Schedule or restrict asset or assignment availability

Updated 19 Feb 2024

You can schedule or restrict when an asset or assignment is available to students. The availability setting determines if the asset is visible to students and if they can open the asset. You can also schedule the date and time that assets are made visible to students. This is a useful feature for tests or quizzes.

You schedule asset availability from the asset's options menu. For information on assigning assets, see Assign assets to the calendar.

Teaching assistants must have permission to schedule assignments. Use the Preferences > Permissions page to control which functionality is available to teaching assistants.

1. From the asset list on the Course Materials > Manage Course Materials page, select the asset whose availability you want to control.
2. Click Assignment Calendar > Instructor Assignment Calendar. If you do not see this page, see Enable calendar for details on displaying it.

3. Select Properties from the asset's options menu.

   You can only assign assets that are visible to your students. If the asset or folder is currently hidden, click Yes at the prompt that asks whether you want to display and assign it.

4. In the Restrict Availability section, select an option:
   • Always Available to Students: The asset is always available to students.
   • Set availability date range: The asset is only available to students based on other options you specify:
     1. Start date: Click the date in the calendar on which you want to make the asset available, or type the date directly in the Start Date field.
     2. Enter the start time in hours and minutes (HH:MM).
     3. End date: Click the date in the calendar on which you want to make the asset unavailable, or type the date directly in the End date field.
     4. Enter the end time in hours and minutes (HH:MM).
     5. To make the course end date the same as the due date, select Set End Date as Due Date.
5. Select the relevant options:
   • To show the asset to students indefinitely after the Start Date, select Do not provide an End Date. Always make the content accessible on or after the Start Date.
   • To show the asset to students but prevent them from opening it before or after the specified dates, select Always show items to students but prevent them from opening items before or after the dates listed above. If you select this option, students can access the asset only for the specified date range. Whether selected or cleared, students can still view their submissions at any time.
   • To alert students when the asset is available, select Show availability notification on the calendar. When you select this option the asset due icon appears on the calendar.
6. Set any additional properties for the asset:
   • To assign the asset, see Assign course materials using the options menu.
   • To assign or schedule the asset for certain students or groups, see Control who can access assignments and when.
   • To have the asset open full screen, open in a pop-popup, or to require a password to open the asset, see Set assignment and asset properties.
7. When you finish, click Save and Close.