courseworks brand

+ I’m a part-time student. Do I participate in Course Works?

Yes. Part-time degree-seeking undergraduate students are opted in to Course Works Complete automatically like full-time degree-seeking undergraduates. Both have the opportunity to opt out and move into Course Works Select, or to opt out entirely.

Part-time students who are not eligible for Complete—that is, part-time students who are not degree-seeking undergraduates—will start in Select and can choose to participate in that level of the program, or choose to opt out entirely.

+ All of my courses use library and OER materials. Do I need to pay for Course Works?

No. If you are in this situation, you should opt out of Course Works entirely. Library and OER materials are always available, regardless of participation.

Following the opt-out deadline, Course Works staff will review all student enrollments and remove any charges for students who have only library and OER materials in their registered courses.

+ Can graduate and professional students participate in the Course Works Complete program?

No, Course Works Complete only includes degree-seeking undergraduate students.

Graduate and professional students may be enrolled and have materials in Course Works Select. Opting decisions within Course Works Select are made on an item-by-item basis, and students can also opt out entirely through the Course Works tab within the Canvas navigation.

+ I am a PSEO student. Do I participate in Course Works?

Yes. PSEO students are automatically enrolled in Course Works Select. You will not be responsible for the cost of your materials, those are paid by the PSEO program.

+ I am a College in the Schools student. Do I participate in Course Works?

No. CIS students should contact their faculty/instructor for information about how to access their course materials.

Accessing and Using Materials

+ what academic materials are covered by this program.

Course Works Complete includes course materials required by the instructor teaching the course. This can include library materials, open educational resources, journal articles, textbooks, and courseware. Optional course materials are not included.

As a general rule of thumb, materials with ISBNs are included in Course Works (some exceptions apply).

Required course materials (whether digital or printed) include:

• Course packets from Printing Services and Libraries
• Library materials like e-books, journal articles, and streaming media

Homework access

The followings items are not included at this time and will need to be purchased separately:

• Course supplies: lab coats, art supplies, calculators, goggles, etc.
• Art and science kits: architecture, design, electronics, horticulture, etc.
• Items with access or availability issues
• Many software applications
• Optional materials

+ How do students access digital course materials?

To access digital content/textbooks for any given course, students simply log in to Canvas and click the Course Works tab located on the left hand navigation bar.

Students can click “Read Now” to launch the e-reader and begin studying!

If you experience any issues viewing or launching your textbooks, please reach out to [email protected] for assistance or contact RedShelf at https://solve.redshelf.com .

+ How do I access my course materials if I opt out of the program? Can I still purchase them from the campus store?

All students will receive access to digital course materials until the opt-out deadline, and will retain access to library and OER materials regardless of participation. Those who wish to opt-out of Course Works Complete can choose which materials they want to pay for and use on a course-by-course and material-by-material basis through Course Works Select. Regardless of whether or not you are opted in to the program, most materials are digital and accessible through the Course Works tab on the left hand navigation bar in Canvas.

If you choose to opt out of Course Works entirely, you will be responsible for acquiring course materials on your own.

+ Will all textbooks be provided in a digital format under this program?

No. Traditional print textbooks will be supplied when a digital option is not available, a specific request is made by a faculty member or instructor, or a student requires print due to a disability accommodation. In some cases the campus store may have a print upgrade available at a discount for students who stay opted in to the digital program; but there is an additional cost and is subject to availability on a title by title basis. Eligible lab manuals and other course materials that are traditionally printed may remain in print as part of the program. If you have questions about accessibility and using digital content or need accommodation, please contact your campus Disability Resource Center for assistance (see navigation for links to campus-specific resources).

+ What do I do if the Course Works tab in Canvas is blank?

Please email [email protected] for assistance.

+ What do I do if a course material is on my syllabus but it isn’t showing up on the Course Works tab in Canvas? Do I need to buy that material separately?

All required textbooks, coursepacks, and homework access are included in the program. If you are an undergraduate student who is in Course Works Complete, you should not have to purchase those materials separately. 

If there are required materials listed in your syllabus that you don’t see on your Course Works Shelf in Canvas, please let us know and we’ll work to get them added ASAP (once verified). Email a screenshot or copy of your syllabus showing the materials to [email protected] . This will help ensure that all required materials for eligible students get included in the cost of the program.

