Submission comment notification

[lshulman]

not sure if this question or discussion already exists but...

When students make a comment on an assignment submission - especially AFTER the assignment has been seen and graded by the instructor - is there any way to KNOW such later comment has been made other than just Canvas emailed notification? That does not seem very effective to be sure we catch all student comments made after the fact. 

It would be nice if there were some clearly visible notification in the course site/grade center: a colored icon or at least a notice in the course home page (with the list of other notices re: submissions and such).

[KristinL · Accepted solution]

Laura ~ It seems like this would be an excellent idea for the feature idea process. Right now, there are notifications with email and Canvas Teacher, and I think there may be other instructors/graders would find it helpful to have some sort of marker either in the course or gradebook to "nudge" them to go in and look at the larger conversation (outside of email and filtering). If you'd like to learn more, this lesson will help: How do I create a new feature idea in the Canvas Community?‌

[Chris_Hofer]

Hello  @lshulman  Thank You for posting your question.  By chance, do you have a smart phone and have the Canvas Teacher app (a free download) installed?  I just tested out your process, and as long as I have push notifications enabled, I was notified right away that my "dummy" student account had posted an additional comment to the assignment after it was turned in and graded by the instructor.

How do I download the Teacher app on my iOS device? 

https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-11916-71082771614 

This might be one way to help you get notified of additional submission comments.  I hope this helps, Laura.

[lshulman]

No, I do not have a smart phone.

However, that still might not help. Because what I want is some clear way to see new comments when I go into the course site. What you get on your smart phone would still just be the notifications that get "pushed" to you from the course site. I am getting those in my email but do not find them to be sufficient.

