For us this option when creating an assignment is quite confusing:
Display grade as "Not graded"
I does not serve any purpose?
Because if we choose it we cannot choose submission type..
Or is there a user case i have not taught of?
For us this option when creating an assignment is quite confusing:
Display grade as "Not graded"
I does not serve any purpose?
Because if we choose it we cannot choose submission type..
Or is there a user case i have not taught of?
I think another use, particularly with younger students is for practice work where you want to assign the student a grade that doesn't count towards the final. I might have my kids turn in a sheet of paper in class that has math problems they have worked through and I want a way to assign them grades and feedback before we get to work that counts permanently. I haven't done that myself but I can imagine it as a use case.
We have also used the non-graded function in these cases:
1) we build a one-question quiz that is an affirmation from the student that they have read the "pre-course" information including the syllabus.
2) we don't generally grade an introduction post, but want it completed by each student
We typically use non-graded assignments to create course preparation assignments that list readings for class meetings. It puts pre-work/pre-work for class meetings onto students' calendars and to-do lists. It also provides a way to link to readings or files or videos, etc. that they may be expected to do before class.
We also use non-graded assignments as a way to create "reminder" assignments that need for things like signing up for a group, completing a peer review, and posting comments to a discussion board.
Teachers at my school will use the non graded assignment for things that can enrich the student's coursework, but not something that the teacher wants to "count". We use homework as a way to practice, but not everything needs to be graded. By making the assignment it alerts students and observers to what students could be doing to expand or sharpen their skills, but it doesn't need to be assessed by the teacher.
This may help -- or may not: What is the difference between a Canvas Assignment and a Canvas Activity? Even with that distinction of the difference between an assignment and an activity, it still may not be clear. You probably think of the "Do not count this towards the final" as "not graded." In most cases, it probably is, but it still adds an entry to the gradebook.
The not graded type can be used to place an assignment onto the Coming Up list without adding an extra entry into the gradebook. However, it doesn't give you any type of submission, which limits its usefulness.
I wish I would have known about this -- it's been one of those things that's never gotten a second thought because who would want to create a non-graded assignment? That is your question, too.
Where I can see it being used is for a discussion. Let's say I have an initial post due on Thursday and the discussion continues until Tuesday. I can only have one due date in the system for the assignment. But with this, I can add another due date for the other portion. I can make the due date for the discussion on Tuesday and add a non-graded assignment to remind people to do the initial post by Thursday. Or I could flip those around.
I've been adding extra events to the calendar, which accomplishes much of the same thing, but you cannot control visibility with those like you can an assignment.
It could also be used for a longer project with multiple phases where only one portion is graded. Let's say that each week I want to see what the students have done on their project. It's just a check in, but I want to remind them that it's going to be happening.
There are probably other, better, use cases. Sometimes it's hard for us to imagine any use for something when we don't use it. But there are probably people in other places that use it.
There must be people using it, though. I just checked our Canvas Data and there are more assignments that are "not graded" than letter grade or pass fail.
A quick look at some of the titles suggests that people are using it to put reminders for things.
Another use I see is for module progression. You can put a non-graded assignment into a module and then say that people have to mark it as done to meet the prerequisite. That's something you can't do with a calendar event.