External Materials
Add external web resources to your module — videos, articles, tools, and references — and PreseMaker packages them into a ready-to-import LMS HTML file.
What It Does
The External Materials form lets you curate a library of external web resources for your class. This form allows you to add external resources such as videos, articles, tools, and reference sites to your module. PreseMaker generates an internal HTML page with the links and descriptions of each resource — this file can be imported directly into your LMS alongside your other module materials so students have one organized page to access all external links.
PreseMaker keeps a running library of every external material you add. Resources are stored with the module and persist across sessions, so you can build the list incrementally — adding a few links now and more later — without losing anything.
Adding a Resource
URL
Paste the full URL of the external resource. PreseMaker stores and displays the link exactly as entered. Any publicly accessible URL works — YouTube videos, Wikipedia articles, tool documentation, open-access papers, institution websites, and so on.
Title
A short display name for the resource as it will appear in the generated HTML page. Keep it descriptive enough that students know what they’re about to open without reading the full URL.
Description
A plain-English explanation of what the resource is, why it’s included, and what students should get from it. The description appears below the link in the generated HTML, giving students context before they click.
Managing the Library
Persistent Library
Every resource you add is saved to the module’s storage and appears in the list on the left side of the form. The library persists between sessions — open the form at any time to see the full list of resources added so far, add more, or remove ones that are no longer needed.
Select & Edit
Select any item in the library list to load its URL, title, and description back into the fields for editing. Make changes and save to update the entry in place.
Remove
Select any item and click Remove to delete it from the library. The generated HTML file is updated the next time you generate it, so removed links will no longer appear in the output.
Generated HTML Output
When you click Generate External Materials Page, PreseMaker produces a standalone HTML file containing all the resources in the library. The file is formatted for LMS import and includes:
- A page heading identifying it as the module’s external resources
- Each resource as a clearly labeled section with its title as a clickable link
- The description text below each link to give students context
- Clean, accessible HTML that imports cleanly into Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and similar platforms
The output file is saved to the module’s output folder and its count appears in both the Module Manager and Module Content Generator status panels under External Materials.