Make assignments available to students (set dates)

Updated 19 Feb 2024

Setting assignment dates determines when students can see, open, and work on a Mastering assignment from their Course Home. Each assignment has three dates that must all be set together. You can't set one date without setting the other two.

  • Due Date/Time (must be later than the current date and no later than the course end date). Students see the due date in their assignments list and calendar, provided that the assignment is available to students.
  • Available From (must precede the due date). This is the date when an assignment becomes visible and workable by students.
  • Available Until (must be later than the current date and no later than the course end date). This is the last date that students can open an assignment for review.

    To prevent students from opening an assignment they have completed until the due date passes, select the Limit Student Access option from the assignment settings.

Availability of Adaptive Follow-Up assignments is determined differently.

Things to consider when setting assignment dates:

Setting dates for assignments even before students enroll provides the advantage of displaying all assignments in the Gradebook, and enabling you to align dates and total points for Mastering assignments with your syllabus.

Some students don't plan well unless they see an assignment on their Course Home. Other students attempt to work on an assignment as soon as it becomes available, maybe before they are adequately prepared. Options for addressing these concerns include:

  • List Mastering assignments in a syllabus, but don't make them available too early.
  • Make assignments available early, but include an assignment message that cautions students not to attempt the assignment until certain material has been covered.

As you enter due dates for unscheduled assignments, Mastering suggests an Available From date one week before the due date, but you can change this for any assignment.

  • Setting Available Until dates to match the course end date (recommended) lets students access assignments for review.
    • Student review of Homework assignments:
      The default assignment settings for Homework allow students to rework an assignment for practice and to review its correct answers (including answer feedback) and all hints. Edit assignment settings
    • Student review of Quiz and Test assignments:
      Although the default assignment settings do NOT enable the same review features as Homework, students may want to refer to quizzes and tests after their due dates to review which questions they got wrong or to check score details. Edit assignment settings
  • If you change the course end date, Available Until dates are not affected. If you want these dates to match, make changes to the Available Until dates, as well.

Assignment dates for a copied assignment — When you copy a course or an assignment, you have the option to copy the current assignment dates or not. If an assignment has been copied to your course by a department coordinator, dates may be blank or set by the coordinator, and may need to be edited.

Assignment dates when you create an assignment — When you create a new assignment without copying, the dates are blank until you enter them.

To set or change assignment dates, see the following topics: