What are submission tasks?

At regular intervals (often at the end of a study letter), distance learners work on tasks related to the material they have recently worked on and then submit them to their distance learning teacher. These tasks are called submission tasks or Einsendeaufgaben in German.

Submission tasks are used to track progress and are meant to help students regularly engage with the course material. Unlike written exams, submission tasks are done without supervision, so any resources such as the study letter, specialist literature or the internet can be used to answer them.

The assignments are usually sent with the study letters at the beginning of the semester and must be returned to the supervisor of the course by a fixed date, either by post or email. The supervisor then checks and evaluates the answers and gives the student feedback.

Having received feedback on their submission tasks, distance learning students can determine which material is already “settled” and which requires more intensive study or repetition.

Submission can tasks can come in a variety of forms. On one hand, there are voluntary submission tasks that are solely for self-assessment and to provide a sense of the current state of knowledge. On the other hand, there are mandatory submission tasks that must be completed and passed in order to be admitted to the course exam.

Some universities may use automated online procedures, particularly for pure knowledge testing, in which multiple-choice tasks or fill-in-the-blank texts have to be completed. This has the benefit of providing instant feedback.

If the mandatory submitted tasks have been completed within the specified time frame and answered majority correctly, the student will be admitted to take the course exam, which will be under supervision. Some universities allow students to substitute a different task for the one that they performed poorly on to still be admitted to the exam.

Not all universities that offer distance learning courses work with submitted assignments. Some offer them as an additional service for students without there being an obligation to submit them. Nevertheless, it is quite beneficial to do these submission tasks as students receive direct and relevant feedback on their work from the supervisor. This feedback can be valuable support when preparing for the exam.

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog post on submission tasks. Should you choose to start your studies here, take a look at the different distance learning studies we offer. 

At PFH we make sure you receive a high-quality education while fully experiencing being a distance learning student!