Recent Updates

  • If your instructor allows file attachments, you can attach a file to a discussion reply using the attachment icon. Attachments can be added to both graded and non-graded discussions.

    Any attachments added as part of discussions are copied to your user files. Attachments for graded discussions are not counted against your user quota and cannot be deleted.

    Notes

    • If the attachment icon does not display, this option is not available in your course.
    • If your attachment causes you to exceed your user file quota, the file may fail to attach to an ungraded discussion.
    • If you have permission to edit or delete discussion replies, editing a reply also allows you to remove an attachment.
  • User files include profile pictures, uploaded assignment submissions, and other files uploaded to your personal Canvas file storage area. By default, each user has 50 MB of storage space in Canvas. Administrators can change the quota for user files for the entire institution. No other users can view files in your user files.

  • If you want to download all student submissions for an assignment, you can download them as a bulk download. All submissions are downloaded as a single ZIP file that you can use to grade submissions on your computer offline. If a student has resubmitted an assignment, only the most recent submission will be included in the ZIP file. You can also download assignments from the Gradebook.

    Bulk downloads can be used for the following submission types: file uploads, text entries (displayed as HTML files), website URLs (displayed as HTML files), and Google Docs submissions.

    In bulk downloads, Canvas automatically amends the file name for each submission type:

    • For group assignments, the file name will include the name of the assigned group.
    • For individual student assignments, the file name will include the name of the student (last name first).
    • When anonymous grading is enabled, student names are not included in the names of downloaded files.

     

    Note: After downloading student files, you can re-upload all student submissions. However, you cannot change the names of the submission files. Otherwise Canvas will not be able to recognize the files that should be replaced.

  • Anything that appears in the Activity Stream is considered an activity. Some activities are graded (assignments) and others are not (events).

  • You can create an online assignment that embeds a document directly from your Google Drive folder. Accepted assignment types are Google Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations.

    When students open the assignment, Google Drive will create a copy of the file as the student’s submission. Students can make changes per the assignment instructions directly from the Canvas assignment page. When they are ready to submit the assignment, they can submit the assignment. The copied document is also added to the student’s Google Drive folder for the course. You can also view each student's document copy in SpeedGrader for grading.

    The Google Apps LTI currently includes a few limitations when creating assignments:

    • You cannot use Google Drive files in an external tool for group assignments.
    • If you want to use a Canvas rubric for the assignment, you must add the rubric before setting the External Tool submission type. Create the assignment with any other submission type, save the assignment, add the rubric, and then edit the assignment to select the External Tool.
    • If you want your assignment to be moderated, you must set up the moderated assignment before setting the External Tool submission type. If you need to return to the moderate page after the External Tool is added, open the assignment and add /moderate after the assignment URL.
  • If you are the course instructor or the creator of a collaboration, you can delete the collaboration from Canvas. Deleting the collaboration only removes access to the collaboration in Canvas. Users can still view the collaboration in their online account for the collaboration type (OneDrive or Google Drive, respectively).

    Once a term ends or a course is concluded, the collaboration document will still be available from Canvas and the collaboration's source drive. if the document settings remain unchanged, users can still access the collaboration file, but any updates are not reflected in course notifications.

    If you want to retain the collaboration document as part of the course or for your records, you may consider changing the sharing settings so the document is only available for viewing (and possibly disabling options to download, print, and copy). You can also change the sharing settings so that the document is no longer available to any users.

    Google Drive and OneDrive

    When deleting a Google Drive or OneDrive collaboration, the collaboration is immediately removed from the course. However, users can still access the file in their online account for the collaboration type.

    Google Doc

    If you are deleting a Google Doc, you can choose to delete the collaboration only from the course, or you can delete it from the course as well as Google Docs. However, deleting the document from Google Docs immediately deletes the collaboration and cannot be recovered.

    Note: Depending on your institution's preference, your Collaborations page may not match the images shown in this lesson. However, functionality of the page remains the same.

  • You can use Google Drive to create a collaboration with a Google Document, Spreadsheet, or Presentation. You can select individual users, groups, or both as part of a collaboration.

    Google Docs allows you to add up to 50 users per collaboration, and all users can view and edit a document at the same time. However, a Google file may be shared with up to 200 email addresses including viewers, commenters, and editors.

    Notes:

    • Google Drive collaborations are separate from Google Docs collaborations. If you cannot create a Google Drive collaboration, this feature has not been enabled for the course.
    • Once you invite a user to a collaboration, the collaboration is available to the user in the user's Google Drive. Uninviting the user or deleting the collaboration does not remove access to the collaboration once a user has been added.
  • You can start a new collaboration using Google Docs in Canvas. Google Docs allows you to add up to 50 users per collaboration, and all users can view and edit a document at the same time. However, a Google file may be shared with up to 200 email addresses including viewers, commenters, and editors.

    Google Docs collaborations are separate from Google Drive collaborations. If your collaboration options include Google Spreadsheets and Presentations in addition to Documents, your course has enabled Google Drive collaborations.

    Notes:

    • This lesson is for creating a collaboration in a course; when collaborations are created in a group, only group members and users with instructor-based roles (including TAs) can be selected as collaborators.
    • Creating a collaboration is a course permission. If you cannot create a collaboration in a course, your institution has restricted this feature.
    • Each collaborator will need a Google account and will need to connect Google Drive as a registered service in Canvas. If you are the owner of the collaboration, you will have to turn on the Share settings to allow people who have the link to edit the document.
    • Google Apps for Education (integration with your school) works with Google Docs in Canvas. Please note, if your school email does not allow access to Google Docs, you will need to use a regular Google account (i.e. [email protected]).
    • Email notifications for collaborations relate directly to the account used to connect to Google Drive.
  • The Collaborations Index Page allows you to create collaborations for users in your course. You can create new collaborations, edit existing collaborations, and delete collaborations.

    If your institution allows students to create collaborations in a course, you can always view any collaboration created in the course. However, students can only view collaborations that have been shared with them.

    Note: Depending on your institution's preference, your Collaborations page may not match the images shown in this lesson. However, functionality of the page remains the same.