+ What do I do if I need academic accommodation due to a disability?

Students with questions about accessibility, using digital content, or accommodations should contact their campus Disability Resource Center for assistance (see navigation for links to campus-specific resources).

+ How can I access lab manuals and coursepacks?

Lab manuals and coursepacks will be distributed to participating students through the campus store during the start of the semester. Students will receive an email when their materials are ready to be picked up or this information can be found on their Course Works tab in Canvas.

Students who have opted out of the Course Works program and need to obtain a lab manual or coursepack may place an order at their campus store.

+ Will optional course materials be included in the program?

No. Only required materials are included as part of the Course Works program.

Optional materials suggested by your faculty or instructor may be ordered from the campus store.

Students who need assistance acquiring optional course materials may contact [email protected] .

+ Will this program allow me to retain access to my course materials after a course ends?

Digital access varies by publisher and title. Typically 50% or more of ebooks at the university have between 5-year and perpetual access. 6-month ebook access is also common among publishers. Access to our Libraries ebooks should be available throughout the student’s academic career. When publisher courseware is assigned (e.g., Connect, MyLab, WileyPlus, MindTap), access is typically limited to the length of the class.

+ Are there situations where I would be required to return my printed textbooks?

Students who are participating in Course Works Complete and who drop a course for which they have already picked up printed materials are required to return those materials no later than the opt-out deadline (see Important Dates page ).

Students who opt-out of Course Works Complete entirely, but have already picked up printed materials, are required to return those materials no later than the opt-out deadline (see Important Dates page ).

Non-returned print materials will be charged to your student account at the publisher’s listed new book price.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions about returning printed materials.

+ Can I have physical books shipped to me?

+ are any scholarships or forms of financial aid eligible to cover course works costs, + can i download ebooks or use without internet access.

The e-reader is fully device agnostic, scalable, and allows simultaneous usage across multiple devices. Further, content downloaded to the ereader app can be accessed in offline situations if it was downloaded prior to loss of internet connection. As for saving as a file, copyright laws can restrict licensed content from taking form as redistributable files. Allowing content to only be downloaded within the ereader puts the onus on the provider to protect copyright and relieves the University of associated risks.

+ How do I know if I have physical materials to pick up?

You will receive an email at your umn.edu address when you have physical materials ready for pick up.

Physical books and their status are also located in Canvas. Log into Canvas and click on the Course Works tab on the left-hand navigation. If physical materials are listed, they will display a running person symbol if they are ready for pick up; a pause symbol or hourglass if they aren't ready; and a checkmark if they have been picked up.

Course Enrollment

+ if i add/drop a course, how do i get access to my materials.

When adding a course, the course materials will become available on Canvas if you are participating in Course Works Complete. Course enrollment changes can take up to 48 hours to be processed, though most times materials will appear within a matter of hours. If printed materials are required for your new course, you will receive an email from the campus store at your umn.edu address when it's time to pick up any required materials.

When dropping a course, any digital course materials access will be removed in tandem with your enrollment drop (except library and OER materials which are always available, regardless of participation). If you drop and have printed course materials that were provided to you by the Course Works program, you must return those print materials to the campus store no later than the opt-out deadline. Non-returned print materials will be charged to your student account at the publisher’s listed new book price.

+ Will I have access to the program course materials if I’m waitlisted for a course?

Waitlisted classes will still appear in the Course Works tab.

+ Under this program, do undergraduates need to pay for course materials for graduate courses?

Generally, no.  As long as the materials are already available and delivered through Course Works, then it doesn't matter that it's a graduate-level class.

If you are a degree-seeking undergraduate in Course Works Complete, and the materials show up on your Shelf, then the materials are included in the flat-rate price.

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Home > Our Services > Introduction to CourseWorks

CourseWorks is Columbia University's online course management system. With CourseWorks, instructors can easily manage course materials, class meetings, assignments, and student collaboration from a single website.

To get started, log into CourseWorks with your Columbia UNI .

CourseWorks Columbia has transitioned to a new version of CourseWorks that offers faculty more features, greater customization, and faster performance for managing course websites.

