e-Learning Blog

Moodle is an open-source learning management system (LMS) widely used around the world. It covers all the necessary functions for education, such as online assignment submission, test administration, grade management, and content delivery, and is utilized in various settings including universities and corporate training.

The process of submitting assignments using Moodle is very simple, with submission, grading, and feedback all completed online. Here, we explain the workflow for both students and instructors, as well as how to set up assignments, using the common "file submission" type assignment as an example.

2-1. Procedure for Submitting Assignments in Moodle

■Flow for Students

1) Access the assignment to check the content, deadline, and submission format

We will confirm the details, deadline, and submission format of the assignment. Assignments can be submitted as online text entered in a form or as files such as PDF or Word.

2) Submit the assignment

Upload the file according to the instructions, or fill out the form and submit it.

3) Check feedback from the instructor

When the teacher provides feedback, it will also be displayed on the student's assignment screen.

■Flow for Teachers

1) Check the status of assignment submission

Check the submission status. You can quickly see a list of unsubmitted, submitted, and late submissions.

2) Check the submitted file

Download the file or view it online to check the contents.

3) Enter feedback / Enter rating.

Enter feedback and grades for the submitted assignments. Feedback is not mandatory, but good feedback enhances the learning effect. In Moodle, feedback can be provided not only as text comments but also as annotated PDFs or file formats. Additionally, depending on the settings, assignments can be graded using evaluation criteria such as rubrics.

The above outlines the basic process from assignment submission by students to grading and feedback by instructors. By utilizing Moodle in this way, you can streamline cumbersome tasks such as checking submission status and file management, enabling centralized management of submitted materials.

In the following chapters, we will provide a detailed explanation of the specific steps for the "assignment setting" that instructors should carry out in advance to realize such operations, following the screen layout of Moodle 4.5.

2-2. [Latest Edition] Moodle Assignment Setting Manual

From here, we will explain the specific steps to set up assignments according to the latest interface of Moodle 4.5. Depending on the settings, the submission format, deadlines, and feedback methods can vary significantly, so correctly understanding the settings leads to smooth class management.

From registering basic assignments to setting deadlines and evaluation methods, let's cover the entire process so that students can submit their assignments without confusion.

1) Add an assignment from the course creation screen in Moodle.

2) The task setting screen will be displayed. The details of each setting item are as follows.

―Points―
Here, as an example, we would like to set the task under the following common conditions.

・Assignment Title: Reaction Paper due on Friday, 6/20
・Submission Period: June 20, 2025, 9:00 AM to June 30, 2025, 5:00 PM
・Write at least 250 characters about what impressed you in today's lecture
・File format must be PDF only
・Feedback will be provided via online text
・Unlimited submissions allowed within the deadline

In this case, set it as follows.

Have you been able to set the assignment? There are many setting items, so let's think about how you want students to submit their assignments and configure each item accordingly.

The assignment feature is widely used in educational settings and is a common topic of questions from teachers. This chapter explains typical questions frequently received by the support desk and how to address them.

3-1. [Moodle] How to Extend the Assignment Submission Deadline for Specific Students Only?

A: You can set an "individual submission deadline" from the task setting screen.

In addition to the uniform deadline set for all assignments, it is possible to extend the submission deadline only for specific students. This feature is often used for individual cases such as when a student could not submit an assignment due to illness or network issues.

■Setup Procedure:

1) From the assignment submission screen, click "Allow Extension" in the status column of the target student.

2) A screen to reset the deadline will be displayed. Please set the extended deadline. This setting will not affect other students.

3-2. What is the difference between "End Date" and "Cut-off Date" in Moodle?

A: "End date and time" is the submission deadline, and "block date and time" blocks the submission operation itself.

The difference between these two dates and times is surprisingly easy to confuse, and troubles caused by incorrect settings often occur.

We often receive questions about students submitting after the deadline even though an end date and time were set. If you do not want to accept submissions from students after the deadline, please set a cutoff date and time.

3-3. [Moodle] I want to download all submitted files at once. It was possible in previous versions.

A: From the "View All Submissions" screen, it is possible to download all files at once in ZIP file format.

Due to changes in the locations where batch downloads can be performed in the upgrade to Moodle 4.5, inquiries have increased.

■ Download Procedure:

1) After opening the task, click "Submit" at the top of the screen.

2) A list of submissions will be displayed. Check all the boxes to the left of the students' names, and press the download button at the bottom of the screen to download all submissions at once.

3-4. [Moodle] How to have students resubmit confirmed assignments?

A: By selecting "Revert to Draft," students can resubmit their work.

If you set "Require students to click the submit button" to yes on the assignment setting screen, once the student confirms submission, they will no longer be able to resubmit the assignment. If you want the student to resubmit again, please perform the following operations.

■How to operate:

1) From the assignment submission screen, click "Revert submission to draft" in the status column of the target student.

2) The student's assignment is in draft status. Notify the student and ask them to resubmit it.

The assignment feature of Moodle offers a wide range of settings such as submission formats and grading methods, allowing for highly flexible configurations. On the other hand, this flexibility can also lead to issues like "confusion due to configuration errors" and "an increase in inquiries from students."

This article introduced the basic flow of the task function, the setup procedures, and how to handle frequently asked questions, but in actual operation, more complex cases are also expected.

At Human Science, we provide practical support such as Moodle implementation assistance, manual creation, and the establishment of support systems for teachers. If you have any concerns such as "being overwhelmed with inquiries from teachers" or "wanting seminars on how to use Moodle," please feel free to contact us.

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