[ARCHIVED] How do I reset/clear a submitted a assignment?

[cslove]

How do I reset or clear an assignment a student has submitted? For example, the student uploaded the wrong file. How do clear it so she can submit again?

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hello  @cslove  Welcome to the Canvas Community.  Thank you for posting your question.

The short answer is...you can't.  However, there are a couple Feature Ideas open for voting that I'll point you to:

https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/4394-delete-submissions-by-students 

https://community.canvaslms.com/ideas/1293-move-or-delete-incorrectly-submitted-assignments 

If either or both of these Feature Ideas align with something you'd like to see implemented in Canvas, I would encourage you to vote for them and also add a comment to the bottom of each as to why this kind of feature would be important to you.

I know this probably isn't the answer you were looking for, but I hope it will help to answer your question, Christopher.

[SandraHumphrey1]

This function is absolutely needed in Canvas and the lack thereof constitutes yet another limitation with Canvas. It should function similarly to "Clear Attempt" in Blackboard.

I've only used Canvas for a few months but keep finding issues. I am disappointed that Canvas Product Marketing/Development has not thoroughly tested this product from an Educator standpoint. I spent many years in software and product marketing and have little patience for products that don't meet the needs of its customers.

Sandra Humphrey

Palm Beach State College

[Stef_retired]

Hi,  @cslove  and I'll add my own  Welcome to the Canvas Community!  @Chris_Hofer ‌ has given you excellent guidance (thanks, Chris!): an instructor cannot delete a student's assignment submission. I just wanted to add that it's not necessary to clear prior submissions for students to be able to submit again: students can re-submit to the same assignment as long as the Available until date has not passed. For instructors, the most recent submission displays in the SpeedGrader preview pane by default, and instructors can access all of the student's prior submissions through the drop-down at the upper right of the SpeedGrader page for the student.

[amanda_robertso]

Regarding Incorrectly Submitted assignments to Canvas App---I had a student to submit a document to an assignment that isn't due until six weeks from now. They have since submitted to the correct assignment; however, I am going to have a notification on the Canva app for six weeks stating that I need to grade a paper that isn't even what I should grade for that assignment. Yes, no delete is necessary when a student can resubmit again and again, but there are still circumstances where it would be beneficial.

[Fursty]

Really, Why am I not allowed to clear an assignment? 

Once again, another faculty feature that is missing from Canvas. 

Keep the old one fine, but allow us to clear and have the student resubmit,,... WITHOUT making me delete or MOVE....   

Once again, more proof amongst a long list of faculty features that are simply absent in this LMS. Their absence effectively shows (once again to me) that faculty is and was never a priority in this LMS.

[tmg]

If you can't clear an assignment that was submitted incorrectly, can you at least make some kind of alert that lets you know its been submitted again so we don't have to continuously check to see if the student has submitted again?

[susana_sosa]

I had this same problem after importing an assignment and discovered an easy solution.  Go to to Gradebook and click on the 3 dots next to the assignment name.  Then click on Set Default Grade.  Leave the grade value box empty & check-mark "Overwrite already-entered grades."  Click on Set Default Grade.  The assignment should now revert to not graded.

[DaliaGil]

I agree with you. It is a Canvas limitation. I am new teaching in Canvas, but I think this option was very easy for the instructors when I used Blackboard. 

I also add the badge option to my course at the end of each learning module. This week, I saw that one of my students who had completed his requirements received the badge, the others have not received it yest. I was reviewing the help, and I could not find a hint in the Canvas "help." Unfortunately, elearning people in my college are also new in Canvas like me, so they could not help. I have participated in several workshops before starting the transition from Blackboard to Canvas, learning how to create the course, but there are issues during the development and implementation processes that is a signal about the need to improve Canvas platform. I hope, Canvas designers and developers are working on it. 

When I have had issue with this environment the best helpers have been other instructors who have posted the way that they fixed the issue via YouTube. 

I am learning using try and failure.  

Dalia Gil

PBSC

[marafinom]

Has there been any development on this? Seems it's still not functional in Canvas, and many instructors have expressed their frustrations.

[Chris_Hofer]

@marafinom ...

I cannot speak for Instructure, but I don't believe there has been any movement on this.

• Delete submissions by students - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)
• Move or Delete Incorrectly Submitted Assignments - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)

These are the two existing Feature Ideas that I had referenced in my posting from 2018.  I would encourage you to participate in those topics, give them a star rating, and follow the conversations so that you know if/when something like this would be implemented in Canvas.

[blachman]

Here is a way to delete all submissions from an assignment that worked for me.  Click the three dots and create a duplicate assignment.  Then you can delete the original.  This of course is an all or nothing.  Still no way to delete an individual assignment.