When creating an assignment in Canvas, clicking the "Add Assignment" button lets you enter all essential details in one place—like the assignment title, description, point value, grading type, submission method, and due dates. This central setup streamlines the process and gives you full control over how the assignment functions within your course. You can also designate whether it’s a group assignment or requires peer reviews, which are powerful tools for collaboration and engagement.
Assignment details include fields for the assignment type, name, description, points, assignment group (if desired), grade display, submission type, and due dates. You can also specify if the assignment is a group assignment or requires peer reviews in the assignment details lesson.
When you add details to an assignment, you can also assign the assignment to all students, course sections, course groups, or individual students as part of the Canvas differentiated assignments feature.
Both group assignments and peer reviews not only save time but also build a stronger learning community by encouraging teamwork, reflection, and professional growth through meaningful interaction.
Group Assignments are tied to student groups you've set up in Canvas. Assigning work by group simplifies grading—Canvas lets you assign one grade for the entire group using SpeedGrader. These groupings can also be used as filters in the Gradebook, making it easier to focus on specific subsets of students.
Promotes Collaboration
Group work encourages students to collaborate, divide tasks, and learn from one another. This mirrors real-world workplace skills and fosters communication, problem-solving, and leadership.
Reduces Grading Time
When groups submit a single assignment, you only grade once per group instead of for every student. In SpeedGrader, one grade and set of feedback can be applied to all members, saving significant time.
Encourages Peer Accountability
Group assignments can teach students how to manage group dynamics, deadlines, and shared responsibilities—helping them develop self-regulation and interpersonal skills.
Scaffolds Learning
Weaker students benefit from learning alongside stronger peers, while stronger students reinforce their own understanding by explaining concepts to others.
In peer reviews, instructors can either manually assign reviews or let Canvas automate the process. They can choose to keep student identities anonymous or allow names to be visible. If anonymous reviews are enabled, instructors can still see reviewer names in SpeedGrader, but not when anonymous grading is active. This flexibility allows instructors to adapt to different teaching styles and privacy needs. Clear communication with students about the peer review process is essential for setting expectations and encouraging constructive feedback, ultimately fostering a collaborative academic community.
You can also initiate discussions through peer reviews, where students offer constructive feedback on one another's work. This method cultivates a collaborative atmosphere and promotes professional development. By exchanging insights and viewpoints, team members can acquire new understanding and refine their skills.
Deepens Understanding
When students review each other's work, they develop a more critical eye. Evaluating peer submissions helps them internalize assignment criteria and learn from different approaches.
Builds a Feedback Culture
Giving and receiving constructive feedback fosters a more open and growth-focused learning environment. It also prepares students for professional feedback scenarios.
Encourages Revision and Reflection
Peer feedback encourages students to reflect and revise, improving the quality of their work and helping them develop resilience and adaptability.
Develops Critical Thinking
Analyzing others’ work helps students think more analytically and apply course concepts more deeply, especially when guided by a rubric or focused prompts.
In Canvas, assignment submission types let you control how students submit their work. Options range from "No Submission" or "On Paper" for offline tasks to "Online" and "External Tool" for digital submissions, including text, media, file uploads, or integrated third-party apps.
Text Entry: Students can submit their assignment directly in the Rich Content Editor. DocViewer annotations are not available for text entry submissions. Additionally, text entry submissions cannot be re-uploaded to the Gradebook.
The "Assign To" feature in Canvas lets you control who an assignment or module is assigned to and when it's available. This is especially helpful for setting different due dates for sections, individual students, or groups—for example, giving extended deadlines or customizing pacing.
To access it, click the three dots (•••) next to a module or assignment, then choose "Edit" and scroll to the "Assign To" section. Here, you can specify:
Who the assignment is for (entire class, individual students, sections, or groups),
The Due Date (when the assignment is expected to be submitted),
The Available From date (when students can first see the assignment),
And the Until date (when access to submit the assignment closes).
These dates help control the learning experience and keep things organized. For a detailed explanation of how each date functions, this Canvas Guide breaks it down clearly. Understanding how to use “Assign To” strategically can support differentiated instruction and better time management for both instructors and students.