Why can't I see all course sections or groups when creating a differentiated assignment in Canvas?

Quick Links: | Environment | Solution | Root Cause |

Instructors creating differentiated assignments in Canvas may experience difficulty finding specific course sections or groups in the "Assign To" dropdown box. This issue occurs when setting different due dates or availability for various sections or students, as Canvas limits the visible options by default, potentially hindering assignment creation.

Environment

  • Canvas
  • Differentiated Assignments
  • Assign To box

Solution

To locate and select the appropriate course section or group in the "Assign To" box of an assignment, follow these steps:

  1. Click inside the Assign To box where you normally select the recipients of the assignment.
  2. Start typing the name of the desired section or group directly into the box.
  3. As you type, Canvas will dynamically search and filter the list to display matching entries.
    Canvas dynamically filters the Assign To results as you type.
  4. Select the correct course section or group from the filtered options that appear.

This method ensures that you can easily access any section or group, regardless of how many are associated with your course.

Root Cause

When creating assignments, Canvas does not display all available course sections or groups in the "Assign To" dropdown by default due to interface constraints designed to keep the dropdown manageable. This can cause confusion if instructors are not aware that they need to type the name of the section or group to initiate a search.

Still need help? Reach out to Canvas support or the Technology & Learning Program for further assistance.

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