Creating a Peer-Reviewed Panopto Assignment in Canvas with Downloadable Media Presentations

Summary

This guide provides a workaround so faculty can save student presentations for grading, accreditation, or future teaching use. Panopto assignment folders in Canvas let students create, upload, and edit videos for peer review, but Canvas doesn’t allow instructors to download submissions.

Body

Encouraging Collaboration and Preserving Student Work

What is it?

A teacher-created assignment folder (Panopto) allows students to upload or create videos in Panopto. In addition, it stores these student-created videos allowing for edits. 

Why is it important?

Creating a dedicated Panopto assignment folder in Canvas not only supports the peer review process. While Canvas makes it easy for students to view and comment on each other’s work, it does not offer a direct way for instructors to download those submissions. These instructions provide a workaround for downloading student presentations, ensuring faculty can retain copies for grading records, accreditation evidence, or future teaching examples after the course has ended.

How to do it?

Part One: Create an Assignment Folder

In your Canvas course, select Panopto Video from the course navigation. In the Panopto interface, select the 3 dots, and then Settings

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On the Overview tab, under Assignment Folder, select Create Assignment Folder

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A link to the new assignment folder will automatically appear with the parent folder's name and the word assignments in brackets next to it. 
Note

  • Any users with the Viewer role on the parent folder will be able to record and upload videos to the assignments folder, as well as be able to edit and delete their own videos. They will not be able to see any other user's videos in the folder unless otherwise indicated. (Unless you are creating a peer reviewed assignment in Canvas.)
  • To allow viewers to see others' videos: Open the Settings menu for the Assignments folder and navigate to the Settings tab. Select the checkbox next to Allow viewers to see each other's sessions.

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Part Two: Create Your Peer Review Assignment in Canvas

Create your peer review assignment with your desired settings. Be sure to set submission to Online: Text Entry. If needed, refer to: How do I create a peer review assignment?

Part Three: Student Submission

It is strongly suggested that you (student) read these instructions to get a feel for the workflow before attempting, especially the relationship between Step Two and Step Three.

Step One

If students are creating PowerPoint presentations, have them export them as videos, preferably at 480p or 720p (keeps file small, especially if narrating over slides).  Students will access your assignment folder by selecting Panopto Video from the course navigation. By selecting +Create button, they will select Upload Media.

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Step Two

The following instructions work best with a desktop.

Student must have two tabs open - the assignment page and the assignment folder page (where their videos are stored).

Tab 1: Assignment Page

With the assignment open, the student selects the Panopto icon from the ribbon on the rich content editor (RCE). This action will open open their folder of videos previous submitted.

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Select the desired video and insert it into the RCE.

Tab 2: Assignment Folder Page

Student selects Panopto Video from the course navigation to open the assignment folder page. Select the 3 dots on your desired video. From the dropdown menu, select Copy Link.

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Step Three

Back on the assignment page, in the RCE, the student will type a brief description after the previously inserted video (from Step One). Highlight the description. From the RCE, select the Link icon. From the dropdown menu, select External Link. In the dialog box, paste the copied link from Step Two. This action will associate the copied link with the description. 

(For accessibility, instructors should have a preset description in your instructions, i.e. "For Instructor Download". )

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Select Submit Assignment to complete the process.

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Details

Details

Article ID: 168445
Created
Thu 8/14/25 4:34 PM
Modified
Thu 8/14/25 5:20 PM