How do I create a OneDrive assignment in Canvas as an instructor?

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting |

All faculty and students receive free access to the Microsoft Office suite, including 1TB of storage in Microsoft OneDrive. This makes it easy for instructors to integrate OneDrive into their Canvas courses for file sharing and assignment submissions. In this guide, we'll explore two ways to use OneDrive in Canvas assignments: creating templated assignments where each student gets their own copy of a file to work on, and allowing students to submit files directly from their OneDrive for traditional assignments. By using OneDrive, instructors can streamline file sharing and collaboration within Canvas assignments.

Prerequisites

  • Instructor access to a Canvas course
  • (Optional) A template assignment file in OneDrive

Step-by-Step Instructions

Use a Templated OneDrive assignment when you want each student to work from an identical starting point, such as a worksheet, lab report template, or form. This is ideal for assignments where you want to standardize the structure, and each student must complete their own copy of a pre-set document. For example, instructors can use a templated assignment for group projects where each team completes the same framework or for individual assignments that require filling in specific information. This method is best when the content or format of the document is essential to the task.

Use the file submission option when students are expected to create their own original documents, such as essays, reports, or presentations, and upload them from OneDrive. This is appropriate for assignments that require students to demonstrate creativity, critical thinking, or individualized research. It’s also useful when students need to submit multiple file types or large projects that might not fit into a templated format, such as portfolios, multimedia files, or custom presentations.

Create a Templated OneDrive assignment

To give each student a unique copy of a OneDrive file for an assignment, do the following:

  1. In your Canvas course, navigate to Assignments from the course menu.
  2. Select + Assignment to create a new assignment.
  3. In the Submission Type field, choose External Tool.
  4. Select Find, then choose OneDrive from the list of available tools.
  5. Pick the template file you want each student to receive, and then select Attach.
  6. Complete any additional assignment details, then select Save or Save & Publish.

Now, each student will receive their own copy of the template file to complete.

Allow students to submit a OneDrive file to a regular assignment

To allow students to submit a file from OneDrive for a regular assignment, do the following:

  1. In your Canvas course, navigate to Assignments from the course menu.
  2. Select + Assignment to create a new assignment.
  3. In the Submission Type field, choose Online and select File Upload from the list of options.
  4. Complete the remaining assignment details, then select Save or Save & Publish.

Students will now have the option to submit files from their OneDrive when they upload their assignment.

Troubleshooting

If students encounter issues submitting files from OneDrive, make sure they are logged into their Microsoft OneDrive accounts and that OneDrive integration is correctly enabled in your Canvas course. If issues persist, direct them to contact IT Support Services for help.

If you encounter issues setting up OneDrive assignments in Canvas, contact the Technology & Learning Program.

Still need help? If you run into problems or still need help, reach out to the Technology & Learning Program. 

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