Merging (Cross-Listing) Sections in Canvas

 Objective

In Canvas, credit courses are automatically created, via KSIS, at the section level. There is one Canvas course for each course section in KSIS. In the Canvas interface and documentation this is called Cross-listing. At K-State and in KSIS, this is called Merging.

Merging allows you to combine multiple Canvas course sections. This allows you to teach multiple sections as a single course. The outcome of this process is that you have moved sections B, C and D into section A so you can teach all 4 sections as a single course.  You must go to each individual section (B,C,D) and tell those sections to become a part of section A.

 Audience

• Faculty
• Staff

 Environment  

• Canvas

 Procedure

Merging Canvas sections

1. Decide which section you wish to be the "top" or "lead" section, the one that all the others are to merge with and you from which you teach all the sections (e.g. Biology 102 A). You get an identifying number from this "lead/section A" course and use it in each of the other sections.
2. Go to the "lead/section A" course and take note of the Canvas course ID number. This is the number you see in your web browser's web address bar right after /courses/. This is known as the Canvas course ID.
   Example: https://k-state.instructure.com/courses/5271 - 5271 is the course ID number to note.

These next steps reference the images below and are using Biology 102 sections A and B as an example. 

1. Identify your "lead" section, usually section A (Example Biology 102 A).
2. Go to the next course section you want to merge into the "lead" course.  This is usually section B (Example Biology 102 B).
3. Staying in section B, click Settings from the course Navigation menu.
   
   
    
4. Click the Sections tab.
   
   
    
5. Click the name of the section (Example Biology 102 B (122 Users, SIS ID: 215510681B) in Course Sections. This displays the roster of students listed to confirm it looks correct.
6. Click the Cross-List this Section button.
   
   
    
7. On this screen you will have 1 of 2 ways to choose the course you want to merge with (Section A).
    
   • The Search for Course box will allow you to search the course using its name ("Biology 102" for example) or the KSIS 5 digit code (13262)
   • The Enter the Course's ID box will take the Canvas course ID of the course. To get the Canvas course ID, open the course you want to merge with (Biology 102 A) and look in the address bar. You will find a string of numbers after k-state.instructure.com/courses/ that is unique to that course. That is the Canvas course ID number that can be used in the merge process.
      
8. The name of the course will appear under the Select Course: section. If this is the correct course, click the Cross-List this Section button.
9. After you click this button you will be taken to the combined sections. If you look at the top of the page, it should now look something like Biology 102 A > Biology 102 B.  This is showing you that B has now become a part of A.
10. Repeat by going to the next course (Biology 102 C) you want to be a part of the top course (Biology 102 A) and repeating steps 3-9.
11. Finally, it is suggested that you go to Settings > Course Details tab for your top course and rename it to ensure it is clear to the students of the multiple sections. An example would be to rename it to just Biology 102 now that Biology 102 B and C are cross-listed into Biology 102 A.

You can verify a section has been merged by going to Settings and then the Sections tab of the course. If all of the sections are listed there, you have successfully merged them. You can also go to People or Grades to confirm that the courses have been merged by finding your students from multiple sections listed. For more information, view the Canvas Guides on How do I merge a section? or Cross-Listing Overview (Instructors).

 Notes