In this article, we will go over how to use the assignment feature in Moodle 4.0. Assignments are a great option to use if you are looking to evaluate your students' understanding on a particular topic with a paper or text response. Assignments have also been improved in 4.0 with a designated space to add activity instructions and the ability to set a time limit on how long a student has to complete the material assigned.
For a detailed tutorial, check out the following YouTube video:
How to Create an Assignment
1. Toggle your edit mode button on
2. Find the place on your Moodle page where you would like to add the assignment. Press Add an Activity or Resource.
3. Choose Assignment.
4. Give your assignment a name in the provided text box.
5. Provide the instructions for this assignment in the designated Activity Instructions box. If you wish to add additional files for your students, you can add them in the box below marked Additional Files.
6. Expand the Availability section. This is where you will add specifications for when your student can access this assignment and when it is due. Please keep in mind that Moodle operates on army time.
7. With Moodle 4.0, you can now create a timed assignment if you wish. To enable this, check off the enable box next to Time Limit and enter the time limit that you want to allow the students to have. Important: The students are not able to see the activity instructions for this assignment until they press the button to start their timed assignment so please take that into consideration when deciding how much time you will allow them to have to complete it.
8. Under Submission Types, you can choose whether you would like students to have a text box in which to submit their response or a file box to upload documents. You are able to choose both if you wish. If you would like to set the text box up for their answer, select Online Text. If you would like for them to upload a file for you to view, make sure File Submissions is checked off. Note: File Submissions should be checked by default.
9. If your method of grading papers for students includes downloading and editing a student's submission in Word, and then re-uploading it so they can see the changes in the document itself, make sure to check off Feedback Files in the Feedback Types section. This will give an extra box upon grading that allows you to re-upload their submission.
10. If you wish to set Activity Completion or Restrict Access settings on this assignment, you can do so in the settings.
11. Save the changes.
Grading an Assignment
There is an alternative way to grade assignments besides simply putting the grade in the Grader Report. This way allows you to view the assignment as you grade it, give the grade, and provide feedback. This grading location is also where you will be able to utilize the feedback files feature if you are choosing to use that. To access it, follow these instructions:
1. Once you know you have student submissions, click on the Assignment from the Moodle front page.
2. You can view your submissions by pressing View Submissions or you can go directly to the grading page by pressing Grade
3. If you press View Submissions, you will see this view (See screenshot below.) Here you can download the submission to view it. If you choose to grade it, press the Grade button. The page it will take you to is identical to the page you will be directed to if you chose to press Grade upon first clicking the assignment to view submissions.
4. If you press Grade, you will see this view (See screenshot below.) Here you can download the submission if you wish on the right hand side to view it inside of Word. Below that, you can enter a grade which will sync seamlessly with your gradebook, and underneath the grade button you can enter feedback comments.
5. If you are utilizing the Feedback Files feature, you can upload the edited submission into the section marked Feedback Files. 
6. When you are finished grading that student, click Save changes. If you have more students to grade, press Save and show next and it will go to the next student. By default the Notify student box is checked off which will alert the student about the assignment change. If you do not want them to be notified, you can uncheck this box.
7. Once the grade has been returned to them, students can click the assignment on their Moodle front page and scroll down to see their grade and additional feedback under Feedback