Log into CourseWorks with your Columbia UNI .

CourseWorks Support CCNMTL offers faculty and instructors many ways to get help with CourseWorks, including quick online video tutorials, a searchable Knowledge Base, and one-on-one consultations.

Online resources:

• CourseWorks FAQ
• CourseWorks help in the CCNMTL Knowledge Base
• CourseWorks video tutorials

In person support:

• Visit the CCNMTL Faculty Support Lab in 204 Butler Library.
• Email [email protected] or call 212-854-9058.
• Register for a workshop .

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Technology Help

Canvas: Access Materials with Course Works

Course Works is the University of Minnesota's comprehensive course materials program offered to all undergraduate degree-seeking students. This program allows students to access their required course materials by the first day of class for a flat rate each semester. Students may also select materials on a course-by-course basis or opt out of the program entirely.

For more information,  instructor FAQs , and contact information, please visit  courseworks.umn.edu .

Submit a Course Works Support Request  to report access problems, content errors, or other technical difficulties.

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Library guide on using Course Works, finding textbooks and course readings

What is new for fall 2024.

Starting in Fall 2024, the University is providing textbooks in a new way. The old way (before Fall 2024) was that professors would give the Bookstore a list of textbooks. The Bookstore would buy copies of the books. Students could go to the bookstore (in person or website) to buy (or sometimes "rent") the textbooks. Students could also buy them from other websites (e.g. Amazon, etc.), find copies through the University Libraries, request them from Interlibrary Loan, or get them in other ways (or sometimes not to buy them). 

NEW IN FALL 2024

ALL Undergraduate students will be automatically enrolled in a program called Course Works COMPLETE . In theory, this program will provide ALL of the textbooks and required course readings (including coursepacks and homework access) for ALL the courses a student is taking for a fee of $279 for fall semester (this will be added to your student account). This fee does NOT include items like lab supplies like goggles, art supplies, calculators, etc. 

How can a student opt-out?

Students can opt-out of this program. In August, students will be able to view the cost of individual textbooks and make a decision if they want to opt out (e.g. if a student has few or no textbooks OR if the total cost of their books is less than $279 and they want to buy them individually). If you want to opt-out you can do it in the "Course Works tab" in Canvas by the deadline -- September 16. 

Please note: There is a *NEW* Course Works tab in Canvas . 

Getting textbooks and reading using Course Works Complete

ALL Undergraduate students will be automatically enrolled in Course Works COMPLETE .  To get access to your textbooks and readings, use the Course Works tab in Canvas  (will available in mid-August 2024) or in your individual Canvas course pages. The majority of textbooks are going to be digital or ebooks. You can access required digital content/textbooks for any course through Canvas Course Works tab or your individual Course page . 

What about print textbooks? If a course requires print materials they will be provided at the campus store. If a student simply prefers print materials, they will be available for an additional nominal cost. Students will receive a message in their umn.edu email when their materials are ready for pick up.

Disability accommodation If you need the reading in a different format due to an accommodation or if you have questions about accessibility and using digital content, please contact the  Disability Resource Center .

I have opted-out of Course Works COMPLETE -- how can I get my textbooks?

If you have opted-out of the the Course Works COMPLETE program -- you can still buy individual textbooks through Course Works Select using the Course Works tab in Canvas  OR you can buy the textbook in other ways (e.g. Amazon, etc.) OR you can work with Libraries to request materials in other ways. The Libraries are working closely with the Bookstores to automatically identify textbooks that can be made available for free through the Libraries. These textbooks will also appear on your Course Works tab in Canvas and they will be marked as "Library." Regardless of whether you use Course Works Complete or Select, or opt-out completely, library course materials will always be available for you to access for free.

Here are some steps to help: 

Step 1: Check your Canvas, your syllabus and with your instructor about exactly what textbooks and readings you might need. 

Step 2: Figure out how you want to get them -- e.g. buy a textbook via Course Works, buy a textbook from another website (e.g. Amazon) or borrow a textbook from the UMN Libraries.

Step 3: If you want to try to get them from the UMN Libraries -- go to lib.umn.edu and type in the name of the textbook in Libraries Search (If needed, check the UMN bookstore or Canvas or your syllabus to get the exact title, authors and edition). This searches all of our on campus libraries and other UMN libraries like Duluth or Morris. Check the “edition” if needed and start reading!

