Inconsistent display of instructor comments on Assignments vs. Quizzes

[pashultz]

I'm part of my institution's support team for Canvas. An instructor reports that some students are unable to see comments on Quiz attempts. After one of the students helped me investigate, we traced the problem to an apparent inconsistency in navigation between Assignments and Quizzes, in student view.

For Assignments, whether I start from the Grades link in navigation or the Assignments link, it leads to a "Submission Details" view that includes the instructor's comments in the right sidebar. The URL looks like this: https://institution.instructure.com/courses/1234/assignments/12345/submissions/1234

View of an Assignment submission, with instructor comments in right sidebar

For Quizzes, when I start with the Grades link, it goes to a similarly structured "Submission Details" view that includes instructor comments. The URL is analogous:
https://institution.instructure.com/courses/1234/assignments/56789/submissions/3456

View of a Quiz attempt, showing instructor comments in right sidebar

But if I open a Quiz from the Assignments or Quizzes navigation link, it takes me instead to a Quiz "History" view that shows no instructor comments for the same attempt, nor any evidence thereof. The URL contains /quizzes/ instead of /assignments/.
https://institution.instructure.com/courses/1234/quizzes/23456/history?version=1

View of a Quiz attempt, with no instructor comments visible.

Is this behavior intended? It's confusing to our students and to me, and I wonder what purpose this "History" view serves that isn't served better by the "Submission Details" view.

[masantos · Accepted solution]

Hello @pashultz 

There are a couple of ways students can view their submissions and grades. Both ways have different views depending on how they access the information. Please note that your third image is to view the quiz with the student's responses, while the first and second images are to view the submission and grade.

In short, although this may be confusing, this was intended. If you feel that the views should be consistent, I recommend submitting an idea to Canvas.

[pashultz]

Hmm. I did notice the distinction, but this "History" view shows the score as well as the student's response—which from a student's point of view could reasonably suggest that it's a view of the grade. And it's not clear why this behavior would apply only to Quizzes, as distinct from other Assignments. I'll submit as an idea that the "History" view should show comments (or at least some indication that comments exist), or else be deprecated in favor of the "Submission Details" view used elsewhere. I don't currently see any downsides, and it would reduce confusion for our students and faculty.

Thanks for the reply!

[pashultz]

All right, posted here: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Ideas/Improve-consistency-of-views-of-a-Quiz-submission/id...

Good luck, little Idea!