Reading Time: 2 minutesNow that we’ve hit the summer and have half a moment to breathe, we’re going to take the next few weeks to do a comprehensive review of various elements of Canvas. We’ll be taking a look at the current state of the tools, highlighting any major changes that have been made recently, and looking forward at Canvas’ roadmap and future changes. This week, we’ll be looking at Assignments in Canvas. Out of the posts we have planned, assignments is the most “stable” at the moment – we’ve had some changes across the last year, and there isn’t anything huge on the horizon (at the moment). So, let’s…
-
-
Canvas Update to the Update: “Assign To” Feature Is Getting Simplified
Reading Time: < 1 minutePreviously, we talked about how Canvas has added new ways to update the dates for assignments, quizzes, and discussions. This week, we’re going to be talking about that same topic – but about another change that’s coming Wednesday, August 28. After releasing this feature, Canvas realized that there was one factor they missed accounting for across their design process – the ability to quickly view the due dates on the settings pages for assignments, quizzes, and discussions. So they’re fixing that and reverting the settings pages to their previous design. This doesn’t negate any of the other updates they brought with the original “Assign To” update!…
-
Canvas Update: New Method for Adding or Changing Due Dates
Reading Time: 3 minutesWe’re all familiar with how to change the due dates or availability dates for an individual assignment, discussion, or quiz – you go into the settings, scroll down, and add or modify the dates. Now, if you follow that exact same method, you find a “Manage Assign To” link that slides out a panel where you can update all the information. While this change may seem confusing, it enables Canvas to modify how and where the “assign” feature can operate – and it can simplify the processes we use to work with these dates. With this feature update, you can now update dates directly from the Modules…
-
Canvas Update: Assignments Enhancements
Reading Time: 3 minutesCanvas has been working on modifications to both assignments and discussions – and the changes are now ready to be live! In these two weeks leading up to the release of the updated assignments and discussions, we’ll be going through everything you need to know about the changes. This week, we’re looking at the assignment enhancements. These are primarily student-facing interface adjustments to track the “life cycle” of an assignment more easily. Let’s take a look! Here’s a screenshot of an updated assignment page. With the update, Canvas has moved or added a few things: The next chunk of the page is very much the same as…
-
Canvas Update: Instructors Can Upload Files to Assignments for Students
Reading Time: 2 minutesCanvas has recently added a feature to allow instructors to upload files to assignments for students. To use this feature, you need to start in the gradebook. Click on the student’s cell for the assignment you want to upload, then click the arrow. Canvas will slide out a panel from the right side of your screen. Click the “Submit for Student” link. Drag and drop or use the file picker to add the assignment file(s), then click “submit.” If you upload multiple files, they will be added as one submission. The file is now available to be graded in SpeedGrader! Any files uploaded using this method will…
-
How Can I Quickly Adjust Multiple Canvas Assignment Due Dates and Times?
Reading Time: 2 minutesPreviously, Canvas has made it easy to adjust due dates for all assignments in a course. You’d go to the assignments page, click that little “three dots” icon in the top right to expand a menu, and select “Edit Assignment Dates.” Canvas would display all assignments from the course and any dates associated with them currently. From there, you could either manually change dates or use the checkboxes and “Batch Edit” button to update multiple dates at once. But with these, you were stuck with whatever times were associated with an assignment. And if there wasn’t a time associated with an assignment, Canvas would default it…
-
Canvas Feature: Microsoft Immersive Reader
Reading Time: 3 minutesWe’ve talked a lot about the Canvas/Microsoft partnership and how more Microsoft products and features are being incorporated into Canvas. Today, we’re revisiting one of those features – the Microsoft Immersive Reader. The Microsoft Immersive Reader is now available through more of Canvas. Initially only released on Canvas pages, it’s now also available on the syllabus, assignments, and a course’s home page. This reader presents the page text in a more accessible format where the user can choose the text preferences, grammar options, reading preferences, and to have the page content read to them. To launch the reader, click the “Microsoft Immersive Reader” button at the top right of a Canvas…
-
Canvas Feature: Annotation Assignments
Reading Time: 2 minutesCanvas has added a new way for students to complete assignments – annotating a document you upload. In this kind of assignment, students have access to all the annotation tools you use in SpeedGrader and create the annotations in the same kind of view. This assignment type can only be used for individual assignments – it will not work for a group assignment. But you might be thinking “Okay, this sounds cool. But what would I even use it for?” Having your students annotate a document is flexible and can be used for a myriad of assignments. You could have your students interpret lab results or statistics. They could practice peer editing of…
-
Canvas Reassign Assignment: An Easy Way to Ask Students to Resubmit Work
Reading Time: < 1 minuteCanvas has added a new tool in SpeedGrader to simplify your workflow. Imagine a student submits an assignment, but they dropped it in the wrong assignment or just grabbed the wrong document to upload. Previously, you’d message the student or leave a comment in SpeedGrader. The student would then need to see that note and remember to complete the request. Now Canvas has added a button in SpeedGrader that will add an assignment back to a student’s to-do list. Before we get into the how of this feature, there are some limitations you need to know about. Using the submission reassignment feature is simple. Navigate to SpeedGrader for an assignment. If your assignment meets the criteria above, you’ll see a…
-
Why Did Some of My Grades Disappear in My Gradebook?
Reading Time: < 1 minuteLet’s imagine a scenario. You have an assignment in your course. Most of your students completed it, and you graded their work. One student didn’t complete the assignment, but you agreed to give them an extension. You went into the assignment settings, opened the assignment back up to them, and merrily went on your way – until you later went to grade their work and discovered you could no longer see the submitted work from any of your other students. You checked the gradebook, and sure enough, the grades you’d previously entered were no longer there either. Even though this is a scary scenario, this can be…