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Quick Links: | Environment | Solution | Root Cause |
Instructors may encounter a situation where they cannot unpublish a Canvas course after publishing it. This limitation arises once any grades are entered in the course, creating challenges in managing course visibility and access. This issue can arise even when grades were entered before the course was published.
Environment
- Canvas
- Courses with graded assignments
Solution
There is no way to unpublish a Canvas course once any student grades have been entered. To manage the visibility of course content despite this limitation, instructors can consider the following alternative:
- Hide navigation items so that only Home is visible to students. This restricts access to other areas of the course without fully unpublishing it. Note that students can still access their grades through their dashboard.
Additionally, instructors can:
- Delete all assignments with student grades, understanding that these grades and assignments cannot be recovered once removed. This drastic step should only be considered if absolutely necessary and with a clear understanding of its irreversible nature.
Root Cause
Canvas maintains a philosophical stance that once a course has student submissions graded, it should remain published to ensure that students have continuous access to their grades and feedback. This approach supports transparency and continuous access to educational records, reflecting a commitment to uphold educational integrity and student rights.
Still need help? Reach out to Canvas support or the Technology & Learning Program for further assistance.