Using Canvas Assignments

Assignments and activities you create for your students should be submitted electronically to minimize close, personal contact. Canvas Assignments will be one of your primary tools for assigning and managing student work. The Assignments tool allows students to submit work (e.g., Word documents, PDFs, image and video files, websites) and can connect to external learning tools (e.g., NameCoach, Quick Check, Hypothes.is, and Kaltura Quizzing). All Assignments automatically appear in the Canvas grade book.

• Connect to module and course objectives.
• Situate relevance to students' lives/careers (i.e. answer the question, "Why are we doing this?").
• Provide a clear process/task list.
• Articulate expectations for deliverables.

Collect assignments

Collecting assignments is fairly straightforward, since many instructors already collect work electronically. The main challenge is whether students have access to computers, as anyone needing a campus computer lab may be unable to access necessary technologies. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Require only common software: Students may not have access to specialty software located in on-campus computer labs. Some of that software may be available via IUware or IUanyWare, but unless the students have permissions to load software onto a computer they can access, they may be unable to use these tools. Be ready with a backup plan for such students.
• Avoid emailed attachments: It may be easy to collect assignments in small classes via email, but larger classes might swamp your email inbox. Balance what is simplest for students with what is easiest for you to manage.
• State expectations, but be ready to allow extensions: Some students will undoubtedly have difficulties meeting deadlines. Make expectations clear, but be ready to provide more flexibility than you normally would in your class.
• Require specific filenames: It may sound trivial, but anyone who collects papers electronically knows the pain of getting 20 files named Essay1.docx . Give your students a simple file-naming convention, for example, FirstnameLastname-Essay1.docx .

Canvas Assignments resources

• Canvas modules and assignments
• Maintaining student engagement

Note: If you're asking students to submit a group project, see the Assigning group projects.