Text Submission Question

[AnthonyRettig]

I have been using Canvas as an educator for 5 years.  I have been using external documents using Google Cloud Docs to upload and post assignments.  Im unhappy with how easily students are sharing google docs and handing in shared assignments.  

Im looking at online submissions using Text Submission.  My question is, Is there a way to template question numbers, tables, formatting etc, in their text box?  I know we can structure it in the assignment directions box, but what I specifically want is to be able to format their text box that they construct/write their answers into.

Is this possible?  By being able to make a structured worksheet in canvas it would make it less easy for mass sharing among students.

[SusanNiemeyer]

I don't think it's possible to do this with text boxes on Canvas.

I've run into the same issue with students sending each other answers to post. If I see an identical submission with the same mistakes and the same odd formatting and spacing, I'll give the students 0 points and write a message like: "Your answer is identical to X's answer. You must do your own work. No credit."

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @AnthonyRettig ...

Are you wanting your students to annotate a file that you've uploaded to Canvas?  If so, you could do this right within Canvas without using Google.  In this Guide, How do I create an online assignment? - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com), check out the section on "Select Online Entry Options", and the sub-heading "Select Annotation File".

Not sure if this will be helpful to you or not, but I thought I'd chime in and provide my $0.02.

[TrishaMeyer1]

Hi @AnthonyRettig,

As @SusanNiemeyer and @Chris_Hofer said, it's not possible to pre-format a text entry window. When I was teaching with Canvas (and didn't really know what I was doing yet) I used to make the table in the instructions and then tell the students to copy it and paste it in their response editor. I had high school students. If using a table, you do need to put something in each row; otherwise the table will collapse when you hit Save.

Chris's suggestion for Student Annotation is a good idea, too. You can upload a PDF, which is much more difficult for students to share, though not impossible because they can still download a copy to their own device. But that's more work than Sharing a Google file, so it might deter enough of them.