Uploading multiple files for assignments

[rachel_delaney]

I have students turning in assignments on Canvas from their Google Drive (which has already been registered on their Canvas accounts). How can they submit more than one file per assignment? Most of them have two separate documents I want them to turn in for one assignment I put on Canvas.

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hi Rachel...

In addition to what  @jeffrey_weimer ​ has provided, your students could also re-submit the assignment with the second file attached.  Here is a Canvas Guide that I found which explains this procedure from a student perspective.  Refer to the directions at the bottom of the page: How do I submit an online assignment?  Here is the Canvas Guide for instructors: Can a student resubmit any Assignment?

Hope this helps!!!

[jeffrey_weimer · Accepted solution]

> She needs it to be a functional spreadsheet so it can't be a PDF and the two submissions works, but it's more of a hack than a clear directive to students. ...

Here is a clear directive to the students:

Before you submit your two files, you will create a ZIP archive that contains both of them. On a Mac, select the two files and choose Compress 2 Items from the main File menu or the popup context menu. On Windows, select the two files and choose (... whatever the commands are on Windows). Once you have the ZIP archive, name it YYYYY.zip. Finally, submit your YYYYY.zip archive as one file.

I would set the submission requirements in Canvas to restrict upload types to ZIP file extensions only.

--

JJW

[lse224 · Accepted solution]

Yes, I saw this one and know how to make a zip file. But if you use this method will the instructor be able to see each of the files in SpeedGrader? That's the dealbreaker. Bottom line - we just need Canvas to be able to accept two files as a built-in feature which is apparently coming.

[jeffrey_weimer]

I don't quite understand your final question. Either you want the students to make only one file at their end and submit only that one file as their document of final record. Alternatively, you don't care how many files they submit as long as you can find all of their specific files "in one package".

You have one of two options depending on which of the above is your true requirement.

• Have them submit their final reports as one contiguous PDF file. The options to print to and merge together PDF files are directly available under Mac OS X. On Windows, you have to download additional software (for free). Search for Print to PDF on Windows and Merge PDF Files on Windows to find the tools.
• Have them submit their multiple files in a ZIP archive. The software tool to create a ZIP archive is immediately available on both Mac and Windows computers.

I think you want the second option. Personally, I prefer the first approach. Windows users may gripe about the "extra work" but PDF is IMHO the best standard to collect for a final document of record from a student. As a specific reason, I offer that I certainly do not want to be on pins and needles thinking that I accidentally changed a student's Word file while I was grading it, only to never know later what the original source was.

Hope this helps.

--
JJW

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hi Rachel...

In addition to what  @jeffrey_weimer ​ has provided, your students could also re-submit the assignment with the second file attached.  Here is a Canvas Guide that I found which explains this procedure from a student perspective.  Refer to the directions at the bottom of the page: How do I submit an online assignment?  Here is the Canvas Guide for instructors: Can a student resubmit any Assignment?

Hope this helps!!!

[rachel_delaney]

Perfect! I was hoping they could submit multiple times, but I wasn't sure if that was the most feasible/fastest way to do it. (Or if Canvas would replace the first submission with the second one.)

Thanks!!

[lse224]

I just got a question about this from a faculty member who has an assignment where students need to submit two-document assignment one is a doc and one is a spreadsheet. She needs it to be a functional spreadsheet so it can't be a PDF and the two submissions works, but it's more of a hack than a clear directive to students. Has anyone seen this as a feature request?

[kona]

lse224​, yep, here it is - . It already went up for vote and got the following response from Canvas, "I completely agree. We are exploring the best way to design and implement this process in the current assignments process. We want to be sure we implement the solution the right way AND in a way that makes sense to not affect previously submitted assignments. We have several things to consider, but it's not off our radar."

My personal guess as to why it's not on the radar right now is that Canvas is currently working on a complete overhaul of quizzes (Modern Quizzing Engine) and gradebook (Gradebook Enhancements).

[jeffrey_weimer · Accepted solution]

> She needs it to be a functional spreadsheet so it can't be a PDF and the two submissions works, but it's more of a hack than a clear directive to students. ...

Here is a clear directive to the students:

Before you submit your two files, you will create a ZIP archive that contains both of them. On a Mac, select the two files and choose Compress 2 Items from the main File menu or the popup context menu. On Windows, select the two files and choose (... whatever the commands are on Windows). Once you have the ZIP archive, name it YYYYY.zip. Finally, submit your YYYYY.zip archive as one file.

I would set the submission requirements in Canvas to restrict upload types to ZIP file extensions only.

--

JJW

[lse224 · Accepted solution]

Yes, I saw this one and know how to make a zip file. But if you use this method will the instructor be able to see each of the files in SpeedGrader? That's the dealbreaker. Bottom line - we just need Canvas to be able to accept two files as a built-in feature which is apparently coming.

[kona]

Yep, the fact that the zipped files won't show up (unzip) in Speedgrader is definitely a downer. :smileycry:

[bsr]

It's also not something students can do on all device types. I have an assignment for which I want students to be able to upload multiple photos from their cell phones or other mobile devices. I also want to be able to view the photos in Speedgrader. Double-downer.

[jeffrey_weimer]

I might in this case recommend the use of an appropriately-configured (and institute-sanctified) cloud storage (GDrive, Dropbox, Box ...) to solve the first problem. They are generally all accessible across multiple platforms from most any app.

I'd be hard pressed to suggest anything other than what you are likely doing now (off-line grading in a different app) for the second problem.

--

JJW

[orwinr · Accepted solution]

This might be what you're looking for if I understand the question correctly. When students submit an assignment they can easily attach multiple files of different types using the "Add Another File" option on the assignment submission page:

When you go to SpeedGrader it looks like this:

Once you get into SpeedGrader, click on the file that you want to view and it will render in whatever tool loads the files, Box, Crocodoc or eventually the new document viewer. We have used this functionality for ages. 

Hope this helps 🙂

[student072279]

We need to be able to upload 1,2,3,4,5 or more files in one upload, who has the time to do them one by one!! select all function needs to be built in easy to build in so why not?

[mtomlinson1]

I need to be able to upload multiple files and then also a Google Doc.  This doesn't seem possible...other than a workaround of resubmitting a second attempt at the assignment with a different file upload.  Is there any news on this moving forward?