Product update live since March 2026
When reviewing student work, it can be difficult to remember which submissions you have already opened and which still need attention.
Edcafe now includes an Unread indicator in the report view. Submissions are automatically marked as unread until you open them, helping you track what still needs review.
This update is designed to support your grading and feedback workflow.
What’s New: Read/Unread Tracking
The update adds three key features to help you manage student submissions:
Visual indicators — Unread submissions show a small blue dot next to the student’s name. Once you open and view their work, the dot disappears.
Filter options — Toggle between “All” and “Unread” views using the buttons at the top of your submissions list. The unread count appears as a badge so you always know how many submissions are waiting.
Mark all as read — Use the three-dot menu to mark every submission as read at once. This is helpful if you’ve reviewed work offline or want to start fresh.
Where You’ll See It
Read/unread tracking is available in these features:
Assignment Grader
When students submit written work or file uploads, you’ll see which submissions are new. Filter to “Unread” to focus on work you haven’t reviewed yet, or view “All” to see everything at once.
Quiz and YouTube Responses
As students complete quizzes, their responses appear with an unread indicator. This makes it easy to prioritize grading new submissions while still accessing older ones when needed.
Chatbot Sessions
When students interact with chatbots you’ve created, each conversation appears in your sessions list. The unread indicator helps you identify which conversations need your attention first.
Why This Helps
You Won’t Miss Student Work
The visual indicator makes it obvious which submissions are new. You don’t need to remember who you’ve already reviewed or worry that someone’s work got overlooked.
You Can Prioritize More Easily
Filter to “Unread” when you want to focus on new submissions first. Switch to “All” when you need to reference older work or review everything together.
You Save Time
No more clicking through submissions wondering if you’ve already seen them. The read/unread status gives you that information at a glance.
You Can Track Your Progress
The unread count shows how many submissions are waiting. As you work through them, the number decreases. This makes it easier to plan your time and know when you’re done.
What Happens Behind the Scenes
The read/unread status is tied to your account, not the submission itself. If multiple teachers are grading the same assignment, each teacher has their own independent tracking. When you mark something as read, it doesn’t affect what other teachers see.
The status syncs across all your devices. If you review a submission on your laptop, it shows as read on your phone or tablet as well.
Students can’t see whether you’ve opened their submission. The read/unread indicator is only visible to you — it’s purely an organizational tool for your workflow.
FAQs
What if I accidentally mark something as read?
Once you open a submission, it’s marked as read automatically. If you need to review it again later, you can still access it by viewing “All” submissions — the read/unread status doesn’t affect your ability to view or grade any work.
Can I search within unread submissions?
Yes. The search bar works together with the filters. You can filter to show only unread submissions, then use the search to find a specific student’s name or submission content.
Does the unread count update in real-time?
Yes. As students submit work, the unread count updates automatically. When you review submissions, the count decreases to reflect your progress.
Will students see if I’ve read their submission?
No. The read/unread status is only visible to you as the teacher. Students won’t know whether you’ve opened their submission or not — this is purely an organizational tool for your workflow.
What happens if I open a submission but don’t grade it?
Opening a submission marks it as read, even if you haven’t provided feedback or a grade yet. The read/unread status is separate from grading status — it simply tracks whether you’ve viewed the work.
Can I undo marking something as read?
Currently, there’s no option to manually mark individual submissions back to unread. However, you can always access any submission through the “All” filter regardless of its read status.
Does this work across devices?
Yes. Your read/unread status syncs across all devices. If you mark a submission as read on your computer, it will show as read on your tablet or phone as well.
What if multiple teachers are grading the same assignment?
Each teacher has their own read/unread tracking. If you mark a submission as read, it doesn’t affect what other teachers see — they’ll have their own independent tracking for the same submissions.