The ability to (1) have blocks in what I called the closed state when users open their courses would clean up the view. I mean that they would see PEOPLE and open it to see PARTICIPANTS or see ACTIVITIES and then open it to get to ASSIGNMENTS, etc. And (2) The way we can re-order activities within the units in a course is so easy - but when I add a block and want it to be the second on the left side, I seem to have to click click click the up arrows one by one to get there The acitivities can be placed at will; blocks seem to have to be shuffled one step at a time.

thats not my point. Activating AJAX in website administration and personal profile you can move blocks with your mouse easily.

But creating a new course you get a default configuration of blocks on the left and on the right side. Defining this default settings is my point.