Faculty AI Content Tool

Generate AI-powered course content and export it as Common Cartridge files for import into Canvas LMS.

⚡ RECOMMENDED: HTML + Simple Proxy (Easiest!)

Get started in 5 minutes!

1. Get a free API key from https://console.anthropic.com/
2. Create .env file: echo "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_key" > .env
3. Install: pip install -r proxy_requirements.txt
4. Run: python proxy_server.py
5. Open faculty_content_generator.html in your browser

👉 Complete Quick Start Guide

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🚀 All Available Versions

⚡ HTML + Proxy (RECOMMENDED)

Perfect for individual faculty - simple and fast

• ✅ 5-minute setup - minimal configuration
• ✅ Lightweight - just Python + HTML
• ✅ Secure - API key stays on your computer
• ✅ No database - no complex setup
• 👉 Quick Start Guide

🌐 Standalone HTML (Deprecated)

Note: Doesn't work due to browser CORS restrictions

• ❌ Cannot call Anthropic API from browser
• 👉 Use HTML + Proxy version instead

🐍 Django Web Application

Perfect for institutions and teams

• ✅ Secure server-side API key storage
• ✅ User authentication and access control
• ✅ Better for team environments
• 👉 See installation instructions below

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Django Web Application

A full-featured Django web application that allows faculty to generate AI-powered course content and export it as Common Cartridge files for import into Canvas LMS.

Features

• AI-Powered Content Generation: Uses Claude AI to create comprehensive course content
• Web Interface: Simple, user-friendly form for inputting course parameters
• Structured Course Design: Generates weekly modules with introduction and lecture pages
• Learning Objectives: Each week includes clearly defined learning objectives
• Common Cartridge Export: Exports as IMS Common Cartridge 1.1 format for Canvas import

What Gets Generated

For each week of your course, the tool creates:

• Introduction Page: Engaging introduction with learning objectives and context
• Lecture Page: Comprehensive lecture content covering the weekly topic

All content is organized into weekly modules and packaged as a Common Cartridge (.imscc) file.

Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• Anthropic API key
• Canvas LMS access (for importing the generated content)

Installation

1. Clone or navigate to the repository

   cd /path/to/Canvas

2. Install dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Set up environment variables

   cp .env.example .env

   Edit .env and add your Anthropic API key:

   ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
   

4. Run database migrations

   python manage.py migrate

5. Start the development server

   python manage.py runserver

6. Access the application Open your browser to http://localhost:8000

Usage

Generating Course Content

1. Navigate to the home page

2. Fill out the course generation form:

   • Course Name: Full name of your course (e.g., "Introduction to Psychology")
   • Subject Area: The subject or discipline (e.g., "Psychology")
   • Number of Weeks: How many weeks the course runs (1-52)
   • Target Audience: Student level (undergraduate, graduate, etc.)
   • Additional Context (optional): Any specific requirements or topics

3. Click "Generate Course Content"

4. Wait for the generation process to complete (may take several minutes)

5. Download the generated .imscc file

Importing to Canvas

1. In Canvas, navigate to your course
2. Click Settings in the course navigation
3. Click Import Course Content
4. Select Common Cartridge 1.x Package as the content type
5. Click Choose File and upload the .imscc file
6. Click Import
7. Wait for the import to complete
8. Review and publish the imported content

Project Structure

Canvas/
├── faculty_content_tool/     # Django project settings
│   ├── settings.py          # Main configuration
│   └── urls.py              # URL routing
├── content_generator/        # Main application
│   ├── forms.py             # Course generation form
│   ├── views.py             # View logic
│   ├── claude_service.py    # Claude API integration
│   ├── cartridge_builder.py # Common Cartridge export
│   └── templates/           # HTML templates
├── media/                    # Generated cartridge files
├── requirements.txt          # Python dependencies
├── .env.example             # Environment variables template
└── README.md                # This file

How It Works

1. Form Submission: Faculty submit course parameters through the web form
2. Course Structure Generation: Claude AI generates a course outline with weekly topics and learning objectives
3. Content Generation: For each week, Claude AI generates:
   • An introduction page with learning objectives
   • A comprehensive lecture page
4. Common Cartridge Building: All content is packaged into a valid IMS CC 1.1 file
5. Download: The .imscc file is provided for download

Technology Stack

• Backend: Django 4.2+
• AI Engine: Anthropic Claude API
• Export Format: IMS Common Cartridge 1.1
• Language: Python 3

Tips for Best Results

• Be specific in the subject area (e.g., "Cognitive Psychology" vs. "Psychology")
• Use the additional context field to specify particular topics or approaches
• Choose the appropriate target audience for content difficulty
• Review and customize generated content in Canvas after import
• Start with a smaller number of weeks (e.g., 2-3) to test the output

Customization

After importing to Canvas, you can:

• Edit any generated content
• Add assignments, quizzes, and discussions
• Reorder or reorganize modules
• Add multimedia content
• Customize the styling and formatting

Troubleshooting

API Key Not Configured

• Ensure .env file exists with ANTHROPIC_API_KEY set
• Restart the Django server after setting the API key

Generation Takes Too Long

• Generation time increases with the number of weeks
• Each week requires multiple API calls
• For courses with many weeks, consider generating in batches

Import Fails in Canvas

• Ensure the file has .imscc extension
• Verify you selected "Common Cartridge 1.x Package" as import type
• Check Canvas import logs for specific errors

License

This tool is provided as-is for educational purposes.

Support

For issues or questions, please refer to the Django and Canvas LMS documentation.