Assignments | How to set restrictions for an Assignment

Restrictions can be used to limit access of students to assignments. For example by setting a start and/or end date, or by having the requirement of having completed another part of the course first.

This article shows how to:

Navigating to Assignments Homepage

Navigate to your course, in the green navigation bar

  1. Click on Assessments, a drop-down menu will appear
  2. Click on Assignments
Navigate to your course, in the green navigation bar click on Assessment, then click on Assignment

This will open the Manage Assignments homepage that shows all current Assignments created for the course.

  1. You can select and set restrictions to either: 
This will open the Manage Assignments homepage that shows all current Assignments created for the course, you can select and set restrictions to either: •a New Assignment or •Edit an existing Assignment listed in the Assignments homepage

To edit an existing assignment,

  1. Click on the downward arrow next to the title of an assignment and a drop down menu will appear with multiple options
  2. Select Edit Assignment
To edit an existing assignment, Click on the downward arrow next to the title of an assignment and a drop down menu will appear with multiple options, Select Edit Assignment

This action will open the Edit Assignment Homepage.

  1. Click on the arrow next to Availability Dates & Conditions. A drop-down menu will appear
This action will open the Edit Assignment Homepage, 6. Click on the arrow next to Availability Dates & Conditions, A drop-down menu will appear

Availability Dates & Conditions options

Under Availability Dates & Conditions tab there are many options for restrictions

Under Availability Dates & Conditions tab there are many options for restrictions
1. Start Date

The Start Date indicates the date on which the submission will be opened to students; leaving the box empty will open the assignment immediately.

Once the Start Date is entered, an option will appear below the Start Date. Use this option to change the default visibility condition of the assignment before the start date.

The Start Date indicates the date on which the submission will be opened to students; leaving the box empty will open the assignment immediately. Once the Start Date is entered, an option will appear below the Start Date. Use this option to change the default visibility condition of the assignment before the start date

Select from one of the options to change how the assignment appears to learners before the start date. You may choose between:

  • Visible with access restricted - the assignment title is visible but not clickable, thus no action can be taken until the start date
  • Visible with submission restricted - The assignment's homepage can be accessed by clicking on the title however the 'submit' button is only available after the start date
  • Hidden - the assignment is entirely hidden until the start date

Additionally, you may also select whether to add availability dates to Calendar. To do so:

  • Click on the tick-box, "Add availability dates to Calendar"
Select from one of the options to change how the assignment appears to learners before the start date, You may choose between:•Visible with access restricted - •Visible with submission restricted -•Hidden - Additionally, you may also select whether to add availability dates to Calendar, To do so:•Click on the tick-box, "Add availability dates to Calendar"
2. End Date

The End Date indicates the date the submissions will be completely closed to students; students will still be able to see the assignment, but can no longer open or submit the assignment.

Once the End date is entered, an option will appear below the End Date. Use this option to change the default visibility condition of the assignment after the end date.

The End Date indicates the date the submissions will be completely closed to students; students will still be able to see the assignment, but can no longer open or submit the assignment.Once the  date and time are entered, an option will appear below the End Date, Use this option to change the default visibility condition of the assignment after the end date

Select from one of the options to change how the assignment appears to learners after the end date

Additionally, select whether to add availability dates to Calendar

Select from one of the options to change how the assignment appears to learners after the end date, Additionally, select whether to add availability dates to Calendar
3. Release Conditions

Users are not able to access or view the assignment unless they meet the release conditions. By clicking on Add Release Condition, a drop-down menu will appear with two options.

Users are not able to access or view the assignment unless they meet the release conditions, By clicking on Add Release Condition, a drop-down menu will appear with two options
• Create New

By clicking on Create New a pop-up window will open where it is possible to create a new Release Condition, see How to release conditions

By clicking on Create New a pop-up window will open where it is possible to create a new Release Condition, see How to release conditions
• Add Existing

If in the course, Release Conditions have already been created then they can be selected also here. By clicking on Add Existing a pop-up window will open where it is possible to select and attach from a list of Existing Conditions  

If in the course, Release Conditions have already been created then they can be selected also here, By clicking on Add Existing a pop-up window will open where it is possible to select and attach from a list of Existing Conditions  
4. Special Access

Special Access allows assignments to be available to only a select group of users or individualized due dates for certain users. By clicking on Manage Special Access a new window will open. Special Access can be granted to specific students; this allows students to have special access or different start, due, and end dates, without having to change these for all other students

  • Select Allow users with special access to submit outside the normal availability dates for this folder to allow students to have different dates
  • Select Allow only users with special access to see this folder to restrict visibility of the folder to specific students
  • Click on Add Users to Special Access to add students to the special access list
Special Access allows assignments to be available to only a select group of users or individualised due dates for certain users, By clicking on Manage Special Access a new window will open, Special Access can be granted to specific students; this allows students to have special access or different start, due, and end dates, without having to change these for all other students•Select Allow users with special access to submit outside the normal availability dates for this folder to allow students to have different dates•Select Allow only users with special access to see this folder to restrict visibility of the folder to specific students•Click on Add Users to Special Access to add students to the special access list
Add users to Special Access
1. When some students have a different deadline than the rest, tick the box Has Due Date and enter the due date for special access students2. If special access students have a different start and/or end date, enter them3. Use the search function to find and add students to the Special Access list. Use the View By drop-down menu to select individual students from the entire class list (User), or specific groups (Groups), then press Apply. Students can be added by their name or user number4. Tick the boxes of the students that are to be added to the Special Access list 5. Click Save to add the students/groups to the list and go back to the Edit Assignment page
  1. When, for whatever reason, some students have a different deadline than the rest of the students, tick the box Has Due Date and enter the due date for special access students
  2. If special access students have a different start and/or end date, enter a modified start and/or end date

When an assignment is only available to special access students, the due date linked to the assignment in the restrictions tab will still be visible to all students

  1. Use the search function to find the students that have to be added to the Special Access list. The View By drop-down menu can be used to select individual students from the entire class list (User), or specific groups (Groups), then press Apply. Students can be added by their name or user number
  2. Tick the boxes of the students that are to be added to the Special Access list (only students that are added to the Special Access user-list will be available in the list, see Step 10 of:  Setting restrictions)
  3. Click Save to add the students/groups to the list and go back to the Edit Assignment page
  1. Click Save and Close on the bottom left
Edit Assignments Homepage with restrictions

Once saved, the edited assignment will be visible in the Assignments tab.

Placing the pointer on the availability dates, which can be found below the assignment title, will open a pop-up that displays information about start and end dates and access restrictions, if any.

 

Now you know how to set up restrictions for an Assignment!

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