Set assignment and asset properties

Updated 19 Feb 2024

MyLab Languages instructors: From the options menu of most assets, you can select Properties to define how the asset appears and functions. These two options are available when an asset appears in the My Course list, the list of assets visible to students; they are not available from the options menu of assets in the Course Materials Library.

MyLab IT instructors: From the options menu of most assets, you can select Scheduling Options to define how the asset appears and functions. To view these options, you must be working in the My Course list on the Course Materials > Add from Library page; they are not available in the Course Materials Library.

The window includes the following sections:

You can set the general properties for the selected asset.

Title -- Edits the asset name.

If you edit the asset in the My Course list, for example on the right of the Course Materials > Add from Library page, the new name appears only in the My Course list, not in the Course Materials Library list on the left of the Add from Library page. To return to the name used in the Course Materials Library, you must delete the text in this field.

Description -- Edits the asset description.

If you edit the asset in the My Course list on the right of the Course Materials > Add from Library page, the new description appears only in the My Course list, not in the Course Materials Library. To return to the description used in the Course Materials Library, you must delete the text that you entered from the My Course list.

You can assign or unassign an asset and set a due date.

Not Assigned -- Unassign an assigned asset, or schedule asset availability dates without assigning it.

Assigned -- Assign the asset.

Assign with a Due Date (MyLab Languages) -- Assign the asset with a specific due date. If you clear this option, the asset is assigned without a due date and is due on the last day of class.

If you extend an existing due date after the date of the original due date, student submissions previously marked as past due but submitted within the extended due date are marked and graded as on time submissions.

To assign an activity with a due date:

  1. Click the date in the calendar on which you want to make the activity due or type the Due Date in the field. You can also specify a due date and view the calendar if the calendar option is enabled in your course.
  2. Enter the due time, in hours and minutes (HH:MM).

If a student selects a time zone other than the instructor's time zone, assignment due times set by the instructor adjust for the student based on the student's time zone. For more details, see Adjust assignment due dates for different time zones.

Calendar -- If you assign an activity with a due date:

  1. Click the date in the calendar on which you want to make the activity due or type the Due Date in the field. The ability to specify a due date and view the calendar is available if the calendar is enabled in your course.
  2. Enter the due time, in hours and minutes (HH:MM).

If a student selects a time zone other than the instructor's time zone, assignment due times set by the instructor adjust for the student based on the student's time zone. For more details, see Adjust assignment due dates for different time zones.

You can control when assets are available to students.

Always available to students -- Make the asset available to students at all times for the duration of the course.

Set availability date range -- Set the dates on which the asset is visible to students.

  1. Click the Start Date calendar icon, choose a date (or type the date in the field), and enter a start time in hours and minutes (HH:MM).
  2. Click the End Date calendar icon, choose a date, or type the date in the field, and enter an end time, in hours and minutes (HH:MM).

    Set End Date as Due Date: Select this option to make the end date the same as the due date. The due date value is automatically populated when this option is selected, and the Do not provide an End Date. Always make the content accessible on or after the Start Date option is disabled.

Do not provide an End Date. Always make the content accessible on or after the Start Date -- Show the asset to students indefinitely after the Start Date.

Always show items to students but prevent them from opening items before or after the dates listed above -- Show the asset to students, but prevent them from opening it before or after the specified dates. If you clear this option, the asset is visible to students for the specified date range.

Students can still see their submissions, they just can't see the actual assignment item.

Show availability notification on the calendar -- Displays an Items you scheduled to start today section in the calendar day view. This calendar section shows any items you scheduled to appear with a start date that matches the day you or students view in the calendar.

You can assign an asset to specific students.

All students -- Make the asset available to all students.

Selected students -- Make the asset available only to selected students or to a group of students. When you select this option, you enable the student list on the left.

If you extend an asset's due date and then select specific students or a group of students, the extended due date applies only to the submissions of selected student(s) or groups.

  • MyLab Languages instructors can filter the list to View by either Students, Groups, or Learner Levels (if enabled).
  • MyLab IT instructors can filter the list to View by Students or Groups.
  • Select the students or groups to whom you want to assign the asset and click Add. The assignments appear on the Course Materials > Manage Course Materials page.
  • To unassign the asset, click boxes in the Selected Students list to select the students or groups and then click Remove.

You can specify additional options for the asset in MyLab IT courses, except where noted.

Do not restrict access. Allow this asset to be accessed from any computer (only available for activities and study plans) -- Allow students to work on the asset from any location.

Restrict access to this asset to the following locations (only available for activities and readiness check or study plans) -- Allow students to work on the asset only from selected locations.

  • To add locations to Selected Locations, select the locations in the All Locations list and click Add.
  • To remove selected locations, select the locations in Selected Locations and click Remove.

Open in pop-up window (not available for folders, study plans, and discussion topics) -- Open the asset in a separate pop-up window.

This option is selected and disabled by default for activities.

Deliver as high stakes (only available for activities) -- Present the activity full-screen to prevent students from accessing other materials until they complete the activity. Students will not be able to cut, paste, or use the right mouse button while working on the activity.

Recommended (optional) (not available for folders) -- Make the asset optional for students.

When an asset is recommended, a recommended icon appears next to the asset; students see an optional icon .

Require proctor password (available for activities and folders in MyLab Languages) -- Require students to enter a password to open the folder or work on the activity. Type the password in the text box. Optionally, to make the password appear as characters, rather than as a series of dots, click Show password.

Apply changes to Current Section only -- Apply property changes only to the selected section.

Apply changes to Multiple Sections -- Select this option and then select one or more sections. Property changes apply to selected sections in the respective My Course areas of the activity.

If the updates succeed when you save your changes, a message indicates that it has succeeded.

If the updates do not succeed, a message appears: The <asset name> was not found in <section name>.

Remember to click Save when you finish setting assignment or asset properties.