It may contain navigational icons for reaching the different tools. It will also have a list of links, which we call major categories. For the course database these will be a link to the syllabus and then links to view course material either by date, unit, or topic. There is also a section for assignments. For the discussion forum it has links to view threads by author, date, topic.
Instructors control the naming conventions for the major categories.
What you see may not match our original categories. The dynamic area is the main part of the page. This is where you will find the text associated with your course material. As you click on links from subcategories the information will be displayed in the dynamic area. For the course database this is where all lecture notes, syllabi information, and assignments will be displayed.