Google Assignments External App is making multiple copies in the students drive when they submit an assignment in canvas

[JodyGavers]

We have a teacher that each time she uses Google Assignments LTI as an external app and selects Google Assignments instead of Speed Grader, it is making a copy of the assignment in the student's Google Drive.  Also, when she creates an assignment and has the student's attach a file via google drive it makes a copy.  The students have a lot of copies and are getting very confused.  Does anyone know what is causing this issue.  

I use speed grader and it is not happening to me when I use Google Assignments LTI.

[ryan_corris]

Hey @JodyGavers! 

Sorry to hear you are having a problem with the Google LTI 1.3.  I am wondering if you would be able to add some more details of what you are experiencing.  

Here is what I am seeing when selecting the Google LTI 1.3 and Google Assignment instead of SpeedGrader:

I am seeing copies being made in the teacher's Google Drive folder.  For me, a copy was made in the teacher's Google Drive folder every time the submission was "Returned" to the student.  My conclusion is that this can help the teacher keep a record of what changes or annotations were made each time the file was submitted and then returned. The 3 copies in the image below are in the teachers Google Drive folder and only showed up after the submission was "Returned" to the students.  The assignment was submitted and returned three times, hence the three copies. The 4th file is owned by the student and is the current version of the document.

In the image of the student Google Drive folder below there is a shortcut to a file and a folder.  The shortcut appears to be a link to the current version of the file that is housed in the teacher's Google Drive.  The folder contains copies for each time the file was submitted to the assignment for the student to have a record of submissions.

Are you seeing something different than this?  

The image you attached appeared to be a screenshot from a Google Drive.  That is why my reply is focusing on Google Drive details.  Please let me know if you are looking at something else.

I would also be curious to know if there is a reason why the students are going onto their Google Drive to locate / edit these files.  Since everything can be done within the Canvas Assignment, I am wondering the reasoning for the students accessing the files in their Google drive instead.

[JodyGavers]

Ryan, thanks so much for responding.  I am trying to help one of our science teachers that is using canvas for the first time.  I use canvas but I use speed grader so it is difficult to assist with this frustration that she is having.  I will try my best to explain her goal and then maybe you can share what you suggest to do.  The last paragraph you wrote is what we want to happen!

I would also be curious to know if there is a reason why the students are going onto their Google Drive to locate / edit these files.  Since everything can be done within the Canvas Assignment, I am wondering the reasoning for the students accessing the files in their Google drive instead.

Everything worked fine last semester but we split all of our courses into semesters and our science teachers have ongoing assignments from 1st semester to second semester.  We must have not setup the assignment properly so that the students could continue to work in Canvas.  We created an external Google LTI assignment and had the student add the file from last semester by going to Assignments-Course-File.

The students work on a research project that contains many components (approximately 10) for which they submit multiple drafts throughout the entire year. She needs to be able to give feedback on a Google Doc through the comments. They need to see my feedback, make corrections and resubmit the assignment. Students will do a 2nd Draft, Final Draft and possibly resubmit after that if it is not approved. I need them to be working on that original document and she needs to continue to be able to give feedback using comments on the google doc using the editing feature. 

What is happening: She assigns it as a Google LTI assignment and each time they submit the assignment it makes another copy of it in their drive. They then are no longer the owner of the original document and cannot work on it without requesting edit access and her granting it. Even after she gives them edit access they cannot upload it to the next draft because they are no longer the owner. This requires her to transfer ownership back to them. They are very confused as to which is the copy they should be working on and often upload the wrong document.  

Can you guide us as to how to accomplish her goal?  It is very similar to that of an English paper.  The problem started when we changed semesters so we obviously didn't approach that correctly.

Thank you.

[ryan_corris · Accepted solution]

Sounds like there is a bit to unpack here.  😉. I can share some things from my experience and include some options that might help.

