How do I edit or delete an outcome in a course?

You can edit outcomes you have created in your course. Outcomes can be modified if they have been used to assess students, but any changes may affect student results.

This lesson displays how to edit or delete an outcome in the classic Outcomes page view. If the Outcomes page in your course displays differently than the images in this lesson, learn how to edit or remove an outcome in a course within an account that has enabled the Improved Outcomes Management feature option.

Notes:

  • You can modify any outcomes where you have permission.
  • If an outcome does not include an Edit or Delete button it is an account level outcome or an imported outcome that cannot be edited or deleted.
  • Outcomes that have been aligned with an assignment or question bank cannot be deleted unless they are removed from the assignment or question bank. Outcomes that have been used to assess a student cannot be deleted.
  • If you cannot edit mastery scales and calculation methods for an outcome, your institution has enabled course-wide mastery scales and calculation methods.

Open Outcomes

Open Outcomes

In Course Navigation, click the Outcomes link.

Select Outcome

Select Outcome

Locate the outcome you want to modify.

Modify Outcome

To edit an outcome, click the Edit button [1]. Editing an outcome allows you to change non-scoring details such as the name and description. You can also edit scoring details for the outcome including the points rating or scoring method.

When you are finished with your edits, click the Save button.

To delete an outcome, click the Delete button [2].

View Outcome Edit Confirmation

View Outcome Edit Confirmation

If you edit an outcome that has been used to assess a student, Canvas displays a message notifying you that your edits will update all outcomes associated with a rubric that has not been assessed.

Click the Save button.

Note: This message only displays for outcomes you modify that have not been used to assess a student. If this confirmation message does not display, the outcome is associated with more than one rubric and edits cannot be updated.

View Assessed Outcome

If an outcome has already been used to assess a student, some modifications may affect student results [1].

To view any aligned items and student assessments for a particular outcome, click the name of the outcome [2]. These assignments and rubrics may be affected when you edit the outcome.

View Scoring Edits Confirmation

View Scoring Edits Confirmation

If you are editing scoring details on an outcome that has been used to assess students, Canvas displays a message notifying you that your edits will affect all students previously assessed using the outcome. Scoring changes only affect a student's learning mastery score in the Learning Mastery Gradebook for the edited outcome. When scoring criteria is edited, the learning mastery values scale for assessed rubrics according to the original points possible.

Click the Save button.