[Assignments] Assign to by Group for Individual Assignment

This idea was submitted previously and archived (see below). I would also request the same thing. For individual assignments, I would like to be able to "Assign to" by Group. I often divide the class into groups with varying discussion assignments or assignment due dates, yet these are individual assignments. I teach large classes, so it is too much work to type in individual names repeatedly.

 

Assign to" Student Groups for Individual Assessment

 

I want to be able to create Groups based on their modification or need and assign it to that group.Currently we have teachers who have to type in a LOT of student names when it's a modified assignment. Being able to pre-create groups with those students in them and assign or exclude that group would save a lot of time.

140 Comments
lbasile
Community Member

Definitely needed for differentiated instruction.  Please work on this.

billingsley_l
Community Novice

This is beyond ridiculous to not have available. I really hope that Canvas takes this time to reflect on the inflexibility of their program when it comes to things like this. It makes differentiation next to impossible. 

Creating a new section isn't an option when Canvas receives our information from the SIS. Students are sectioned out by class period and I am unable to move them. This really really REALLY needs to be fixed. 

MrNCMiller
Community Member

I absolutely agree with @billingsley_l , it is odd that it has been 4 years and movement has not been made on this. It was incredibly disappointing to find this post and see that this type of differentiation is still not possible, especially while E-Learning is full speed ahead in my district. I am an ENL co-teacher with up to half my students in any given class requiring ENL modification and support, and typing in each of these names has become rather tiresome, as more imperative tasks require my attention.

Hope that this feature is able to exist at some point in the near future. This standstill with this feature absolutely disincentivizes teachers to actively provide more personal support to their large groups of learners while we are distance learning.

quz2
Community Participant

@billingsley_l @MrNCMiller @lbasile @ashley_harvey @Nancy_Webb_CCSF  @hannah_crowder  @cgurysh @zoe_donaldson, @jtwalker, @jbrazil, 

Agree with all have previously posted - sorry I can mention only 10 users in a post. Four years have passed from the time the idea was first created. 

Instructors need the flexibilities to differentiate due dates in Assignments and Quizzes for a range of reasons: learning accommodations, time zone differences, and now rotation groups due to reduced classroom capacity in the COVID time. These students can't be categorized by Sections in the Student Info. System. The groups need to be formed by the instructor teaching the class.  

Please, please, please work on this ASAP. Faculty could use their time on more meaningful interactions with students versus clicking on "add" and "assign to" 20 times for each quiz and homework assignment throughout the semester. 

davidhinrichs
Community Explorer

With all of the schools in my district using remote learning at this time, I have received this request from teachers multiple times. I have teachers who are giving modified assignments to a handful of students. That is easy enough to do. However, the other 80+ students who get the non-modified assignment is a different story. There is no realistic workaround. Tricking mastery paths is clunky and not secure. Groups makes things into group assignments. Sections is not an option since they are generated by the SIS. This is a MUST have feature. Teachers are already stressed trying to learn to teach remotely. Providing the the needed and often required modifications should really not be this difficult. 

 

 

 

 

 

mcgahraa
Community Novice

I totally agree. I am a lab manager of 400 students. Having to assign due dates individually is not a realistic answer. I am extremely frustrated that this is not a feature.

slouchis
Community Explorer

Yes! I would love this!

jennifer_garwoo
Community Explorer

This has been in discussion for 4 years. I am so confused why a Learning Management System would not make this a higher priority (especially when it seems much of the needed coding has already been established with Groups?)

I have a consistent group of students who need modified versions of assignments. This is not just more time on the due date, but a separate assignment with less questions, a more detailed instructional video, or other specific changes to the content. 

Ideally, I'd love to create 2 assignments (it would be AMAZING if Canvas would let me "duplicate" and edit to create a modified version that remained connected to the original) and change any assignment settings as needed. I would be able to assign the modified version to a certain group (or groups as needed) and then assign the base assignment to all other students.

The student would just see one version of the assignment- the one they need to do.

Currently, doing this would require typing or clicking EVERY SINGLE ONE of my students' names at some point. Because of syncing to our SIS, I do not have the ability to create multiple sections.

I am required by federal law to provide my students' accommodations and modifications. This needs to be fixed!

burford_furman
Community Explorer

Has Canvas made any progress on this yet?

It would help too if I could 'mass select' names via say a check-box from the full list of students in the course and have those fill the Assign To box instead of having to type one name at a time in with Canvas suggesting possible choices (requiring yet another click to select from list of possible choices) in order to populate the box. Very time consuming when you have a large class!

pkellygoss
Community Participant

I'm shocked to see this is still an impossibility. As with many other institutions, our Sections are SIS-determined and are not tutor-editable. Our tutors need to be able to assign individual Quizzes and Assignments to tutor-editable groupings of learners -- why is it that they can't use Groups for this? This would be enormously helpful.