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Things that would make it easier/more streamlined as I try to stay on top of my child's progress and grades: It would be helpful if information regarding student progress and grades was more readily accessible, rather than having to check through the grades section of each individual class. For example, an overall grade could appear on the class card on the dashboard. (Other information could also included on the dashboard class cards, like a missing assignment alert/new discussion board post alert/etc. giving more information of the status in each class at a quick glance.) Also, the emails I get multiple times a day telling me an assignment has been graded would be much more informative if they included what the grade was 🙂 Also, the calendar would be much more useful if each day's "to do" tasks were listed on that day, rather than them all being crowded onto Friday (the day they are due). Finally, it would be very helpful if the class modules showed a "checkmark" when my student has completed a task/assignment/quiz, so that I didn't have to click and open each individual one to find that information.
Hi! Lots of great ideas here -- and some of them are already available! 🌟
With your email notifications, you should be able to include the grade information. How do I set my Canvas notification preferences as an observer?
If you switch to the "list view" rather than the "card view" on the dashboard, your to-dos will be organized differently. You may like it a lot! How do I use the to-do list for all my courses in the List View Dashboard as a student?
Additionally, the Canvas Parent app has a great weekly view. AND it shows the grade information very quickly.
How do I use the Canvas Parent app on my iOS device?
Lastly, you asked about modules. That IS a feature, but the teacher needs to use it for it to be visible to students.
How do I add requirements to a module?
Just a point of clarification: are you saying that module items showing a "check" when completed is a feature that is available if the teachers turn it on?
Thanks for the tip about setting my notifications to show the grade when I get an email, that is very helpful.
I still think it would be most helpful if the dashboard cards showed the current grade (and possibly some alerts) so all the essential information was available at a quick glance. And from there I can see if I need to dig in further and look into a specific grade or missing assignment, etc. (which is not possible on the app, so while I may use it to see an overall grade, it doesn't do me any good if I find something I need to look into). My son did virtual school through K12 IDVA and it was a feature they had on their platform that I think is superior.
Thanks 🙂
Randi
I actually just realized the app does allow me to click on the class and see individual assignment grades. My bad ; )
Oh also, my dashboard doesn't give me the option to use a list view. Is that also a feature the school would have to turn on?
Yes, you're correct! List view is available to students, but not (yet) to observers. The active conversation around this is Allowing "list view" for observer accounts
Yes!!! So very much agree with the grades being on the emails/notifications saying assignment grades but no grade shown. Wouldn’t it be easier and one less step for everyone, if that email/notification shows the grade also. Please please please change this feature if possible.
I believe what this and posts in other forums is that it appears to be very cumbersome to be able to manage in a single view my child's assignments for all classes and if I have more than 1 child either see all children or at least be able to easily filter child by child. I'd say ideally, however it is really a necessity to be able to in a single view see all my child's classes, all assignments, due date for each, if it has been submitted and grade. Ideally, the view would be able to be filtered by child, due date (this week, next week (to capture assignments that span weeks), submitted/not submitted, and grade (lower than X).
This is what a dashboard view should be, what parents 100% need and I also believe would be very helpful to students to monitor what they have due. Please, please, please provide this view ASAP.
hi @jklblair - Have you explored the Canvas Parent app?
You can view one student at a time, and see all assignments in a week view -- and that includes color-coded labels for things that are submitted/graded/late.
Parents need an easy, quick way to identify assignments, and to be able to tell which assignments were submitted, and which assignments still need to be submitted.
If Canvas were to automatically place a checkmark next to a completed assignment, a quiz that was taken, etc., that would be at least something. It should automatically be done by Canvas rather than having the student be on the honor system to place the checkmark on their own (checkmarks placed by the student would not be helpful for the parents who are trying to confirm that indeed their child did the work).
It is too much work for parents to have to click on each assignment individually and then view the submission details. There are multiple assignments, multiple courses, and for a lot of families multiple students!
Please Canvas, make it easier for parents who have to monitor their children getting their work done.
Hi @shebull69
I think the easiest way to check whether not an assignment has been submitted is through the course Grades page.
How do I view the Grades page for a student as an observer?
Alternatively (and probably even easier!) is using the Canvas Parent app. Viewing one student at a time, you see a week-at-a-glance, including assignments on the calendar. That will work great for the teacher who uses due dates!
Hello @KristinL , I saw you replied referencing the Parent App, but the community link seems to be corrupt as I get an error trying to access it.
However, yes, I have started to use the Parent app and it is better, but still doesn't address the true need. We all really need a single page/report that shows all assignments for all courses and their status all on a single page. It is time consuming and challenging to keep the kids focused and aligned on what needs to be done for a week when we have to click into every course to know what is due. Thank you
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