If we don’t have it as an ebook, we might have an print copy. If these options don’t work, you can request the book from a service called Interlibrary Loan. Fill out the online form and we will work to get it from another library.

I am having trouble reading or getting a textbook - where can I get help?

If you have trouble reading a textbook or getting access to a textbook or reading -- talk to your instructor or reach out to [email protected].

If there are required materials listed in your syllabus that you don’t see on your Course Works Shelf in Canvas, please let us know and we’ll work to get them added ASAP (once verified). Email a screenshot or copy of your syllabus showing the materials to [email protected].

If you have questions about accessibility and using digital content or need accommodation, please contact the  Disability Resource Center .

How can Graduate and Professional Students get textbooks and readings?

Graduate and Professional students are NOT part of the Course Works Complete program. Graduate and Professional students CAN buy individual titles in Course Works tab in Canvas if they choose. Or they can buy from the Bookstore or other online websites (e.g. Amazon) or work to get through the UMN Libraries as in the past. View the list of ebook textbooks available from the UMN Libraries.

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Grading at Columbia: Tips and Strategies using CourseWorks (Canvas) and Gradescope

This resource is structured by common grading needs and provides “how to” details using CourseWorks (Canvas) and Gradescope.

We Can Help

The Center for Teaching and Learning can assist you as you explore your options with CourseWorks (Canvas) and Gradescope to meet your grading and feedback needs. Schedule a consultation with a CTL staff member by contacting us at [email protected].  Morningside faculty can access CTL teaching support via Zoom from 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday. Medical Center faculty can meet with a learning designer for teaching support via Zoom from 10:00am to 2:00pm Monday-Friday.

Cite this resource: Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (2020). Grading at Columbia: Tips and Strategies using CourseWorks (Canvas) and Gradescope. Columbia University. Retrieved [today’s date] from https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/grading-online/

Identify your grading need(s) from the options below and open the toggle(s) for detailed guides. 

I need to grade large numbers of quizzes or exams efficiently

Automatic grading using the quizzes tool in courseworks (canvas).

Using automatically graded questions in the Quizzes tool can significantly speed up your grading process. The Quizzes tool offers many question types to choose from. The following closed-ended questions support automatic grading. Click through to instructions from Canvas on creating each question type, setting up correct answers for automatic grading, and setting up automatic feedback options.

• Multiple Choice
• Fill-in-the-Blank
• Fill-in-Multiple-Blanks
• Multiple Answers
• Multiple Drop-down (can be used for Likert scale )
• Numerical Answer
• Formula ( simple formula and single variable )

Open-ended question types must be graded manually. Open-ended question types are:

• File Upload

Note: some of these question types, such as Fill-in-the-Blank and Fill-in-Multiple-Blanks, may fall into either category since it might be difficult to predict all possible correct answers. Since students may come up with responses you may not have anticipated but are still correct, these two question types may need to be graded manually.  

SpeedGrader for manual and automatic grading

You can mix open and closed question types in a single quiz or exam. When quizzes contain a mix of automatically and manually graded questions, SpeedGrader facilitates this process by listing at the top all the questions that require manual grading. For more detailed instructions, refer to How do I grade quiz questions in SpeedGrader?   You may also use SpeedGrader to revise automatically graded questions or to adjust the final grade of the quiz. For more information, refer to How do I adjust the point value for an entire quiz using fudge points in SpeedGrader?  

Automatic feedback options in the Quizzes Tool

In addition to facilitating the grading process, automatic feedback can help facilitate student learning experiences. A meaningful and purposeful quiz paired with constructive feedback can help learners understand and address their achievement gaps and organize future learning. There are multiple ways you could provide feedback on quizzes depending on your learning objectives. If the quiz is intended for students to practice and master concepts, you could allow and review multiple attempts of the same quiz. In addition a quiz could contain groups of questions drawn randomly from a question bank with the purpose of testing the same concept in different ways. The feedback given to students for each of the different ways in which the concept is tested could provide an additional opportunity to build a more complete and robust understanding of the concept being practiced. 

