Section Management in Canvas
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Overview
Two tools are available in Canvas to instructors, TAs, and admins to allow finer control of section management. A MITSIS section import tool will enable instructors to import student section enrollments based on pre-registration data. A section self-signup tool will enable instructors to set section caps and a signup window for students to select or change their assigned section.
How to use the MITSIS section import tool in Canvas
- Click "MITSIS Section Import" in the left menu of your class site.
- Click the button to import section data.
If you do not see "MITSIS Section Import" in your class menu, you will need to enable it in Settings > Navigation.
You may instead see a message stating "No students available for import. Please check back after start of term registrations are processed." In this case, processes must take place by the Registrar before the data is available.
This tool is for use by instructors and class staff only. It is not visible to students.
You may have a Canvas site for only one section of your subject (such as L01 or L02). In this case, you will need to use the MITSIS section import tool to import the student roster to your site. |
How to use the section self-signup tool in Canvas
- Click "Settings" in the left menu of your class site.
- Click the "Navigation" tab.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and find the tool named "Section Signup".
- Drag the "Section Signup" tool into the top list of the page to enable it in the left menu. Scroll to the bottom and click "Save" to save this change.
- Upon saving, the page should refresh, and "Section Signup" should now be visible in the left menu. Click on "Section Signup".
- Check the box "Allow students to self-assign sections" and set any section caps if desired. Click the submit button to save the changes and allow students to view and begin using the section self-signup tool.
Using both tools together If you wish to use both tools, we recommend running the MITSIS import first and then enabling section signup second. Please do not run the MITSIS import after enabling section self-signup, or after making any section changes manually. If instructors or staff start a MITSIS section import after enabling Section Signup or manually assigning sections, some sections may go over caps and students may end up assigned to multiple sections. |