[Notifications] Student Notifications Automatically Turned On For Crucial Messages and Comments

[GaylenStewart]

My students aren't turning on notifications for Speed Grader rubric comments and video feedback. They also aren't turning on notifications for "Message Students Who" from my messages left within the Grade Book.

I would suggest notifications be automatically turned on for crucial instructor messages that students have to opt out of to not receive the notifications. Or automatically send faculty messages from these places within Canvas to student's email directly (just like an email message).

There is no notice to me as the instructor that students aren't receiving notifications or whether they are receiving my feedback for their assignments. A confirmation should be sent to faculty that the message was received and viewed (or something like that).

The student doesn't know that they are missing the notifications and the feedback since they didn't turn on notifications. They miss out on much of the instruction which comes from Speed Grader rubric comments and video feedback and Grade Book "Message Students Who...."

It took most of the semester for me to realize that students weren't receiving my feedback and comments in the rubric for assignments, discussions, etc. There were a number of steps involved for me to figure out the problem--lots of guessing, analyzing and emailing to students in Canvas. Some have still not turned them on.

Students who responded and turned on notifications thanked me for letting them know, since they were not getting messages from their other instructors either. This is a real problem for students.

I included the notification information in an introductory video (that students are supposed to watch at the beginning of the course). It showed how to turn on the notifications globally, and for my specific class. Many did not do it.

I will now create an assignment to make sure that they do turn them on but this should not be necessary.

[mark_vanorder]

This would be helpful.  Students don't always appreciate the impact of their choices until they get a grade.