Skill v1.0.1
currentAutomated scan100/1004 files
version: "1.0.1" name: canvas-course-qc description: Learning designer quality check for Canvas LMS courses. Audits module structure, content completeness, publishing state, date consistency, and rubric coverage. Use when asked to "QC a course", "is this course ready", "pre-semester check", or "quality review".
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 date2. 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 123. No front page set for course4. Due dates out of order: Week 8 assignment due before Week 75. "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't2. 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:1. Auto-fix publishing -- Publish all unpublished modules (with confirmation)2. Show details -- Expand on a specific issue3. Run accessibility audit -- Check WCAG compliance (uses canvas-accessibility-auditor skill)4. 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_all_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.