Feedback Box in SpeedGrader needs to be editable

[nblair321]

When posting feedback to students in the SpeedGrader feature, the text box is VERY small. This needs to be much larger. The feedback, once submitted cannot be edited. This needs to change so instructors can change feedback after it is submitted. Formative feedback is the most important aspect of grading!

[Stef_retired]

Thank you for sharing this idea,  @nblair321  and  Welcome to the Canvas Community! The idea is open for voting. In the meantime, here is a near-term solution and thought for your consideration:

• The Assignment Comments field at the lower right of the SpeedGrader starts out small, it is true—but the center bar can be dragged to the left, and the comment field itself has a drag handle on the lower right. Employing one or both of these remedies results in a reasonably large field for comments, and the larger setting persists across the other submissions in SpeedGrader for that assignment. (Navigating away will reset the SpeedGrader bars and boxes to their original locations and sizes.)
• Currently, assignment comments can be deleted—but as you note, cannot be edited—after they've been saved. If the assignment isn't muted, and students have their comment notifications set to "Right Away," they'll receive a notification of the initial unedited comment. 

[lbarrier8948]

Yes! I am surprised there are not more comments about the lack of ability to edit in the feedback box while using SpeedGrader. We moved from Moodle to Canvas, and overall it is a great change, but this particular aspect has me missing Moodle. I used to be able to send students active links, copy directly from their papers into the feedback box and highlight the portion of the sentence for reference--all kinds of things. The fact that I can't do this in Canvas really bothers me. 

[stephen_beers]

To second what  @nblair321   @lbarrier8948  are saying, we recently switched from Brightspace (D2L) to Canvas and have found several instructors very frustrated with the inability to edit comments.  I'm an instructional designer, and several of my colleagues have had to explain to faculty the workaround: copying the original feedback, pasting it into a new comment, editing, re-posting, and deleting the old comment.  They feel this is unnecessarily complicated given they could directly edit comments in Brightspace.  I'm hoping this issue will get more traction.

[ross_glover]

While we are on this, it would also be great if text in the feedback box could be underlined or italicised. The only way to emphasise at the moment seems to be to capitalise. (Not good practice).

[lbarrier8948]

Yes, that is one of my main issues as well. I want to be able to attach links as I could in Moodle, highlight, use italics, etc.

[Stef_retired]

Using the New Gradebook, it's now possible to edit submission comments by clicking on the rightward-facing arrow that appears in the grade cell for the assignment, scrolling down in the popout tray to the comment, and clicking the Edit pencil. When you save the edit, the date on which you performed the edit and an (Edited) notation will display on the comment.

[stephen_beers]

Thank you for this clarification, stefaniesanders.  Very helpful.  I'd still like to keep pushing for this as an enhancement idea, though, because it's a bit cumbersome for faculty to leave SpeedGrader and go to the gradebook just to edit a comment.

[huic]

I just ran into a situation that I NEED to edit a comment draft. While working in SpeedGrader, I accidentally hit the touchpad, thus losing the focus on the textbox, but continued typing since I didn't know it happened. I must have hit "j" because SpeedGrader moved me to the next submission. But now I need to go back to the previous submission to finish grading, and have no way to edit my comment draft. It'd be helpful to be able to edit one's draft comment, within this same workflow (instead of asking instructors to leave SpeedGrader, open grade book, find student, open side menu, and edit comment draft — a 4-click 1-search workflow just to edit a draft!).

[cpadavano]

I am commenting for people to re-look at this. I see that in New Gradebook you can edit the comment from the gradebook tab of the student, but NOT in Speed Grader. Would be good for this ability to sync as teachers can see more in Speed Grader.

[lmoreira]

It would also be useful if we could edit the drafts Canvas makes when we click out of the Speed Grader without submitting a comment.

[odyssey]

Get this done now! It is ridiculous to not be able to review and edit comments when you are grading. Just as I expect my students to review and change what they give me, I will do the same.

[rj263]

I agree that it is stupid that we cannot edit the comments and should be changed.  I can change the mark so why not the comments.

If the speedgrader is really about giving feedback for a student t needs more space and to be editable. Feedback should be a lot more meaningful than the rubbish examples on the help page about leaving feedback. 'Good job on the assignment', tells a student nothing on how to make the next one better.

[mmauldin]

This would be a very helpful feature, as students resubmit work for additional grading.

[shanahussey1987]

As students make adjustments and resubmit their work, the instructors will also need to the same.

This is a much needed feature.

[kelseyknightOSU]

I would love to be able to edit comments I give to students in the grading panel; not specifically comments in the grading rubric.  I find that I sometimes make little spelling errors, and every time that happens I always want to correct it because I preach to my students to make sure their papers are proofed.  So, when I make little errors, I always have to copy and paste the comment I made, edit the posts, and then submit the comment again, rather than being able to "edit" the comment. 

I think this function would be really useful!

[concofme]

I agree that being able to edit comments in Speed Grader would be so helpful.  As the previous poster mentioned, I make little errors sometimes or forget to add something. Not having to copy and paste and then delete the old comment would be great!

[tiida]

I agree with the previous comments. Copying and pasting the original comment is workable, but workflow would be easier if we could edit the text of our comment directly.

[chike424]

I agree with this idea, this make the workflow easier. 

[Martinmagic72]

Agreed....

1 - To not be able to edit an individual word/ comment in a text box...but have to delete it is a large oversight. Editing comments for correct grading language, spelling etc is crucial.

2- The lack of formatting in a text box is also compromising, especially with learners that may have some reading issues.  

[JodyCebina]

Agreed.  This would be a very helpful feature.