recommended to create that structure in a Blueprint course first, then sync to the Associated courses, and then add content to the Modules accordingly directly within the Associated course(s).