Each of the question types in CourseWorks (Canvas) provides you with the option to enter general, correct, and incorrect question feedback.  Alternatively, you may wish to provide specific feedback for each of the possible correct and incorrect answer options. For information on adding feedback to multiple choice questions, refer to the Canvas Guide on Creating a Multiple Choice Question . You may also select the timing to release this feedback. You can schedule the release of feedback after each attempt (a good option for practice quizzes with all questions automatically graded), or on a specific date and time (a good option for quizzes with all or some manually graded questions). To read more about selecting feedback timing, refer to What options can I set in a quiz? in the Canvas Guides. Whichever option you choose to allow students to view your feedback, it is always a good point of self-reflection for students and helps them move forward in ways that help them succeed.

I need to standardize grading and feedback among multiple graders

It can be challenging to apply consistent criteria when grading a large number of assignments, especially when there are multiple graders involved. Rubrics, which explicitly state the criteria that student work needs to meet, are effective tools for maintaining the standard of grading regardless of class size. In addition, graders can indicate on the rubric the specific criterion that students did or did not meet, thereby streamlining and standardizing the feedback process as well. When developing and using a rubric, it is important for all graders to first clarify among themselves how it will be applied, such as grading a couple of submissions together and coming to consensus.

Rubrics in CourseWorks (Canvas)

CourseWorks (Canvas) allows instructors to create and add rubrics to assignments, quizzes, and graded discussions. Students will be able to view these rubrics to better understand the expectations of the assignment. Instructors can then use these rubrics to grade student submissions as well as provide feedback to students using SpeedGrader. The following Canvas Guides provide information on using rubrics in CourseWorks (Canvas):

• How do I add a rubric to a course?
• How do I add a rubric to an assignment?
• How do I add a rubric to a discussion?
• How do I add a rubric to a quiz?
• How do I use a rubric to grade submissions in SpeedGrader?
• How do I use free-form comments instead of ratings in a rubric in SpeedGrader?

Rubrics in Gradescope

Gradescope allows you and your grading team to develop and update the grading rubric while grading. Any changes any grader makes to the rubric are automatically applied across all student submissions, even retroactively. Multiple graders can grade the same question across submissions by using the Next Ungraded Answer button to move on to the next student’s ungraded response. Unlike in CourseWorks (Canvas), students will only be able to access the rubric after grading is complete, as the grading rubric is developed during the grading process. You can modify the assignment settings to allow students to access all, only applicable parts, or none of the rubric as part of their feedback.

The following video resources from Gradescope provide guidance on using rubrics:

• For a brief overview of grading in Gradescope, refer to Grading a Simple Question .
• To make individual grade adjustments (e.g., additional points on top of the points added by the rubric) or add additional individualized comments, refer to Advanced Grading Options .
• To annotate directly on student-submitted PDFs using Gradescope’s pen, box, and text tools, refer to Annotation and Advanced Navigation .

Gradescope also allows you to speed up grading (i.e., the application of your rubric) through the use of Answer Groups, with or without Gradescope’s AI Assistance. If you created a templated (fixed-length) PDF assignment (i.e., one that requires students to print, fill in, scan, and upload; or, download, annotate, and upload), you may be able to use Gradescope’s AI to group similar responses into Answer Groups. This allows you to grade a representative sample from each Answer Group, and that grade will then be applied to all submissions within that Answer Group. Note that comments entered into the comment box will apply to all students in the group, but annotations will not. You can also manually create these groups. To learn more, please refer to AI-assisted grading (Video) and AI-Assisted Grading and Answer Groups .

For more information on setting up and using Gradescope in your course, please refer to Creating Assignments and Grading Online with Gradescope .

Moderated Assignments in CourseWorks (Canvas)

Moderated assignments in CourseWorks (Canvas) are another way to standardize grading between multiple graders. Moderated Assignments allow independent grading by multiple graders that a moderator can then review. For more information on setting up a moderated assignment, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure: How do I add a moderated assignment to be graded by multiple reviewers?  

I need to grade handwritten submissions

There are various reasons handwritten submissions may be preferable to typed submissions. For example, many Science, Engineering, and Mathematics faculty would like students to show their work using formulas, which can be tedious or impossible to represent in type. Mind maps, drawings, and other types of written markings cannot be represented using a keyboard. Similarly, as an instructor it can be cumbersome to type feedback if they include equations or mathematical symbols. 

