How can I unpublish after a submission?

[sam_barnhart]

With remote learning, I'm making videos that show how to submit to Canvas. But to submit, I have to publish. So I log in as a student, and record the process of submissions. But then I can't unpublish the assignment because there is submission. There has got to be a way to hide or unpublish something even after a submission. Thanks.

Sam

[epulham]

Hi Sam, 

I came here today looking for the answer to this question too. Looks like someone asked this and got a reply here: Unpublish a previously published assignment with a submission? 

I've been playing around with this, and it looks like you could technically move the assignment or quiz to a module titled "unpublished" and then unpublish an entire module.  I know this doesn't take the assignment out of the "assignments" or "quizzes" course navigation or out of the student's ability to see the assignment in the gradebook and their grade (but you could use the post grades feature to manage that).

[James · Accepted solution]

You could develop in a sandbox course so that it doesn't affect a live course. Then, once things are functioning properly, you could bring the content over to the real course. You should probably be making videos in a course that doesn't have real students (or at least student names and IDs) in it anyway.

There is not a way to unpublish an assignment after submissions have been made. This lesson from the Canvas Instructor Guide documents it: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10101-4152180493 

Assignments with student submissions cannot be unpublished, and the hover text will notify you accordingly.

There is a feature idea open for it, though: https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/16911-ability-to-unpublish-assignments-with-student-submission... 

[kmeeusen]

Hi  @sam_barnhart 

Actually, the easiest way to handle this is to simply reset the Test Student.

• Click Student View,
• Click Reset Student.

If you have already exited Student View, then you can simply remove the test Student from your section.

• Go to Settings,
• Click on the Sections tab,
• Click on the name of your course section,
• Scroll down to Test Student,
• Click the red X to remove the student.

The test student will be added back the next time you click Student View.

I hope this is helpful,

Kelley

[sarmstrong1]

You can do it but its a 2 part process and kind of messy.

1st - go in Modules and duplicate the assignment you want to unassign. Next delete the original assignment. Edit the title of the copy by removing "Copy"

2nd - go into Assignments and find the original assignment you want to unassign. click on it so it brings you into the assignment. At the top right of the assignment is 3 dots. click on it and delete the assignment. 

hope that helps 

[BrandonEstes]

Here's a couple of solutions that worked for me:

1. Change the 'Available From' Date so that students can see the assignment but can't access it until you want to make it available.

2. Change the 'Assign To' from Everyone and simply add the names of those students who have submitted. That way, they don't lose their work, but it doesn't show up for everyone else. You can change it back to Everyone once you're ready for it to open up to all students.

Hope that helps!

[GGB005]

If the assignment has student submissions, you cannot unpublish it, however, here is a workaround that completely removes it from student view (and their grades!)

1. Begin by opening the assignment and selecting "Edit."
2. Change the "Display Grade As" setting to "Not Graded." This will hide the assignment from students in the Grades section, but it will remain visible under Assignments and, if applicable, under Modules.
3. Save your changes and exit the assignment.
4. STOP! - If you're not already using Modules, first create one by following these steps (if you are currently using Modules, skip to step 5):
   1. Navigate to Modules and click on "+ Module."
   2. Name the module and then click "Add Module."
   3. Now, you must add the assignment you want to unpublish to the module by clicking the "+" in the upper right corner of the Module box. Follow the prompts to add the assignment and click "Add Item" when done. The assignment will now be in the unpublished module, invisible to students.
5. Next, move the assignment you want to unpublish into this new module (ensure the module itself remains unpublished to keep the assignment hidden from students).  Note: If you're already using Modules, simply move the assignment to the new, unpublished module.

This method effectively removes the assignment from student view, retains submissions for future reference, and prevents the assignment's grade from affecting student grades.