Why set up assessment at the beginning of the semester?
- It gives a clearer overall picture of the course to have assignments and exams visible on the course site.
- Students get a better overview of the workload required in the course and can plan their work and free time ahead. This supports well-organized study habits.
- When assignments and exams are published on the course site, due dates automatically appear in the course calendar. Students can view all their course calendars together in their own Canvas calendar and see when peak workload periods will occur during the semester.
- Students can see which parts of the assessment are most important based on their weight.
- Set-up assignments and their weights also appear automatically in the course syllabus in Canvas. To promote better consistency across courses, it would be best if this information were available in every student’s course syllabus from the start of the semester.
- When assignments are ready at the beginning of the semester, students can immediately see how the course site is organized and where they are expected to submit their work.
- When assignments and weighting are set up carefully at the beginning of the semester, there is less risk that the teacher will need to change the assignment setup, points, or weighting after grading at the end of the semester. In some cases, this can create a great deal of extra work, such as having to enter grades again. The end of the semester is also the busiest time for support services, so a teacher may have to wait for help at the very time when final grades must be submitted.
- If assignments and other assessment activities are set up correctly from the start, problems related to submissions are less likely to arise, reducing the need for the teacher to answer emails or seek support.
- When it is clear from the beginning when assignments are due and which criteria apply, late submissions are less likely.
- If assignments and weighting are ready from the start of the course, it is also easier for the teacher to ask students for feedback on the course site and assessment, with the aim of improving the site further or, for example, making the assessment more varied.
- The work put into the course site will also benefit the teacher the next time the course is taught, since both content and setup can be copied.