Changing the 'Submit Assignment' Button

Students tell us that the "Submit Assignment" button is confusing, because the term "submit" implies to turn in. Changing the work "Submit" to "Begin" (or something similar) would be less confusing, and using "Submit Assignment" for when the assignment is actually be submitted for grading.

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This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

For more information, please read through the Canvas Deploy Notes (2021-03-31).

96 Comments
chplum20
Community Novice

okay so most of use know that submit assignment means that you are turning it in. and when they go in to the area to turn it in they know that they are turning it in and not going in to figure out that the assignment is beginning.

chplum20
Community Novice

those would then make kids think "oh okay the button is telling me to complete/finish it." then they would go to ask "how to i SUBMIT the assignment." so just keep it the same if you change it everyone will get confused and you guys/girls will get flooded with questions.

chplum20
Community Novice

we have been using submission for ever now to mean that you are turning in the assignment.  if we change it then everyone will be confused. we just need to leave it how it is. we all know the submit means to turn in every where. here is the definition "present (a proposal, application, or other document) to a person or body for consideration or judgment." in other words to turn in so case closed we keep it the same stop being idiots.

chplum20
Community Novice

it is not a mistake. you just need to learn the language of school.

chplum20
Community Novice

AMEN!

chplum20
Community Novice

you have a problem with using submit because it means to begin yet you use submitting to mean turn in. so why is there a problem. you are used to submit meaning turn in and so is everyone else. so here is a question. WHY CHANGE IT WHEN EVERY ONE KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS???

chplum20
Community Novice

it is not confusing we all know what it means in school. it means to turn in. if you do not understand then you should not be a teacher.

klogan1
Community Novice

My school is converting from Moodle to Canvas next year. Having just created my first course in Canvas, I find it confusing to have the 'Submit Assignment' button at the top of the submission page that just expands the page to add either a text entry box or a file upload button and displays a second button with the same name. I suggest changing the top button to 'Add Assignment', and keep 'Submit Assignment' when the page expands. Or, simply expand the page automatically when the assignment link is clicked, and display the appropriate tools for the type of assignment, eliminating the need for displaying the same button twice.

klogan1
Community Novice

It's like ordering something online. The 'Place Your Order' button should be the last thing you do.

klogan1
Community Novice

For face-to-face classes, what you say is true. However, for my online classes, I can add a note about this in my course orientation page, but that does not mean students will read it. After more than 10 years of teaching online classes, I find that some students are only interested in clicking assignment, quiz and exam links. They ignore most of the other content.