How to override the assignment "Available until" date globally? (Due to incomplete grades)

[cvon]

With many students not able to complete their courses due to COVID-19, can we override the Available Until date on assignment submissions on a school-wide level? I can extend the end of the course date globally, but was hoping to do this for all assignments within courses. I see with Multi-tool that all Available Until dates for assignments within a course can be changed, but was hoping to do this globally for all of our Spring 2020 courses. 

[James · Accepted solution]

 @cvon  

This can be done using a script that accesses the Canvas API. Basically you would need to go through every course and use the Bulk Update Assignment Dates endpoint. You would have to fetch all of the assignment dates ahead of time and worry about any overrides that had been given.

Depending on how many courses you're talking about and what programming skills your team has available, it may be quicker to do it course by course through the web interface.

[cvon]

Hi James, 

Thanks so much for your speedy response! We don't have Canvas API yet, but are working on it. You are probably right that it may be quicker to do it course by course through web interface. We have over 900 courses, but also have over 100 teachers who will need to manage their own courses.  

[James]

You do have the Canvas REST API, it comes with Canvas. It's not an add-on that needs enabled. Some of Canvas and all of the Mobile Apps interaction with Canvas runs through the API. Sadly, having it and knowing how to use it are two completely different things and it does have a definite learning curve. A project like this is not one I would start off learning the API with.

[cvon]

Thanks for your clarification. Obviously, I am not the one to do the API work. : )