Changing the 'Submit Assignment' Button

[cbishop3]

Students tell us that the "Submit Assignment" button is confusing, because the term "submit" implies to turn in. Changing the work "Submit" to "Begin" (or something similar) would be less confusing, and using "Submit Assignment" for when the assignment is actually be submitted for grading.

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

For more information, please read through the Canvas Deploy Notes (2021-03-31).

[Stef_retired]

 @ccadman1 , there's a popular feature idea for that--and it's in Product Radar status! Please add your feedback and vote to

[RobDitto]

Although I will agree that "Begin the submission process" is more descriptive of the actual condition, it's longer and doesn't fit on the button

What about something like this?

• Begin Submission or Start Submission for the higher-on-the-page button to start the process.
• Finish Submission or Complete Submission for the button underneath the form fields/file uploads -- the one a student presses to complete their submission of this assignment.

[beerline_n]

I have had several students who were initially confused when first confronted with "Submit Assignment." Yes, training would help, but why create the confusion in the first place? The confusion mostly occurs with those assignments that require a text entry. In that case, students think "How can I submit when I haven't even begun?" For those assignments that require a file upload, however, "Submit Assignment" makes perfect sense because that's what they are there to do. So, for text entry assignments, I would recommend either "Begin Assignment" or "Open Assignment." For the file uploads, the nomenclature seems appropriate and could probably remain the same.

[Stef_retired]

Thank you for pointing that out,  @beerline_n ​! I think you've hit upon the reason for the divergence of opinion in the comments here, as well as in the voting history; those of us who mostly have experience with file uploads would say that the current Submit Assignment button has not been a source of confusion for our students, whereas those of us who mostly use text entry assignments might differ. With that in mind, I'm hopeful that someone will consider submitting a new feature idea, once the feature idea process resumes (as discussed in Changes Coming to Canvas Community Feature Ideas), that would specify the need for a change in terminology only for text entry assignments.

[mrboros1]

Buttons for Assignments should say what they mean "START or BEGIN Assignment", 'SAVE as a DRAFT' - so students can return to it and work on it incrementally and finally 'SUBMIT Assignment' - when it is done.

[abode_peter]

The Submit button's purpose is to submit assignments. Not too complicated. If needed, it can be explained once at the beginning of a course. To call it Begin, sounds like the clock starts ticking, and once they click on the button--what do they see except a widget to browse for a file to submit. I think this suggestion is making it more complicated than it has to be.

[abilyak141]

When I first joined Canvas, I found this button a little confusing.  The instructions given in the beginning of my class helped, but I wasn't exactly sure if my assignment would be submitted if I clicked that button.  So, I just took a risk and clicked it.  Thankfully, nothing was submitted!  It just progressed onto the next step of submitting an assignment.

I just wanted to share that story because I think that the "Submit Assignment" button can be misleading for new students.

[debra_service]

I at least now have confirmation from this discussion that I was not imagining a problem, and I have a basis for including in my instructions that they need to follow through with the second step to trigger an alert in my e-mail. Since I only teach online, I am not able to watch my students submit assignments. That means half of my students were not seeing the second step. I then had to search for their work. Scrolling to find that second button is more effort for some of them than they want to exert, especially those who use handheld devices that limit what they can easily see.

[chplum20]

the submit assignment button works just fine in public school they say that you need to submit the assignment. all of the kids know what submit means when it is used there. and i know what i am talking about because i am 14 and going though this. if you change it then we could all get confused. SO DON'T CHANGE IT!!!!!!!!! please 

[chplum20]

yes that is so true