LMS Assignments (as off-campus digital open book exams)

A tool in Canvas LMS, which allows students to upload and submit documents and files as their assignment submissions.

LMS Assignments can be used to create exams in which students upload a prepared file. These exams can be set up so that they are only open for a specific window of time, with individual exceptions for students with alternative exam arrangements (AEA) .

Assignment guides

Exam types suitable for LMS Assignments

  • Exams with long answer questions
  • Exams with file uploads, including:
    • Completion of a template the students have downloaded
    • A file containing students’ handwritten submissions
  • Exams with video submissions from EchoVideo
  • Exams marked by a rubric

Features

  • A range of options for submission types:
    • Text entry, where responses are entered directly into the LMS text box
    • Website URL submission
    • Media Recordings (video or audio)
    • File Uploads (with an ability to restrict file upload types)
  • The assignment instructions text box can be used to share a template of the exam which students can download, complete, and submit.
  • Staff can limit the number of submissions students can make to an exam or allow unlimited submissions up until the due date and time.
  • Optional Turnitin Similarity reports can be generated for Word, PDF, Excel, and PowerPoint file uploads.
  • Grading will be completed through SpeedGrader with an option to download submissions.
  • Grading can be completed by section. An option to enable anonymous grading (hiding student information from staff during the marking process) is available.
  • Alternative exam arrangements (AEA) can be set up by completing the Assign fields when dates and times can be set up for the assignment. Refer to the guide for LMS Assignments (as off-campus digital open book exams) for further information about AEAs.
  • Students receive an onscreen confirmation of their submission but won’t receive an email confirmation.

Other considerations

  • It is recommended that the Until time is populated with the due date plus 30 minutes. This time buffer is necessary to accommodate any technical issues that may affect the exam submission process. Note that any assignments submitted during this window will be marked late. After the Until time passes, the student will be unable to submit.
  • There is no countdown timer in LMS Assignments.
  • No automatic marking.
  • No marking by question.

This guide was last updated 19 Nov 2025.

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