Canvas Guides (English)Canvas GuidesCanvas Instructor GuideDiscussionsHow do I assign a graded discussion to a course section?

How do I assign a graded discussion to a course section?

When creating or editing a graded discussion, you can assign a graded discussion to a specific course section. Availability date functionality is still available for each graded discussion.

Only the section(s) specified in the discussion details can view the graded discussion.

When using differentiated assignments with the Gradebook, the graded discussion appears as a column for all students, but grade cells are grayed out for students who have not been included in the discussion. Grades cannot be assigned for students who have not been included in the graded discussion, and graded discussions that are not assigned to a student are not factored into overall grades.

When Multiple Grading Periods are enabled in a course, graded discussions are validated against closed grading periods.

Notes:

Open Discussions

Open Discussions

In Course Navigation, click the Discussions link.

Add Discussion

Add Discussion

Click the Add Discussion button.

Enter Discussion Details

Enter Discussion Details

Enter a topic title [1] and discussion details [2]. You can also attach files [3].

Learn more about creating a discussion.

Set Graded Discussion

Set Graded Discussion

Click the Graded checkbox.

Note: Graded discussions cannot be anonymous. If the Graded checkbox is not visible, you may need to turn off anonymous discussion.

Enter Grading Details

Enter Grading Details

Enter the total number of points possible in the Points Possible field [1].

To select a grading type, click the Display Grade As drop-down menu [2]. Then, select a grading type. You can display grades as points, percentages, complete/incomplete, a letter grade, or a GPA scale.

To choose an assignment group, click the Assignment Group drop-down menu [3]. Then, select a group.

Choose Letter Grade Scheme

Choose Letter Grade Scheme

If you display grades as letter grades, the grading scheme defaults to the Default Canvas Grading Scheme. To select another grading scheme, click the Grading Scheme drop-down menu [1] and select another scheme.

You can view [2] or copy [3] the current grading scheme. You can also create a new grading scheme [4] or manage all grading schemes [5].

Learn more about adding grading schemes to an assignment such as a graded discussion.

Manage Peer Reviews

Manage Peer Reviews

By default, peer reviews are not assigned.

To assign peer reviews manually, click the Assign manually radio button [1].

To assign peer reviews automatically, click the Automatically assign radio button [2].

Assign to Section

Assign to Everyone

To manage assignees, the discussion due date, or availability dates, click the Manage Assign To link [1].

By default, Canvas assigns your graded discussion to everyone in your course. Remove everyone by clicking the Remove icon [2].

Select Section

Select Assignees

To add a section, click the Assign To field [1]. Then, select a section name [2].

Note: You can include more than one section in the Assign To field as long as the sections are to be assigned the same due and availability dates.

Find Section

Find Student or Section

To find a section more easily, enter a few letters of the name [1] and select the name from a filtered list [2].

Edit Due and Availability Dates

Edit Due Date and Availability

In the date fields, add your preferred date(s) for the following:

  • Due Date [1]: Set the date and time that the graded discussion is due.
  • Available From [2]: Set the date and time when the discussion will become available.
  • Until [3]: Set the date and time when the discussion will no longer be available.

Notes:

  • If you have set section override dates in your course, you may need to select a course section and set due and availability dates that fall within the section override dates.
  • If the course does not include specified course start and end dates, Canvas validates the discussion against the term date set for the course.
  • If your course is not using Multiple Grading Periods, the due date is validated against the closed grading period and requires the discussion date to be past the date of the closed grading period.

Add Additional Dates

Add Additional Dates

To add one or more students with a different due date and availability dates, click the Add button.

Remove Dates

Remove Dates

You can also delete additional dates by clicking the remove icon in the appropriate date section.

View Date Error

View Date Error

If you submit an invalid string of due dates, Canvas generates an error notification. Invalid entries include not unlocking the discussion before it is due, not placing the due date inside the range of availability dates, or assigning a date that is outside the course or term dates.

Correct the date and then update the discussion again.

Notes:

  • If the course does not include specified course start and end dates, Canvas validates the graded discussion against the term date set for the course.
  • If your course is using Multiple Grading Periods, the Assign field validates the due date against the closed grading period and requires the discussion due date to be past the date of the closed grading period.

Apply Changes

Apply Changes

Canvas displays the time zone date and time according to context [1]. If you manage courses in a time zone other than your local time zone and create or edit a due date for a graded discussion, the course and local times are displayed for reference.

To save the discussion assignment details, click the Apply button [2].

Save and Publish

Save and Publish

If you are ready to publish your discussion, click the Save & Publish button [1]. To create a draft of your discussion and publish it later, click the Save button [2].

View Due Date Warning

View Due Date Warning

If you do not add all course sections to the assignment, a warning message asks you if you want to add those sections.

If you don't want to add any sections to the assignment, click the Continue button [1], or to go back and add additional sections or students, click the Go Back button [2].

Note: This warning message does not display if Everyone, Everyone Else, or all course sections are assigned to the assignment.

View Discussion Dates

View Discussion Dates

If there is only one set of assignment dates, you can view the assignees [1], the due date [2], and the number of points possible [3].

View Due Date Link

If the screen width is narrow, a Due Date link displays. To view the due date, click the Due Date link.

View Multiple Due Dates

View Multiple Due Dates

If there are multiple assignments, you can view users and due dates for the discussion by clicking the View Due Dates link.

View Assigned Dates

View the dates assigned to the graded discussion [1].

To close the Due Dates window, click the Close icon [2].