Different Semesters

My teachers have had issues bridging assignments between different semesters as well.  In our high school, there is a new course for each semester and each semester's course is in a different term. Our elementary courses last throughout the year, but are divided into four different terms based on the four grading periods throughout the year.  Assignments that are assigned within one term tend to close with that term and are not "connected" to the new term.  Therefore, assignments have not worked very well when starting them in one term and trying to finish them in another term, even if they are in the same course and not two separate courses.  The terms are set up by the Canvas admins so there is nothing that an instructor can do to change these in most cases.

One possible way around this is to make 2 different Google Assignments.  One for each term. (I am going with the assumption that there are only two terms for this example.)

• Term 1 - Make the Google Assignment just like you have already done.
• Term 2 - Make a second Google Assignment.  Attach a blank Google Doc template.  Students can copy everything from the first term's document and paste it into the second term's document.  While the comments that were added to the document over the first term do not appear to copy and paste into the second term's document, students will still have the files in their Google Drive if they need to review those comments. 

Multiple Files

As mentioned previously, these copies appear to be made when students submit and teachers return submissions.  In hopes to alleviate confusion if students need to review the copies in their Google Drive, they should be able to look a the "Last modified" date and be able to fairly easily locate the most recent document. Otherwise, just access the file from the Google Assignment (instead of accessing files in Google Drive) and they should always have the most up to date version of the document.

In regards to this not happening in SpeedGrader, SpeedGrader works very differently than the Google Assignment option.  When students submit to the SpeedGrader option in Google Assignments, a snapshot of the document is taken each time the assignment is submitted and can be found in a dropdown menu when reviewing submissions in SpeedGrader.  The good thing is that the teacher can see all of the submissions right there in SpeedGrader.  However, unless things have changed, students will only be able to see their most recent submission.

Student Access to File

There are pros and cons to both the Google Assignment submission option or the SpeedGrader option.

Google Assignments Option

Students submit a live document and teachers return the same live document.  Comments added to the document are seen in every submission and return because it is the same live document.  Unfortunately, once the students submit the document, the ownership is transferred to the teacher removing the student's editing rights so the students cannot make changes after it the file is returned by the teacher.  While this does not work for your situation, this stops the ability of students being able to submit a blank document by the due date and then adding to the document post due date.

SpeedGrader Option

Student submits a snapshot of their document, not the live document.  Teacher can still mark with comments and annotations with the DocViewer Tools in SpeedGrader. How do I add annotated comments in student submissions using DocViewer in SpeedGrader? 

Students will be able to review the teacher's comments and annotations in their most recent submission, and teachers should be able to review all student submissions.  Only students will see their live document since the live document is NOT actually submitted to the assignment.

A Completely Different Option

While the Google Assignment is great since it automatically makes copy of the template for students, it also seems to cause several difficulties and some confusions for your specific situation.  So, Here's another idea.

You could create a regular Canvas Assignment with...

• The submission type set to Online and the Online Entry Options set to Website URL. 
• A document template link in the directions for the assignment
  • This will allow students to make their own copy of the document after they see a preview of the file.

Once students create their own copy, they can adjust the share settings to give the teacher access and submit the document's share link as the Website URL in the Canvas Assignment.  This should give both students and teacher editing access to the document at all times.  Students only have to submit to the assignment one time and comments added to document should be seen by student and teacher at all times and no additional copies of the document will be made.  Both the teacher and the student are working out of the live document at all times.  The teacher will just have an extra click once they get into SpeedGrader to open up the live document for each student because they will need to click on the link.

If the teacher would want to see a snapshot of the student's work to keep a record of what was accomplished over time, the teacher could create the assignment exactly as described above but also include File Upload as an online entry option in addition to Website URL.  This would allow students to submit the share link for their first submission to the assignment so student and teacher has access to the live document.  Then, at whatever interval the teacher deems necessary, students can submit a file upload of their document for a snapshot of the current document that the teacher should be able to review as needed.

There was a lot said here.  I hope it makes sense to you.  Please respond if you have additional questions or need any clarifications.  I look forward to your thoughts and possible questions.

[JodyGavers]

Wow, thank you for helping so quickly.  We are testing out the "Web URL" option and think that will work very well.