Canvas Course QC
Automated quality checklist for Learning Designers to verify a Canvas course is ready for students. Runs structure, content, publishing, and completeness checks — then reports issues by priority.
Prerequisites
- Canvas MCP server must be running and connected.
- Authenticated user must have instructor, TA, or designer role in the target course.
- Best run before the semester starts or before publishing a course to students.
Steps
1. Identify Target Course
Ask the user which course to QC. Accept a course code, Canvas ID, or course name.
If not specified, prompt:
Which course would you like to quality-check?
Use list_courses to look up available courses if needed.
2. Retrieve Course Structure
Call get_course_structure(course_identifier) to get the full module-to-items tree in one call.
This returns all modules with their items, publishing states, and summary statistics.
3. Run Structure Checks
Analyze the module tree for structural issues:
| Check | Priority | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Empty modules | Warning | Modules with 0 items (confusing to students) |
| Naming consistency | Suggestion | Do all modules follow the same pattern? (e.g., "Week N:", "Unit N:") |
| Module count | Suggestion | Does it match expected count for course length? |
| Item ordering | Suggestion | SubHeaders present for organization? |
4. Run Content Checks
Call list_assignments(course_identifier) and check each assignment:
| Check | Priority | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Missing due dates | Blocking | Graded assignments without a due_at date |
| Missing descriptions | Warning | Assignments with empty or null description |
| Missing points | Warning | Assignments without points_possible set |
| Date sequencing | Warning | Due dates that don't follow module order |
| Rubric coverage | Suggestion | Graded assignments without an associated rubric |
For pages, check if any pages in modules have empty body content using get_page_content for pages flagged in the structure.
5. Run Publishing Checks
Using the structure data:
| Check | Priority | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost items | Blocking | Published items inside unpublished modules (invisible to students) |
| Unpublished modules | Warning | Modules that may need publishing before semester |
| No front page | Warning | Course has no front page set |
Check for front page by calling list_pages(course_identifier) and looking for front_page: true.
6. Run Completeness Checks
Compare module structures to find inconsistencies:
| Check | Priority | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Inconsistent structure | Warning | Most modules have 4 items but some only have 1 |
| Missing item types | Suggestion | Most modules have an Assignment but some don't |
Build a "typical module" profile from the most common item-type pattern, then flag modules that deviate.
7. Generate QC Report
Present results grouped by priority:
## Course QC Report: [Course Name] ### Summary - Modules: 15 | Items: 67 | Assignments: 15 | Pages: 20 - Issues found: 3 blocking, 5 warnings, 2 suggestions ### Blocking Issues (fix before publishing) 1. Assignment "Final Project" has no due date 2. Published "Week 5 Quiz" is inside unpublished "Week 5" module (invisible to students) 3. Assignment "Midterm" has no due date ### Warnings (should fix) 1. 2 empty modules: "Week 14", "Week 15" 2. 3 assignments missing descriptions: HW 3, HW 7, HW 12 3. No front page set for course 4. Due dates out of order: Week 8 assignment due before Week 7 5. "Week 3" module has 1 item while typical modules have 4 ### Suggestions (nice-to-have) 1. Module naming: 13/15 use "Week N:" pattern but "Midterm Review" and "Final Review" don't 2. 5 graded assignments have no rubric attached
8. Offer Follow-up Actions
After presenting the report, offer actionable next steps:
Would you like me to:
- Auto-fix publishing -- Publish all unpublished modules (with confirmation)
- Show details -- Expand on a specific issue
- Run accessibility audit -- Check for WCAG-oriented issues (uses canvas-accessibility-auditor skill)
- Check another course
For auto-fix, use update_module or bulk_update_pages with user confirmation before each batch.
MCP Tools Used
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
list_courses | Find available courses |
get_course_structure | Full module tree with items |
list_assignments | Assignment details for content checks |
get_assignment_details | Deep-dive on flagged assignments |
list_pages | Check for front page |
get_page_content | Verify pages have content |
list_rubrics | Check rubric coverage |
update_module | Auto-fix: publish modules |
bulk_update_pages | Auto-fix: publish pages |
Example
User: "QC check for BADM 350"
Agent: Runs all checks, outputs the prioritized report.
User: "Fix the publishing issues"
Agent: Publishes the 2 unpublished modules after confirmation.
Notes
- This skill is designed for Learning Designers who manage course structure before students access it.
- Run this before each semester or after major content updates.
- Pairs well with
canvas-accessibility-auditorfor comprehensive course review.
