canvas-course-builder

Canvas Course Builder

Build complete Canvas course structures from a natural language description, a JSON template, or by cloning an existing course. Creates modules with pages, assignments, discussions, and proper organization in one workflow.

Prerequisites

• Canvas MCP server must be running and connected.
• Authenticated user must have instructor or designer role in the target course.
• Target course must already exist in Canvas (this skill populates it, does not create the course itself).

Modes

This skill operates in three modes:

Mode 1: Build from Spec (default)

The user describes the course structure in natural language or provides a structured spec.

Mode 2: Build from Template

Load a saved JSON template to scaffold a course.

Mode 3: Clone from Existing Course

Read the structure of Course A and replicate it into Course B.

Steps

1. Determine Mode and Gather Input

Ask the user how they want to build:

How would you like to build the course structure?

1. Describe it -- Tell me the structure (e.g., "15 weeks, each with an overview page, assignment, and discussion")
2. From template -- Load a saved template file
3. Clone another course -- Copy structure from an existing course

For Mode 1 (Spec): Ask for:

• Target course (code or ID)
• Number of modules/weeks/units
• Module naming pattern (e.g., "Week N: [Topic]")
• Standard items per module (overview page, assignment, discussion, etc.)
• Any module-specific variations (midterm week, final project, etc.)

For Mode 2 (Template): Ask for the template file path. Parse the JSON template.

For Mode 3 (Clone): Ask for:

• Source course (code or ID)
• Target course (code or ID)
• Call get_course_structure(source_course) to read the full structure

2. Generate Structure Preview

Build a preview of what will be created and present it to the user:

## Course Build Plan: [Course Name]

### Structure: 15 modules x 4 items each = 60 items total

| Module | Page | Assignment | Discussion | SubHeader |
|--------|------|------------|------------|-----------|
| Week 1: Introduction | Overview | HW 1 (10 pts) | Week 1 Forum | Materials |
| Week 2: Fundamentals | Overview | HW 2 (10 pts) | Week 2 Forum | Materials |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Week 14: Review | Overview | -- | Review Forum | Materials |
| Week 15: Final | Overview | Final Project (100 pts) | -- | Materials |

### Items to create:
- 15 modules
- 15 overview pages
- 14 assignments
- 14 discussion topics
- 15 subheaders
- Total: 73 Canvas objects

Shall I proceed?

3. User Approves or Modifies

Wait for explicit approval. The user may:

• Approve as-is
• Request modifications (add/remove items, change naming, adjust points)
• Cancel

Do NOT proceed without approval.

4. Execute Creation

Create items in dependency order:

1. Modules first: Call create_module with published=false for each module (modules default to published)
2. Pages: Call create_page with published=false for each overview page (pages default to published)
3. Assignments: Call create_assignment for each assignment (unpublished)
4. Discussions: Call create_discussion_topic for each forum
5. Module items: Call add_module_item to link each created item to its module

Track progress and report as you go:

Creating modules... 15/15 done
Creating pages... 15/15 done
Creating assignments... 14/14 done
Creating discussions... 14/14 done
Linking items to modules... 58/58 done

If any creation fails, log the error and continue with remaining items.

5. Report Results

## Build Complete: [Course Name]

### Created:
- 15 modules
- 15 overview pages
- 14 assignments
- 14 discussion topics
- 58 module items linked

### Failed (0):
None

### Next Steps:
- All items created **unpublished** -- publish when ready
- Add content to overview pages
- Set due dates on assignments
- Run `/canvas-course-qc` to verify structure

6. Save as Template (Optional)

After building, offer to save the structure as a reusable template:

Would you like to save this structure as a template for future courses?

If yes, call get_course_structure(target_course) and save the output as a JSON file.

MCP Tools Used

Tool	Purpose
list_courses	Find available courses
get_course_structure	Read source course for cloning; verify after build
create_module	Create each module
create_page	Create overview/content pages
create_assignment	Create assignments
create_discussion_topic	Create discussion forums
add_module_item	Link items to modules
update_module	Publish modules when ready

Template Format

Templates are JSON files with this structure:

{
  "template_name": "Standard 15-Week Semester",
  "modules": [
    {
      "name_pattern": "Week {n}: {topic}",
      "items": [
        {"type": "SubHeader", "title_pattern": "Week {n} Materials"},
        {"type": "Page", "title_pattern": "Week {n} Overview"},
        {"type": "Assignment", "title_pattern": "HW {n}", "points": 10},
        {"type": "Discussion", "title_pattern": "Week {n} Discussion"}
      ]
    }
  ],
  "special_modules": [
    {"position": 8, "name": "Midterm Review", "items": [{"type": "Page", "title": "Midterm Study Guide"}]},
    {"position": 15, "name": "Final Project", "items": [{"type": "Assignment", "title": "Final Project", "points": 100}]}
  ]
}

Example

User: "Build a 15-week structure for BADM 350 with a weekly overview page, homework, and discussion"

Agent: Generates preview, asks for approval, creates 60+ items.

User: "Clone the structure from CS 101 into CS 102"

Agent: Reads CS 101 structure, generates preview for CS 102, asks approval, creates matching structure.

Notes

• Modules and pages are unpublished only when published=false is passed (both default to published). create_assignment defaults to unpublished. create_discussion_topic always publishes on creation; if students must not see a discussion yet, schedule it with delayed_post_at instead of creating it now.
• Content is not copied when cloning -- only structure (module names, item types, organization).
• To copy content (not just structure) between courses, use create_content_migration (preview + confirmation token) and poll get_content_migration_status; per-page copy via get_page_content + create_page suits a few pages.
• Run canvas-course-qc after building to verify the structure is complete and consistent.