Mute assignment as a option at assignment creation

[r_v_jones]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

Please can we have this as it could save a lot of headache for teachers 

When you create an assignment can we have it to either

1. Automatically set the assignment to be muted at point of creation
2. Having muting an assignment as option in the creation list

It is too easy to forget to Mute an assignment and there are no queues at creation.

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through the https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-16958-canvas-release-notes-2019-07-13 .

[scottdennis]

Hi Robert,

Thank you for taking the time to submit this feature idea.  It is a popular one and currently open for vote here:

I'll go ahead and archive this submission.  Please let me know if you have questions.

[r_v_jones]

Thanks  @scottdennis ​ for this. I've just added my vote and comments to the posting

[scottdennis]

Hey  @r_v_jones ​,

After reading and re-reading the comments on " modifiedtitle="true" title="Option to mute assignments by default, I think I made an error in judgement in archiving your idea here.  In the comments on the other post people point out a concern with muting all assignments globally, suggesting that this might lead to an increase in teachers inadvertently forgetting to un-mute assignments that they never explicitly had to mute in the first place.  I now see that this idea you suggested would get around that concern while still providing a solution for the current problem where a teacher has to publish an assignment before they can mute it. 

I'll go ahead and move this idea to the queue for the next voting period.

[hvaughn]

Although it has not been a loudly voiced concern at my college (just minor grumblings), I think it's an excellent idea to have all graded assignments muted by default, and then unmuted when an instructor is ready for grades and comments to be published.

[r_v_jones]

Hi  @scottdennis ​

I was just wondering if a date criteria could be added to the muting option, so that a teacher could pre-set a date for when the assignment was unmuted and feedback released to students.

This would mean teachers wouldn't have to remember to go in a unmute the assignments.

Of course there would always be a manual over-ride that would allow the assignment to be unmuted.

How does this sound to everyone?

[turnermz]

Hi  @r_v_jones ​

I absolutely agree. I've similarly had requests for this from academics, and have commented on this in the Speedgrader 2.0​ upgrade.

I'm not even sure that 'Mute' assignment is the right phrase. I'm always having to explain what it means. There must be a better (and clearer) way for this to be expressed. Possibly a visible toggle switch...

Hide / Release comments

Marking in progress / return to students

Hide / Reveal to students

?

[r_v_jones]

Thanks turnermz​ for the comment.

Possibly changing the name might make it easier for people to understand exactly what it does. Something like Hide / Reveal might work.

Thanks

Rob

[scottdennis]

Publish/Unpublish? 

[RobDitto]

Those who have this same need for Quizzes may want to vote on:

And if Varied Due Dates will stagger your time frames for grading different sections, see:

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[sdw2134]

As I understand it, Instructure has erred on the side of un-actioned item- that is, how should grade delivery perform if left untouched, entirely- and that students should receive their grade, independent of Teacher/TA muting action.

 @r_v_jones ​' idea creates a middle ground.  Because a user must take an action to mute the assignment, even at creation, this creates an implicit commitment to later un-mute grades, a commitment which is never asked if grades are muted by default.

Additionally, it might be considered that the effects of a still-muted Assignment are perhaps less than the alternative- these are correctable by a simple communication, whereas potential effects of unintentional/incorrect grade delivery can't be recalled.