CourseWorks and Gradescope can be used to create and grade online exams and accept student submissions of files. In this section we will explain how these tools can be used to grade handwritten work, and lay out the pros and cons of each tool.

Handwritten Submissions in CourseWorks (Canvas)

CourseWorks offers two tools, Quizzes and Assignments , that can be used for creating assessments that accept uploads of handwritten work. To determine whether to use the Assignment Tool or the Quizzes Tool, consider the benefits of using one tool over the other for file submissions of handwritten work:

The Assignment Tool:

• Can easily accommodate multiple file submissions
• Can use SpeedGrader to directly annotate on the file submission.
• Can download the file submissions in bulk if you want to annotate student work in hard-copy and re-upload the submission.

The Quizzes Tool:

• Can set up a timer for the assessment (whether an exam, quiz, or homework) completion
• Can create online multiple choice, fill-in the blank, etc. questions as part of the assessment

Further explanations of each tool, their respective benefits, and tutorials on how to use them can be found on our Create Online Exams page. They are also discussed briefly below.

Using CourseWorks (Canvas) Tools

For submission of written work using the Quizzes tool, create a File Submission question type. Please note that for this type of question, only one file can be uploaded per question. Make sure students have all their work collated into one file or create multiple questions where separate files can be uploaded.

• Pros: The Quizzes tool allows you to set a timer for an exam . 
• Cons: Speedgrader cannot be used to annotate uploaded student submissions. You must download each file response one by one, annotate the written work using annotation software that you have on your device, and upload your annotations one by one. Warning: The iOS Canvas Teacher app has a tool that makes it seem like you can annotate the work and save your feedback directly to student submission files; however, this tool does not actually save your annotations. This issue has been reported to Canvas.

For submission of written work using the assignments tool, create an Online Assignment , and select “file upload” as the submission type.

• Pros: The Assignment tool allows you to use SpeedGrader to view and provide annotations directly on student submission files without the need to download the submissions. 
• Cons: The Assignment tool does not allow for a timer for assignment completion.

Depending on your preferred method for annotating, grading, and providing feedback to handwritten work, the limitation of not being able to use the SpeedGrader to directly annotate files in a quiz may prove to be a major challenge in your grading efforts. In the next section you can learn about a different platform, Gradescope, which provides a variety of features to work around this problem.

For more information on downloading students’ submissions in SpeedGrader, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure: How do I view the details of a submission for a student in SpeedGrader? . For more information on uploading files/attachments as Assignment Comments, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure: How do I leave feedback comments for student submissions in SpeedGrader?

Handwritten Submissions in Gradescope

Gradescope was, in part, created to make submitting and grading handwritten work easier. The basic workflow when using Gradescope is as follows:

• Instructor creates an assignment or exam in Gradescope
• Student creates handwritten work
• Student photographs or scans work
• Student uploads the image of the work to Gradescope
• Instructor views the work, gives feedback, and grades in Gradescope

In Gradescope, it is possible to set timers for assignments or exams, give feedback directly inside the tool, grade inside the tool, and export your grades to CourseWorks (Canvas). In brief, when grading, a toolbar will appear above a student submission that provides a type tool and a pencil tool for typed or freeform annotation on the submission. Grades are assigned through the use of the rubric that has been set up for the assignment. To read more about annotations on student submissions, go to Gradescope’s article on Grading Submissions: Annotating Student Work . To read more about grading via rubrics, go to Gradescope’s article on Grading Submissions: Rubric Basics .

Currently, online question types such as those found in the CourseWorks (Canvas) Quizzes Tool can be used to create a quiz on Gradescope through the Online Assignment Tool . Please note that only a beta version of the tool is currently available, which means the tool is not yet completely reliable and may have some bugs. For that reason, Gradescope is currently best suited to accepting file submissions from students. For more information on getting started with Gradescope, read the CTL Resource on Gradescope .

I need to give feedback by video, by audio, or by online text entry

Feedback can occur at different points and in different formats, ranging from in-person, formative feedback during office hours, to summative written feedback after a final project has been submitted. You can use feedback to help communicate points of excellence and needed improvement for the student, in an effort to support their learning growth.

