How do I require completion of a Lessons item?
Most of the items that can be added to a Lessons page can be made "required." That is, students must open (if the item is a resource) or complete (if the item is a discussion topic posting, quiz, assignment, question, or comment). Further, the Lessons tool allows instructors to require students to complete one item in the list before allowing access to other items in the list. While the instructions below illustrate how to control access to items on a page based on prerequisites, we recommend instructors note the following caveats and constraints inherent to the method illustrated below.
Preventing direct tool access: If you need to prevent access to a particular activity or item unless prerequisite conditions are completed by a student, you will likely need to hide the tool from which the activity or item originates. For example, if an assessment titled “Quiz 2” in Tests & Quizzes should not be available to a student unless they complete other prerequisites first, hide the Tests & Quizzes tool so that it does not display to students on the tool menu. Otherwise, the student would have direct access to “Quiz 2” in Tests & Quizzes where the prerequisite logic expressed on a Lessons page does not apply. Also note that hiding the Tests & Quizzes tool (in particular) incurs a downside; when the Tests & Quizzes tool is hidden, students would be prevented from viewing any assessment feedback after having taken the assessment.
Limits to tracking the completion of “Required” content: The Lessons tool can track if students click on content links-- (links to uploaded files or website links)-- that are specified as required. However a better strategy for assessing if instructional content has actually been read or watched would be to instead specify a required activity (an assignment, quiz, discussion activity, or in-line question or comment) that follows that content.
To specify a Lessons page as required, refer to How do I require completion of a Lessons page?
Go to a desired Lessons page.
Click on the Lessons page title in the Tool Menu to display the page.
Note: The default or blank Lessons page contains text and images that explain the basic functionality of the Lessons tool.
Click Edit for item that will be required.
Click Edit for that item.
Click Prerequisites & Requirements to expand that section. Check the first “Require..” checkbox: e.g., Require this item, Require that the student submit this assignment, etc. Then click Update Item.
Note: For graded items, such as assignments or quizzes, you may optionally specify a particular point value that must be earned on that item before the requirement is met.
Notice the asterisk.
Notice that Required items are indicated with an asterisk to the left of the item.
To conditionally release based on prerequisites:
Click Edit for the item to be restricted.
Specify completion of prerequisites.
Check Don't Release Item Until All Prerequisites are Completed option, then click Update Item.
Notice prerequisite text.
Notice that items that are conditionally released display [Has prerequisites] next to the item. Students will see this link and the indicator, but they will not be able click the link to access its contents until all other required items above it have been completed.
In the example shown above, Assignment 3b cannot be opened on this Lessons page until the required Assignment 3a has been submitted. However, please note that if the Assignments tool is not hidden from students on the tool menu, students could readily navigate to the Assignments tool to open Assignment 3b regardless of the completion of Assignment 3a.
