[Assignments] Submit an assignment on behalf of a student

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

As an instructor, I'd like the option to submit assignments on behalf of my students. This feature should enable me to pick a file from my computer and upload it as a submission for a given student. I should then be able to assess the submission just as if the student had submitted it themselves. A note should appear somewhere that indicates I submitted the assignment on behalf of my student. This would help me in cases where, for instance, my students submit an assignment on paper or the submission is a performance (a speech or presentation) that I capture on video.

 

transferred from the old Community

Originally posted by: Bill Hanna
Special thanks for contributions by: Paul Gibbons, Sydney Cheek-O'Donnell, Kona Jones, Stefanie Sanders

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369 Comments
cwruck
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

This is a great idea, and one we hear pretty frequently when we talk to instructors. I definitely see the need for this type of feature. It's something we'd like to tackle, but unfortunately, I don't think it will be something we can do in the immediate future. The good news is, that this is something that has been on our radar for a long time and that we've actually thought long and hard about. I think we will get to this feature eventually have a great solution for this problem, but the pipe is a little to full on our immediate roadmap. I'm going to have to Archive this for now, but don't lose hope. This is a really solid feature request and one that deserves our attention. It won't evaporate from our minds just because it's archived right now.

clegg
Community Member

This option would save me a ton of effort and time.  I am surprised to see it archived.  :smileyconfused::smileyshocked:

I get students who prefer (for whatever reason) to hand me their assignments in class instead of upload them to Canvas. 

Please, please,  we need this option BADLY!!.   This would be one of my top 3 requests.... and is a major priority for me as an instructor.  Don't overlook the benefits of this feature for all the instructors using Canvas.

reevesj
Community Novice

If it's a thousand times yes, then maybe you and others ought to vote to make this a priority!  🙂

sadenniston
Community Contributor

New to Canvas, but wondering if it is possible to mark an assignment as submitted if a student doesn't submit online...?

awilliams
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

Hey  @sadenniston ​, in most places where the assignment would show up it will still say "No Submission" but you can get a grade in the gradebook so you and the student know it has been graded and you can attach the file as a comment to the assignment for reference.

craigring
Community Novice

This is definitely a development that would please a lot of our staff. As a music teacher it would be fantastic to record the evidence on my phone, and submit it for the students as their assessment material.

stephanie_kajpu
Community Novice

How about instead of being able to submit a file on behalf of them, we can have a check-mark to say submitted?  I'd really like that for things on paper, so students know whether they turned something in and I haven't graded it yet.  I have a lot of student swho can't remember what they have turned in.

SethBattis
Community Contributor

communityteam is there a community holding pen for ideas like this -- too good to lose, but not yet on the road map? Something different than archived, more like "parking lot"?

cwruck
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

Well, it's not called the "Parking Lot", but it is called "Under Consideration". Basically, it's something we don't have the bandwidth to do right now, but will seriously consider doing at some point in the future... and I think this feature is an EXCELLENT candidate for that category. This is something I'd love to do, but haven't had the bandwidth to mock up userflows yet. Thank you for mentioning this one  @SethBattis ​.

cmitchell
Community Member

If I could only have one new feature implemented in Canvas, it would be this one.  My single biggest hassle teaching online courses is students who have to give me late work for whatever reason and I have no way to put it into the system.  Nothing else comes close.  Attaching through comments is cumbersome and doesn't allow us to use the annotation features.  I don't want to have to switch from Canvas to Adobe.  Please implement this feature.