How do I send a message to students based on submission or grading status?

You can use the Gradebook to send messages to your students. This lesson describes how to message students using the Message Students Who option. You can also message students individually in the Gradebook by using the student context card.

Note: The messages will be received by students in their Canvas Inbox. They will only receive an email if they have notifications turned on for Canvas messages.

Message subjects are filtered based on specific assignment categories:

Haven't submitted yet—students who haven't submitted the assignment, even if they have been manually awarded a grade.
Haven't been graded—students whose assignments have not yet been graded (submitted or unsubmitted).
Scored less than [point value]—students who earned a grade on their assignment less than X number of points.
Scored more than [point value]—students who earned a grade on their assignment more than X number of points.

Although one message most likely will be sent to multiple students at the same time, each student will receive an individual message.

Open Gradebook

In Course Navigation, click the Grades link.

Open Assignment Menu

Hover over the assignment column header and click the Options icon.

Message Students

Click the Message Students Who link.

Select Message Category

By default, Canvas will show names from the Have not been graded category.

In the For students who.. drop-down menu [1], select the category of students you want to message. Based on real-time data, Canvas displays the names of the observers who fall in the category you selected [2]. You can also remove observers from the message by clicking the Remove icon [3].

Type the message subject in the Type Something... field [4].

Send Message

Type a message to the students in the message field [1]. Click the Send Message button [2].

Note: Although one message most likely will be sent to multiple students at the same time, each student will receive an individual message.

How do I make sure student grades are released only when I am ready?

You can use posting policies in the Gradebook to manage assignment grade visibility for students. Posted grades are visible to students in your course. Hidden grades are visible to you in the course gradebook, but students cannot see them.

Posting policies can be set for an entire course and/or individual assignments. Assignment-level posting policies will override the course-level posting policy for that assignment. When a posting policy is set to automatic, grades are automatically posted to students when they are entered. When a posting policy is set to manual, grades must be manually posted to students using the Post grades option before they can be viewed.

Posted grades can also be hidden using the Hide grades option. The Hide grades option only hides grades that are currently visible to students. In order to ensure all future assignment grades are hidden, you will need to use a manual posting policy for the assignment or course.

Note: It is recommended that you set course and assignment posting policies before entering grades.

How do I select a grade posting policy for a single assignment?

In the Gradebook, you can select an automatic or manual grade posting policy for an individual assignment. Posting policies determine grade visibility for students. You should select an assignment posting policy before entering grades.

If you select an automatic posting policy, students can see assignment grades as soon as they are entered in the gradebook. Anonymous and moderated assignments cannot be set to post grades automatically.

How do I select a grade posting policy for all course assignments?

In the Gradebook, you can select a default automatic or manual grade posting policy for all course assignments. Posting policies determine grade visibility for students.

By default, Canvas courses use an automatic course posting policy. All assignment grades are visible to students as soon as they are entered in the gradebook. Grades for anonymous and moderated assignments do not post automatically.

If you select a manual course posting policy, all assignment grades remain hidden from student view by default until you post grades for each assignment. If you select a manual course posting policy after assignment grades have already been entered, the policy will not apply retroactively and any posted grades will remain visible. You can hide posted grades from the assignment's Options menu. Additionally, when assignment grades are hidden, students cannot see their assignment grade, instructor comments, or grade change notifications. However, instructors can post comments to students before grades are entered. Course post policies apply to all course assignments by default.

Open Grades

In Course Navigation, click the Grades link.

Open Gradebook Settings

Click the Settings icon.

View Grade Posting Policy

Click the Grade Posting Policy tab.

Post Grades Automatically

To post grades automatically, select the Automatically Post Grades option. When grades are posted automatically, students can view assignment grades as soon as they are entered.

Note: If you select the Automatically Post Grades option after you have already hidden grades, previously hidden grades will remain hidden.

Post Grades Manually

To manually post grades for students to view, select the Manually Post Grades option. When the Manually Post Grades option is selected, grades are hidden from student view by default and must be posted to be viewed by students.

Update Policy

To apply changes to the grade posting policy, click the Update button.

View Gradebook

If a manual posting policy has been applied in a course, all assignment headers will display the Manual label [1]. This label indicates that a manual posting policy is currently in place and future grades are hidden from student view.

Once a submission has been graded, the assignment header displays the Visibility icon [2]. This indicates that there are grades within the assignment that must be posted before they can be viewed by students.

When grades are hidden from student view, the Total column also displays the Visibility icon [3]. This indicates that the total grade in the Gradebook differs from the total grade viewed by the student.

To manage the posting policy for an assignment, click the Options icon [4].