Writing feedback may be challenging. It requires you to be thoughtful so that your comments help students improve their understanding. Effective feedback is clear and specific, timely, frequent and consistent. Some tips on providing feedback are as follows:

• Ask questions to help students improve or improvise.
• If applicable, provide concrete examples to supplement your feedback.
• Provide comments that are actionable to your students. They should be able to answer the question “What specifically should I do more or less of next time, based on your feedback”?
• Deliver your feedback in a supportive manner. When there is empathy, students are more likely to willingly receive the feedback you offer to help them succeed.

Providing this kind of feedback to students can take a lot of time and energy. The SpeedGrader tool can help you provide feedback in a more efficient manner. A key benefit of SpeedGrader is that it allows instructors to view, grade, and comment on student work without the need to download documents, which can greatly reduce the time needed to grade student work.

SpeedGrader offers a variety of tools for instructors to provide marginal comments and markup on student work. You can add text comments, highlight, strikethrough, and more. For more detailed instructions on using the different tools, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure: How do I add annotated comments in student submissions? 

You also have options for providing summative feedback. In SpeedGrader, you can write an overall text comment, or leave feedback via audio, video, or an attachment. There is also a space for students to leave a message or to respond to your feedback, which can encourage them to more deeply engage with, and reflect on, your feedback. For more information please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure: How do I leave feedback comments for student submissions in SpeedGrader?

As discussed in the above section, “I need to grade handwritten submissions,” SpeedGrader can also help facilitate handwritten feedback or annotations on assignments. In situations where you have to provide hand-written feedback to students’ submissions, SpeedGrader allows you to download individual submissions. Once you download the submission, you can print it, provide your hand-written feedback, scan this document and then upload your annotated document via an attachment option (under Assignment Comments section). For more information on downloading students’ submissions in SpeedGrader, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure: How do I view the details of a submission for a student in SpeedGrader? . For more information on uploading files/attachments as Assignment Comments, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure: How do I leave feedback comments for student submissions in SpeedGrader?

I need to modify my exam, quiz or assignment for student accommodations

What do you do if you have already created your online assessments but you need to make changes to accommodate students with documented disabilities, student illness, technology or bandwidth issues, students in different time zones, or other needs? 

CourseWorks (Canvas) offers settings for adding extra time to Quizzes, adding extra attempts to Quizzes, allowing students to take a quiz earlier or later, assigning different assignment due dates or times for individual students, and allowing students to upload files in different formats/modes. 

Design course assessments (exams, quizzes, graded discussions, or assignments) with accessibility in mind

Cut down on last minute changes to assessments by making them accessible from the start and setting up online assessments to allow for flexibility. 

• Consider the different needs of students who encounter your online assessments using technology you may not anticipate, such as a screen reader, a mobile phone, or who do not have easy access to the most-up-to-date devices. 
• If audio, media, or images are part of a course assessment (whether an Assignment, Quiz, or Discussion prompt), include captions, transcripts and alt-text respectively. Refer to the CTL’s Accessibility in Teaching and Learning Resource for more information. 
• Use the Accessibility Checker in  CourseWorks (Canvas) to verify that the content of the assessment is accessible for all students, and refer to the General Accessibility Design Guidelines by Canvas. The Accessibility Checker is available for Assignment, Quiz, and Discussion descriptions, as well as individual Quiz questions. 

Accommodations for students with disabilities

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) collaborates with faculty on accommodations for students with disabilities that are registered with ODS (Refer to Faculty Guide for Disability Services for more details).

For further questions and information, contact the Disability Services Liaisons for your school or academic program or contact the general office at [email protected] (email) or 212-854-2388 (phone).

Note: ODS does not offer support for students at affiliated schools. The following pages provide more information about support for students with disabilities at affiliated schools: 

• Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services , Barnard College
• Students with Disabilities , Jewish Theological Seminary
• Office of Access and Services for Individuals with Disabilities , Teacher’s College
• Disability Services , Union Theological Seminary

Depending on the eligible accommodations, you may need to make changes to your online assessments. The following sections provided information on how to meet various needs using CourseWorks (Canvas) and Gradescope. 

