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Canvas SpeedGrader

Parent Page(s): Scantrons & Online Grading

 

 

The Canvas internal grading tool is an efficient, adaptable platform to provide feedback and grade student work.

SpeedGrader allows you to quickly view, provide constructive feedback and grade submissions in a variety of document and file formats. This innovative tool also allows grades to be entered numerically or within a descriptive rubric, has options for detailed annotations, text and media comments, anonymous grading with the option to hide student names and automated archiving of grades and comments. SpeedGrader’s adaptability and efficiency make it one of the most valuable tools on Canvas.

 Key Features

  • View student submissions in almost any format (text entries, media recordings, file uploads, website URLs).
  • Annotation Bar with detailed feedback options, including point or area annotations, highlighting, strikethrough and free text annotations.
  • Feedback commentary can be provided through text, audio, video or speech-to-text recognition.
  • Rubrics enable rating specific outcomes and have the option for a comments library to reuse repeated comments.
  • Anonymous grading with the option to hide student names.
  • Automated grade recording in Canvas Gradebook in point, percentage or complete/incomplete formats.
  • The Comment Library allows instructors to save and reuse commonly used text feedback in SpeedGrader. This function is only available in courses to the teaching team.

Advantages

  • Entry in multiple formats (comments, annotations, rubrics) ensures that feedback is effective and clearly visible to students.
  • Grades and comments are archived in the Canvas Gradebook and stored in students’ Inbox folder.
  • Comments and grading activity are auto-saved, so no marking work gets lost.
  • Read receipts help instructors verify when students view their feedback.
  • All work remains within the course site. Instructors do not have to toggle between different platforms to grade and view assignments.
  • SpeedGrader within the Canvas Mobile App enables greater mobility and stylus annotating that mimics paper and pen grading.

Limitations

  • All student submissions can be accessed in SpeedGrader but only assignments submitted as DOC, DOCX, PDF and PPT file types can be previewed and annotated.
  • If an instructor fails to hide grades for the assignment, students are automatically notified of each grade change or instructor comment.
  • Multiple graders cannot grade one submission simultaneously. If instructors would like to have TAs grading the same paper at the same time, they can consider administering their assessment through Crowdmark.

Tips

  • It is highly recommended that instructors select the “Manually Post Grades” setting prior to grading. This way, all students will only see their assignment grades and comments once instructors have finalized and manually posted them.
  • Rubrics “free-form comment” option offers a comments library, so instructors can save and reuse repeated comments.
  • Summative feedback is best entered as Comments (that will be archived in the Gradebook and students’ Inbox folder) and specific, but brief comments are best provided in Rubrics or as annotations.

Getting Started

Discuss ideas and options with the Arts Learning Centre Drop by the Arts Learning Centre for a chat in Buchanan C105A
Email Arts ISIT Helpdesk Contact ArtsISIT arts.helpdesk@ubc.ca for assistance or a demonstration!
Ask a questions by filling out the form below! Ask us a question by filling out the form below.

Canvas Community – What is SpeedGrader?

Canvas Community – How do I use SpeedGrader?

Student Canvas Resource Site – Accessing Feedback