How do I enter and edit grades in SpeedGrader?

In SpeedGrader, you can enter grades for student submissions. Grades are automatically displayed in the Gradebook.

Note: SpeedGrader is generally designed for one instructor role to enter grades at a time. Because of how SpeedGrader loads and stores data in the browser, multiple users should not grade assignments at the same time since each grader cannot view the most recent information for a submission. For more details on grading limitations, please see the lesson about how to use SpeedGrader (Links to an external site.).

Open SpeedGrader

Open SpeedGrader from any assignment, graded discussion, or quiz.

Open Student Submission

Use the student list (Links to an external site.) to locate a student submission.

Grade Submission

Scores are entered according to the assignment's Display Grade setting [1]. Scores can be entered as one of five options: points, complete/incomplete, letter grade, percentage, and GPA.

If a rubric is attached to the assignment, you can view the rubric (Links to an external site.) by clicking the View Rubric button [2]. If your rubric is set up for grading, the Grade field will automatically populate with the rubric grade results.

Enter Points Grade

To enter a points grade, enter the number of points in the grade field.

Enter Complete or Incomplete Grade

To enter a complete or incomplete grade, click the Grade drop-down menu [1] and select the desired option [2].

Enter Letter Grade

To enter a letter grade, enter the letter in the grade field.

Enter Percentage Grade

To enter a percentage grade, enter the percent in the grade field.

Enter GPA Grade

To enter a GPA grade, enter the number which corresponds to the GPA scale defined by the grading scheme in the grade field.

View Excessive Points Alert

If an excessive amount of points is added to a student's grade, Canvas will generate an alert notifying that the student was awarded an unusually high grade. You can either keep or correct the point value.

Excessive points can occur in the following situations:

The amount entered is 50% above the total points possible
An extra digit is entered (e.g. 500 instead of 50)
Negative points are entered

Edit Grade

To edit an existing score, click the grade field and enter the new grade.

Delete Grade

To manually delete a grade, click the grade field and click the delete key.

How do I hide or post assignment grades in SpeedGrader?

The Hide Grades feature only affects previously posted grades for an assignment. Best practice suggests that instructors should use this feature sparingly (i.e. to hide grades posted in error). To hide all grades upon entry until you are ready to post them for student view, please set a manual posting policy for your assignment or set a posting policy for a course.

You can hide or post assignment grades from SpeedGrader. You can also hide grades or post grades from the Gradebook. When assignment grades are hidden, students will not receive grade change or instructor comment notifications for the assignment. Students will also be unable to view their grades, including grade and score changes, instructor submission comments and annotations. Students can still see and submit the assignment and will be informed on the student grades page that assignment grades are hidden.

Open SpeedGrader

Open SpeedGrader from any assignment, graded discussion, or quiz.

View Visibility Icons

The Visibility icon indicates if assignment grades are hidden or posted. Assignment visibility can be determined by course posting policies or assignment posting policies.

If assignment grades are posted for the assignment, the icon displays as the Posted Visibility icon [1]. If assignment grades are hidden, the icon displays as the Hidden Visibility icon [2].

Hide Grades

To hide assignment grades, click the Posted Visibility icon [1] and select the Hide Grades option [2].

Note: Students will be unable to view their grades until the assignment is posted.

Select Sections

To hide grades for specific sections, click the Specific Sections button [1]. Then select the sections where you want to hide grades [2].

Note: You cannot hide grades for specific sections in anonymous assignments.

Hide Grades

Click the Hide button.

Student View: Hidden Assignment

The Visibility icon will display next to the title of the assignment on the Grades page [1]. If a student tries to click on the icon, a popup dialog informs the student that the instructor has not posted the grade for this assignment [2].

Post Grades

To post assignment grades, click the Hidden Visibility icon [1] and select the Post Grades option [2].

Select Posting Option

To make grades visible to all students, click the Everyone option [1]. When the Everyone option is selected, the Visibility icon will be removed from the grades page for all students, including students with ungraded submissions. An assignment notification will also be sent to all students.

To post grades to students with graded submissions, click the Graded option [2]. When the Graded option is selected, the Visibility icon will only be removed from the grades page for students with graded submissions. Assignment notifications will only be sent to students with graded submissions.

Notes:

Grades can only be posted to everyone in anonymous assignments.
If a manual posting policy is set for an assignment and grades are posted to everyone, the manual posting policy will become inactive and future grades will be posted automatically.

Select Sections

To post grades for specific sections, click the Specific Section button [1]. Then select the sections where you want to post grades [2].

Note: You cannot post grades for specific sections in anonymous assignments.

Post Grades

Click the Post button.