Integrating timed assignments and events into calendar

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DeletedUser
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Hi, I'm new to Canvas and trying to set up a course that includes both live events such as a webinar and assignments such as quizzes. For both types I want to set time slots e.g. from 10.00 am to 11.00 am and I want these time slots to appear on both the calendar and on the syllabus. This is possible for calendar events but not for assignments: the latter only show the due date (which in this case would be the end of the time slot). This can be very confusing in particular on the calendar view that only shows the start date for events (unless you hover) and the due date for assignments (at least on the syllabus you are told that the time is the due date but on the calendar it just shows a time). In other words, on the calendar you see the start time for a calendar event and the end time for an assignment! Does anyone out there have a workaround for this?

A related issue is that once an assignment is finished the student has the option to press the next button and this takes them to the next assignment which is not necessarily the next item on the calendar (i.e. if this is a calendar event). Expecting (new) students to intuitively understand that 'next' does not mean the next event and that they have to return either to the calendar or the syllabus to see the whole story seems to be rather unrealistic. Again any workarounds would be gratefully received. 

Thanks in advance for any tips:)

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nwilson7
Community Champion

@DeletedUser I am not sure there is really anything you can do about the assignments on the Calendar.  Canvas does not have timed assignments (in theory you can create one using the available To and Until times, but only Quizzes can have actual time limits), thus there is not a way to get an assignment to show like you are wanting on the Calendar.  You can create events in the Calendar and could put the assignment link in as the event but this would be a lot of extra work on your part.  This also will do the same thing where it will show the start time of the event.

For the "Next" button, this comes from adding things to modules.  If the item is not in a module, it will not have a next button.  The order of the items is whatever order you have them in in the module, so you can drag them around and rearrange them to the order to match your calendar instead of the due date or order they are currently in.

For what it is worth, I am guessing you have a regular schedule such as class is always 9-10am.  Students will know that your content is going to take place during that time and do not need it to show on the Calendar/syllabus for them to know this.  When I make something due at the end time for class, students realize it is something we will do in class.  When I make it due at 11:59pm the night before (the Canvas default) then they know it is something I will assign in class but they will do it outside of class.

Hope this helps!

-Nick

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