Processing a merge class sections request in Canvas

When faculty teach multiple sections of the same course, they often request that the sections be merged/cross-listed in Canvas. There are FERPA considerations to review before we complete their request. If their sections comply with FERPA and can be merged, here are the steps to merge class sections in Canvas. This is a three part process. 

1) Determine that sections qualify for Merge

1. The instructor will send in a request to merge their class sections. 
2. Next, the Canvas admin needs to check the Shoreline Class schedule to determine whether the class sections meet the FERPA guidelines. See the attached file in this article to the right.  
   • If it states that they are a Combined Section, go ahead with the merge.
   • If Class Notes state "OK to merge" or a "Meets with..." then go ahead with the merge. 
     
   • NURS, HIIM, MLT, MFGT, AUTOT are cohorts and their online classes can be merged. 
   • ESL and ABE courses can also be merged even though they are not Cohorts, they act like a cohort. 
3. If the classes do not meet FERPA guidelines, send the faculty the macro, Blueprint and submit ticket as Solved.
4. Now it is time to do the merge. 

2) Merge the courses in SBCTC Services - SIS-Canvas Intergration

1. Log into Canvas.
2. Click Admin.
3. Click Shoreline Community College.
4. Click SBCTC eLearning.
5. Click Manage under SIS-Canvas Integration.
   
6. Click on Rosters on the header. 
7. Looking at the merge request, the instructor gave you the Main course and the courses that need to be merged into that main course.
   • The first box is where you will list all the courses that are going to be merged into the main course.  Any course material in those courses will be deleted.
   • The second box is the main course.  The main course will stay in Canvas and whatever was built in there will stay. 
8. Click X-list 

3) Name Changes in Canvas

1. Open two more Canvas tabs.
2. In both Canvas tabs, click Admin.
3. In both, click Shoreline Community College and you should be on the Courses tab for both.
4. In one tab, type in the main section number. In the second tab, type in the merged course section number. If you have multiple courses you are merging into the main course, you will have to look at the other merged courses as well. 
5. First, go into the Main course and click settings. Your focus here is on the two naming sections: "Name" and "Course Code."
6. Then in the merged course(s) you want to see the same thing, the name.  Now it is time to change the name of the main course to include the merged courses. 
7. There are several ways we do merges here on campus and there are some naming conventions we are supposed to follow: 
   • If all the sections have the same course name and number then insert the additional class action numbers after the main section number.  See the example below. 
     
   • If the names and numbers do not match, but have the same name, then this usually is a true merged request. You would use a / after the Main course numb, type the next course number, and make sure that all the section numbers are listed. See the example below. 
   •  
   • For ABE and some ESL courses, you will get many sections that need to be merged together.  These usually have the same course digits (Ex. ABE13) but have very similar names with different number after the name (Ex. ABE Math 1, ABE Math 2, etc.). For these, we need to keep the Digits the same, add a plus sign after the digits (+), add all the sections numbers, then you can "range the numbers after that (Math 1-7).  See the example below. 
   • 
8. Once you are done renaming the course in the Name section, copy and paste that name into the "Course Code". 
   • Extra Notes:
     • Nursing course name changes need to be limited to 50 characters; remove the course description from the end of name to get to 50 characters. Otherwise their Examsoft LTI will not work. 
     • Instructors often request a different name for their class but we need to retain: class name, the course number, quarter, and, at least one class number. 
9. Scroll down and click the Update Course Details button.

Canvas Users – Logins, Trusts and Merging