For more information on Speedgrader, consult Canvas' documentation page.
Speedgrader is a built-in Canvas tool that allows for quick and easy grading of individual student assignments. It is accessible through Assignments, Quizzes, Graded Discussions, and the Gradebook.
Speedgrader is automatically available for any Assignment, Quiz, or Graded Discussion in Canvas. For more information on creating these, see Creating a Canvas Assignment.
Once students have submitted an assignment, Speedgrader can be accessed from either the Assignments page or the course Gradebook, in both cases by clicking the vertical three-dot menu button and selecting "Speedgrader."
Once opened, Speedgrader allows instructors to preview submissions (as well as download any submitted files), add feedback, and enter grades for all students enrolled in a course, without need for refreshing the browser. If the assignment was given a Canvas rubric, this will also appear here to assist in grading. The time of submission will also be noted, with submissions after an assignment deadline marked "LATE" and their time of submission indicated in red.
Very large classes or assignments with a very high number of submissions per student may cause lag when loading Speedgrader.
In order to prevent lost or duplicate grade entry, Speedgrader should be used by only one instructor at a time. Instructors of large classes with multilple graders should break the roster into sections, assigning additional graders to each section as necessary.
Per Canvas' official documentation: "Instructors cannot delete assignment submissions. If you need to delete an inappropriate assignment submission, contact your administrator."
Below is a video example on how to access Assignments and use SpeedGrader.
Canvas Discussions allow instructors to facilitate student interactions, reinforce knowledge and skills gained in class, and provide opportunities for students to use higher order learning skills. They can also be used to assess student participation and performance.
For more information on creating discussions and adding them to a course site, consult Canvas' documentation page.
Discussions can be used in a variety of ways depending on their intended use in a course. When creating discussions, consider the following guidelines:
Provide clear prompts or instructions in the rich content editor.
For graded discussions, include a rubric.
Break up larger questions or topical themes into smaller units, e.g. by week or by module.
Create group discussions to encourage collaborative thinking and lighten individual student load.
Use "complete/incomplete" grading option to lower the stakes of participation.
Plan the scope and extent of your own participation.
For information on editing discussions once created, consult Canvas' documentation page. Documentation is also available for duplicating discussions and closing discussions.