Parent App Push Notifications to Cell Phone

[kristamarie007]

How can parents set up push notifications for announcements and messages to come to their cell phones if they are using the Parent App? I know that through the Canvas Parent App they can see alert when they open the app, but I'm wondering if there's a way for them to get a notification sent to their phone that I've posted an announcement or sent them a message. 

[KristinL · Accepted solution]

Hi!

Yes, they can. They need to each set those settings manually though.

How do I set alerts for a student in the Canvas Parent app? 

How do I create a reminder for an assignment or event in the Canvas Parent app? 

You'd need to share the instructions from the first link and then emphasize the Course Announcements toggle.

Please reply if you have any follow-up questions. 🙂

[kristamarie007]

@KristinL So will this allow them to get a notification when I send a message through the inbox or is this just for course announcements? And can they see that they have a notification without opening in the app? Many parents do not check their emails or the app so I was wondering if it comes through as a push notification on their cell phone's home screen.

[KristinL]

Hi! Yes and Yes -- However, some people opt-out of the notification "bubbles" or drop-down alerts on their phones. There's not a way to guarantee how your observers will utilize that part of the app. I hope that you have success rolling this out to the families. It has a lot of potential if you have the buy-in.

[audra_agnelly]

I've been testing the app on my phone and I can only find the options to change my alert settings. As a "parent' in the app, if I go to alerts I can see the notices that align with my settings, but there is not opt-in/out of push notification alerts. I get them from the student app for my test student and I have push notifications turned on in my Canvas notification settings (web), but no pop up alerts on my phone when a new alert comes in.

[KristinL]

This is correct. Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of actions that activate a push notification.

Currently, there is an idea open for rating and conversation. I think it would be awesome if you could join in the discussion!  Push Notifications in Canvas Parent app for Commun... - Instructure Community