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Moodle Assignment Settings

When adding a new assignment activity to a Moodle course, there are a variety of settings that impact how the activity looks and functions. These settings can also be adjusted after the assignment is created by turning editing on in the course and choosing Edit settings from the Edit menu to the right of the assignment. Below is an explanation of what the settings do and how they impact the assignment.

General

Assignment Name

  • This is the name that will be displayed on the course page. Some instructors find it helpful to number the assignments so they are easier to refer to in directions. This is a required field.

Description

  • Assignment instructions and other information can go here. Images and links can also be included. Click the down arrow on the left side of the text box toolbar for more formatting options.
  • This information can be displayed on the course main page if the checkbox below the text box is checked, but this can lead to a cluttered course page. 

Additional Files

  • Here you can upload any files that the student might need to complete the assignment, including templates or cover pages.

Availability

Allow Submissions From

  • If a date is set here, students will only be able to submit their assignment after the chosen date. Click the Enable checkbox to choose a date. This option is disabled by default.

Due Date

  • If a date is set here, students will see the due date within the Moodle assignment and on their Moodle calendar. Click the Enable checkbox to choose a date. Students can still turn in assignments after the set date, but Moodle will indicate it was turned in late. This option is disabled by default.

Cut-off Date

  • If a date is set here, students will not be able to turn in anything after this date unless the instructor grants an extension within the assignment. Click the Enable checkbox to choose a date. This option is disabled by default.

Remind Me to Grade By

  • If a date is set here, you as the instructor will receive a reminder in Moodle to grade the assignment. Click the Enable checkbox to choose a date. This option is enabled by default.

Always Show Description

  • If this box is checked, the students will always be able to see whatever has been entered in the description textbox above. If it is unchecked, the description will only be visible after the allow submissions from date.
  • Note that this option is not available unless a allow submissions from date is chosen.

Submission Types

Submission Types

  • If a checkbox is checked, the students will be able to use the corresponding method to submit their assignment.
  • File submissions allow for any type of file upload. The file type can be further specified in a different setting. This option is the default option.
  • Online text gives the students a textbox to type their response within Moodle. Note that students will not be able to format their response with this tool in the same way that they could using Word or Google Docs.
  • PDF submission only allows students to submit a file with the .PDF extension. 

Maximum Number of Uploaded Files

  • This number indicates how many files a student can attach to their submission. The default number is set to 20.

Accepted File Types

  • If file submission is chosen above, this option further defines what kinds of files a student can turn in. Click the choose button to indicate the kinds of files you will accept for the assignment.

Word Limit

  • If online text is chosen above, this option can place a limit on the number of words a student can type in their online response. Click the enable checkbox to enter a number.

Maximum Number of Uploaded PDFs

  • This number indicates how many PDFs a student can submit with their assignment. The default number is set to 8.

Maximum Submission Size

  • This number indicates how large the total size of the files submitted can be. The default is set to 20MB. If students are uploading video or media projects, this number may need to be increased. 

Coversheet to Attach

  • You can also add a coversheet for the assignment here.

Coversheet Template

  • If you use coversheets frequently, you can upload templates to be reused within multiple assignments.

Feedback Types

Feedback Types

  • These options indicate the types of feedback the instructor can give in the assignment. Checking or unchecking these boxes will change what options are available when grading the assignment.
  • Feedback comments: The grader will get a textbox to enter text, audio, or video comments. This is checked by default.
  • Annotate PDF: The grader will be able to annotate on top of some assignment types with the annotation tools within the Moodle grading screen. This is checked by default.
  • Feedback files: The grader can upload an external file for feedback. This can be useful when using the commenting function in Word or filling out an external rubric.
  • Offline grading worksheet: The grader can download a worksheet to enter grades without internet access and then later upload the grades later. This can be helpful when an instructor wants to grade assignments in a location that does not have reliable internet access.
  • PDF feedback: The grader will be able to annotate on top of PDFs submitted via the PDF submission type.

Comment Inline

  • This works with the online text submission type. The student's submission is automatically copied into the feedback textbox so the grader can add comments within the submission. The default setting is no.

Submission Settings

Require Students to Click the Submit Button

  • If enabled, students must click a separate submit button to finalize their submission. This allows students to save a draft version of their submission within Moodle. The default setting is no.

Require that Students Accept the Submission Statement

  • MLC does not currently use a submission statement, so do not change this option.

Attempts Reopened

  • This option changes what happens when students try to reopen an assignment after it has been submitted.
  • Never: Students cannot reopen their assignment.
  • Manually: Teachers can reopen attempts on an individual basis.
  • Automatically: If the student does not receive a passing grade as set in the grade options, the attempt is automatically opened until the student passes.

Group Submission Settings

Students Submit in Groups

  • This allows a group of students to submit one assignment. All students in the group can see the assignment grade and feedback. 
  • Groups need to be set in Moodle to use this option. 
  • The default setting is no. If yes is chosen, additional options appear.

Require Group to Make Submission

  • If yes is chosen, students who are not a member of a group will not be able to submit anything in the assignment. The default setting is no.

