If a student claims that there was an issue completing or submitting an assessment, you can see a log of their submission activity. The log shows all the information Crowdmark has on the status of a student’s submission. Students can also see the log by following the instructions on the Verifying that an assignment was submitted page.
Viewing a student’s submission activity log
On your assessment page, click on Students in the sidebar.
You will see a list of students. Find the student you’re looking for and click on the three-dot menu that appears at the end of the row to access the student menu. Choose Activity log from the menu.
3. A panel will appear containing all the actions the student has taken within the assessment. To leave this view, simply click the close icon positioned in the top-left corner of your screen or click outside the panel.
What do the log entries mean?
Viewed assignment page
The student has accessed the assessment page where they can view assessment content and upload their responses. In a Timed assessment this action means a student viewed the gatekeeping page before starting their assessment, and has not viewed the assessment content yet.
Started Timed assessment
If this is a Timed assessment, the student has clicked through the gating page and viewed the assessment content. This is also the time that the assessment timer started to count down.
Student was added to a group/Student was removed from a group
If this is a group assessment, the student was added to or removed from this group’s assessment.
Uploaded x pages to question/Removed x pages from question
The student either added a response by uploading pages or removed previously uploaded pages. These responses are automatically saved in the student’s submission when added, but they’re not uploaded to Crowdmark’s grading system until the student clicks Submit.
Answered x question
The student typed an answer (Text response) or selected their answer (Multiple Choice). These responses are saved automatically in the student’s submission when they are added, but they are not uploaded to Crowdmark’s system for grading until the student clicks Submit.
Clicked submit button
The student pressed the Submit button to make their work available for grading.
Submission time logged
The Submit button click is registered by Crowdmark’s system. Crowdmark uses this time to calculate the student’s late penalty.
Submission processing complete
The student’s work is now uploaded, organized and ready for grading.
Upload failed
The student’s work failed to upload and an error message was shown.
Viewing file details
MD5 image hash
Crowdmark logs the MD5 hash (the file’s unique identifier) for each file that a student uploads to an assessment. What that means is if a student submits a file, then submits the same file again, the two hashes will be identical. The MD5 hash is built into the file when it is created on the student’s device or computer. If the student has altered the file by changing the format, editing the image, or even re-saving the same file, the hash will appear different from the original image hash.
If a student has an issue while submitting, or added files but never submitted their assessment prior to the due date, an instructor is able to upload and submit on their behalf. You can use the image hash to verify the image you are uploading is the same image the student uploaded prior to the assessment due date. There are 2 ways to verify the student file hashes:
- Use a 3rd party MD5 hash verification site to check the hash on the file you have received from the student. Make sure the hashing method is set to MD5, and match the hash to the one in the student’s submission log.
- Upload and submit the student’s file to Crowdmark, and verify the two hashes match in the Activity log. Keep in mind this action will overwrite the student’s previous submission.
Here’s an example of what MD5 hashes look like in a submission log. By default, the hashes won’t be visible. Click the Show file details button at the top of the log to show the hashes beside each file.
Troubleshooting a student’s submission attempt
Errors before submission (not recorded in Activity log):
- Incorrect file type: Crowdmark accepts PDF, JPG, and PNG files. The student must save or export their file in one of these formats.
- File size is too big: The limit is 12mb per image file (JPG, PNG) and 25mb per PDF file. The student should scan their work in lower quality.
- If the student tries to close the browser before submitting, they will see a popup alert asking them “Are you sure you want to leave this site? Changes you made may not be saved.”
Errors after clicking Submit (recorded in Activity log as upload failures):
Sorry, your submission could not be uploaded: This is usually temporary and happens when something interfered with the upload. We recommend that you:
- Try again later or use a different internet connection.
- Disable extensions/add-ons in your browser or try a different browser.
- Try a computer if you are submitting from a mobile device.
A student will know their assessment was not uploaded for grading if they do not see the “Thanks for your submission!” confirmation page. This troubleshooting is also covered in the documentation for students, linked from every submission page: Completing and submitting an assessment.
If these tips do not solve the problem, the student should contact Crowdmark Support and include the error message, the files they’re trying to submit, and the browser and operating system.