How to modify Assignments and Quizzes in CourseWorks (Canvas) for Accommodations

Add extra time to Quizzes You can add extra time for students using the “Moderate Quiz” function in CourseWorks. Note: the quiz must be “published” for you to do this. 

• Select the quiz in question
• To grant extra time to one student, click the “edit” icon (pencil) 
• To grant extra time for multiple students, use the check boxes to select each student, then click “Change Extensions for Selected Students”

For more information, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure : Once I publish a timed quiz, how can I give my students extra time? Barnard’s Center for Accessibility Resources and Disability Services has a guide to this as well 

Add extra attempts in Quizzes There are two ways to allow students extra attempts though it depends on whether or not the student has already taken the Quiz.

• If a student has already taken the Quiz use “Show Student Quiz Results”:
• Click the ellipses/options icon
• Select “show student quiz results”
• Choose the student you want to give an extra attempt to
• Click “allow this student an extra attempt”

For more information, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure : Once I publish a quiz, how can I give my students extra attempts? 

2. If a student has not yet taken the Quiz use the “Moderate Quiz” function. Note the Quiz must be published:

• To grant extra attempts to one student, click the “edit” icon (pencil) 
• To grant extra attempts for multiple students, use the check boxes to select each student, then click “Change Extensions for Selected Students”

For more information, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure : Once I published a timed quiz, how can I give my students extra time? 

Allow a student to take a Quiz earlier or later  There are two ways to allow students to take a Quiz outside of the scheduled availability:

• Set a new scheduled time: This option allows the instructor to set a specific alternative time for the Quiz to be available.
• Select the Quiz in question and click “edit”
• In the “assign to” field, select the student or students to schedule a different time
• Edit the “due” and “availability” fields as necessary

For more information, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure : How do I assign a quiz to an individual student?

2. Unlock the Quiz at any time: This option allows the student to take the quiz at any time

• Select the Quiz in question
• Click  “moderate quiz” 
• Chose “manually unlock the quiz” 
• This will override any existing availability dates for the selected student

For more information, please visit the following link from Canvas Instructure : Once I  publish a quiz, how can I give my students extra attempts?  

Create a different Quiz or Assignment for a student You may need to create a different Quiz or Assignment for a student. For example a Quiz where the questions use video, or a make-up Assignment if a student missed class due to illness or personal circumstance. 

• After you create the Quiz or Assignment, you can assign it to an individual student (or a group of students) rather than the whole class. 
• To assign a Quiz to an individual student  
• To assign an Assignment to an individual student  

Assign different due dates or times for individual students on the same course activity  CourseWorks has a differentiated assignments function that allows instructors to set different due dates and times for Quizzes, Assignments, and Graded Discussions. 

• To assign a different due date for a Quiz
• To assign a different due date for an Assignment
• To assign a different due date for a Graded Discussion
• What’s the difference between due dates and availability dates in CourseWorks?

Allow students to submit work in different formats/modes Providing opportunities for students to express their learning in different ways is one of the three core principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) . CourseWorks, and Columbia-supported tools that integrate with it, allow students to submit work in a variety of formats. This might include students:

• Responding to Discussion prompts with images, audio, video, or attachments  
• Submitting videos to Panopto as an Assignment  
• Responding to Quiz questions that use file uploads , video or other media as answer options
• Using a variety of submission types in Assignments

Provide students instructions on how they can submit work in these ways using selections from the CourseWorks (Canvas) Student Guide:

• Assignments
• Assignment Enhancements
• Discussions
• Rich Content Editor     

How to Modify Exams or Assignments in Gradescope for Accommodations

Gradescope is more limited in its features than CourseWorks (Canvas) Assignments and Quizzes and therefore has fewer ways to modify assignments for student accommodations. You can modify the maximum time allowed for an assignment for an individual student under “extensions” in the assignments panel. Currently, this is the only accommodation Gradescope facilitates. Different start times, different assignments for different students or groups, or added extra attempts must be handled outside the Gradescope interface.

Read more about extensions in Gradescope in the Gradescope FAQ on extensions .

The CTL researches and experiments.

The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning provides an array of resources and tools for instructional activities.

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