Require All Group Members Submit

  • If yes is chosen, all students in a group must click submit in their account before the assignment is actually submitted.
  • If no is chosen, only one student needs to click submit for the assignment to be submitted.

Grouping for Student Groups

  • If groupings are being used in the course, this indicates which grouping will be used in the assignment.

Notifications

  • These settings apply to the notifications for the individual assignment. Notifications can also be enabled or disabled in your Moodle profile. 
  • If you are using groups in the course, you also need to be a member of the group(s) to receive notifications.

Notify Graders About Submissions

  • If yes is chosen, the graders in the course (usually the instructor, but can also include a TA) will receive a notification when an assignment is submitted. The default setting is no.

Notify Graders About Late Submissions

  • If yes is chosen, the graders in the course (usually the instructor, but can also include a TA) will receive a notification when an assignment is submitted after the due date previously set. The default setting is no.

Default Setting for "Notify Students"

  • This changes the default for the notify students checkbox on the grading screen. The default setting is yes.

Grade

Grade

  • This changes the type of grading that will be used for the assignment.
  • Point: This is the traditional grading method that gives points to the assignment. If using strict percentages, you can leave the maximum grade at 100. If using a variety of point values, indicate the number of points the assignment is worth underneath maximum grade. This is the default setting.
  • None: If chosen, you will not be able to grade the assignment.
  • Scale: This will allow for grading an assignment using a scale like ESNU. You can use the pre-set scales or define your own scale.

Grading Method

  • This sets the method the grader will use while assessing.
  • Simple Direct Grading: Graders will be able to assign a point value and give feedback based on the options set above. This is the default option.
  • Grading Guide: Graders can use a grading guide when assessing.
  • Rubric: Graders can use a rubric when assessing.

Grade Category

  • If you are using categories in your overall grading scheme, choose the correct category for the assignment here.

Grade to Pass

Blind Grading

  • If yes is chosen, student names will be hidden from the grader when grading (unless the student puts their name on what they submit). The default setting is no.

Hide Grader Identity from Students

  • When multiple individuals are grading assignments, such as with co-teaching or using a TA, students will not be able to see which individual graded their assignment. The default setting is no.

Use Grading Workflow

  • Allows graders to use the grading workflow while assessing. The default setting is no.

Common Module Settings

Availability

  • Show on course page: The assignment will be visible to the students on the course page. This is the default setting.
  • Hide from students: The assignment will be hidden from the students. 

ID Number

  • This is used for some custom reporting options. Do not enter anything here.

Group Mode

  • Use this menu to choose the group setting for this individual assignment.

Grouping

  • If groups are chosen, you can also indicate which grouping the assignment should use.

Add Group/Grouping Access Restriction

  • If clicked, a group or grouping restriction will appear in the restrict access settings below.

Restrict Access

  • Restrictions allow you to set a variety of criteria that must be met before the students can access the assignment.
  • You can indicate if students must or must not meet all or any of the restrictions.
  • Click Add restriction... to access and set the different types of restrictions.
  • After setting a restriction, a grey eye icon appears either to the left of the restriction or to the left of the word student if numerous restrictions are set. If the icon is a solid grey, students who do not match the set requirements will see the assignment on their course page, but it will be greyed out so they cannot access it. If the icon has a line through it, students will not be able to see the assignment if they do not match the requirements. Click the icon to toggle between these settings.

Date

  • The assignment is available either from a certain date or until a certain date. 

Grade

  • The assignment is available based on the grade a student achieves in another assignment, based on the overall course grade, or based on the grade in a specified category.

Group

  • The assignment is only available to students within a specified group.

Grouping

  • The assignment is only available to groups within a specified grouping.

User Profile

  • The assignment is available to students based on a variety of fields that the student has set within their profile. Note that not all students have filled out every field in their Moodle profile.

Restriction Set

  • This allows you to nest multiple restrictions.

Activity Completion

  • Activity completion helps students keep track of which course activities they have completed.
  • Activity completion needs to be be turned on  in the course settings for this option to appear.

Completion Tracking
  • Do Not Indicate Activity Completion
    • Completion: Activity completion will not be utilized for this assignment.

  • Students Can Manually Mark the Activity as Completed

    • Completed: A grey checkbox will appear to the right of the assignment on the course home page. Students can check the box when they believe they have completed the activity.
      • Expect completed on: If enabled, the students will see a date they are expected to complete the activity by.

    • Show Activity Complete When Conditions Are Met

      • Met: You can set certain criteria for activity completion. The activity will automatically be marked as completed when those criteria have been met.
        • Require View: The activity will be marked complete when the student views it. Note that it cannot measure if the student actually reads it.
        • Require Grade: The activity will be marked complete after it is graded. 
        • Require Submit: The activity will be marked complete after the student submits it. This is the default option.
        • Expect completed on: If enabled, the students will see a date they are expected to complete the activity by.

      Tags

      • Assignments can be tagged with keywords. Tags can be used to organize or compile items with similar keywords.

       

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