- Laura Shulman

http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/<https://mail.nvcc.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=1c304ebbbd9647619d0159857a...;

~~~~~~~~~~

The more we know, the more we know, there's more to know, than we think we know!

[bbattiste]

Chris, 

I have the smartphone app, and I agree with Laura's response. While I'm notified (via email and app pop up) that one of my student's either replied to a submission comment or initiated a comment, finding it via the app or the desktop platform is like hunting for Easter Eggs. Ideally, there should be a notation, comment link, or something like that that brings us right to the comment. Unfortunately, a student can make a vague comment from an assignment two weeks ago, and I would have to click through all of my assignments to find it.

[kduggan1]

I just got a notification on the app but there is no easy way to find the information again after it appears briefly on my screen. Plus, no easy to way to go directly to the comment. I have to navigate through the course, grades, student, etc. Also, it gets lost quickly if several students submit comments.

[KristinL · Accepted solution]

Laura ~ It seems like this would be an excellent idea for the feature idea process. Right now, there are notifications with email and Canvas Teacher, and I think there may be other instructors/graders would find it helpful to have some sort of marker either in the course or gradebook to "nudge" them to go in and look at the larger conversation (outside of email and filtering). If you'd like to learn more, this lesson will help: How do I create a new feature idea in the Canvas Community?‌

[hito]

I have the Teacher App but I've never gotten notifications from assignment submission comments. How do I turn this on? 

[lglen2]

Why is this marked "Solved"? Has the idea been implemented? Saying that it can't be done, but that we can suggest it (most of which are ignored) is hardly a solution...

[CClaycomb]

As many have noted in this conversation, I don't see how this is resolved. The email an app solutions only let you know and do not provide a quick access to the specific assignment that the comment has been posted on. Do I have to have my schools contact to put in a suggested solution and find out what the status is? 
Students receive notification of my feedback through their Recent Feedback on their home page and can click on it and go to the specific assignment to respond or apply feedback. Why isn't it possible for instructors to get them on their homepage as well. I'm thinking it to would be similar to the To Do list for grading were we can delete it when we have it finished.
I appreciate any insight on ways to find the most recent status of this and how I can be sure this is being considered for implementation.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Industrial Welding Instructor

Northland Career Center

[ddalton]

This shows as SOLVED, but no real solution was offered.  I have over 200 students with several outstanding assignments at a time.  I cannot go back through all of them to find new comments.  It really sucks for both the students and teacher that no notification of new comments is given, so important feedback is missed.

This has happened several times already to me this first quarter using CANVAS, and I was hoping to find a fix.  Apparently, this is not a feature that CANVAS supports, and that is just unfortunate for my online students.  I guess they have to go to the additional step of sending me an email.

[lglen2]

Right? I don't understand how we can see little red dots on our dashboards when there are new Discussion posts, but not have the same thing for Comments...

There's a "Recent Feedback" header, but mine just says "Nothing for now" even thought I /know/ there are student comments waiting for me!

[SusanNiemeyer]

Well, I came across this thread because I have students writing comments, but unless I hunt for them, I don't see them. 

I have too many students and too many assignments to spend my time going on a hunting expedition. I will just tell them that they have to send me a message in my Inbox. 

[CHergenrader]

I was just on the help chat asking for assistance with this issue.  They told me I could get email notifications if I went to Account, Notifications, and then turned on the Submission Comment option.  I will try that as it seems to be what I am looking for.

[lglen2]

That’s great, if it works for you, but 

A) We shouldn’t have to rely on a workaround, and 

B) My mailbox is insane. I tell students not to email me with anything that can’t wait several days.

[KarenKappe]

Another LMS' solution is to show an icon in the Gradebook such as an (!) to indicate there is an additional submission (after grading was completed). Is this something Canvas can work on? This feature is needed.

[ddalton]

I believe there is a fix for this:  Click on Account then click on Notifications.  Under Notification Settings, there is an option to turn on notifications when a comment is posted.  Turn this on to receive notifications when a comment has been submitted.  Hope this helps.

[lglen2]

Thanks @ddalton , but I have this turned on and do not receive notifications when students respond to my comments. 

I don't grade assessments; I provide feedback. Students indicate their learning by responding to my feedback. At the moment, I have to go looking for it in multiple classes, student by student. 

I was hoping Canvas would have something that would notify me when a student responds to my comment in the same way as they are notified when I comment on their work. It's the same source, and I get notified when there's a new Discussion post so it can't be that hard to add a new stream of information. All I get under "Recent Feedback" is "Nothing for now". 

So frustrating.

[DrAJP · Accepted solution]

Having the same questions. Just did some digging around. For me, at least, the student comments are readily available via Canvas, Inbox, and then "Submission Comments" in the dropdown box at the top. Not in the best place, and it's another place to check, but it's better than having to guess. 

[lglen2]

Thanks DrAJP,

You're right, it's definitely better than nothing. Sadly I see I have DOZENS of messages there that I never saw, never replied to.

Thanks for helping out with this workaround!

Now, if Instructure is listening, will you PLEASE just put it on the dashboard!?

[lglen2]

...also, I note that now I can see where students have made comments in the assessment interface, but I have to open a second window in order to see them in context. There's a reply arrow in the Inbox workaround, but I can't see the work they submitted, so I'd have to open a second window, navigate to the course, the assessment, and the student in order to respond appropriately.

I'm glad to know they're there, but it still needs a LOT of work.

[DrAJP]

Afternoon! 

I've been able to do a bit more testing. I turned on "notifications" for "submission comment" (I did daily notifications so I'm not flooded with more emails). It has a summary of new comments from students and individual links that seem to go directly to the assignment in question. Hope this helps some! 🙂 

[DrAJP]

Just discovered that when you are in the "inbox," "submission comments," it'll show the course and assignment at the top of any comments - you can click the class and assignment name, and it goes right to the assignment 

[DrAJP]

There really are so many very, very basic things Canvas needs to fix or have as features. I don't understand it. 

[dking2]

Thank you.  This is brilliant.  I never noticed that at the end of the dropdown menu!  Saves time for sure!