Canvas Help for Parents

As a Canvas Observer, you have several tools to monitor your student’s assignments and due dates. It is important to note that the features and layout differ slightly between the Canvas website (accessed on a computer) and the free Canvas Parent App (used on a phone or tablet). Knowing the strengths of each platform will help you track your student's progress.

Here are the best ways to find what is missing or due:

1. Finding Missing Assignments

The most reliable way to find missing assignments is to check the Grades section.

ON THE CANVAS WEBSITE:

• From your Dashboard, click on a specific course (e.g., Math).
• In the course navigation menu, click Grades.
• If an assignment was not submitted, Canvas will display the status as "MISSING".

IN THE PARENT APP:

• Tap on a course to view the overall grade.
• Tap on the overall grade to see the list of assignments. Missing work will be clearly labeled.

2. Finding Upcoming Assignments

You can check due dates for all courses in one place:

ON THE CANVAS WEBSITE:

• Click the Calendar icon in the main global navigation menu (on the far left). This gives you a comprehensive view of all assignments, quizzes, and events with due dates across every course.

IN THE PARENT APP:

• Use the Calendar View within the app. It simplifies the upcoming schedule and is great for checking in quickly on the go.

3. Setting Up Notifications

To get updates automatically, you can adjust your notification settings:

ON THE CANVAS WEBSITE:

• Click the Account icon, then Notifications. Here, you can set the frequency for alerts on Grading and Due Dates (immediate, daily summary, weekly summary). This is the most comprehensive place to manage all notifications.

IN THE PARENT APP:

• You can set specific Alerts for grade thresholds and, most importantly, for Missing Assignments to receive immediate push notifications directly to your phone.