Observer Visibility and Participation

This document outlines the Canvas features that Observers can view and participate with. 

Observer permissions are limited. Unauthorized warnings will appear if they click to a page that they do not have permission to access. 

Each Instructor can customize the links in the Course Navigation and limit the number of features that Students and Observers can see. If the course navigation link does not appear, the instructor has hidden the link from course users. Observers may or may not have access to the features mentioned below. Observers cannot view a course until it is published.

 

Feature

Observer Visibility

Observer Participation

Announcements

✔️
Can view and read the announcements.

✖️
Cannot comment or participate.

Assignments

✔️
Can view the assignments index page.

✖️
Cannot submit assignments.

 

Calendar

✔️
Can view personal calendar and calendars of the courses they are enrolled.

✔️
Can add events to personal calendar or course calendar (with appropriate permission).
✖️
Cannot view the personal calendar of student(s) they are observing or courses they are not enrolled.		 ✖️
Cannot add assignments to course calendars.

Collaborations

✔️
Can view the collaborations page.

✖️
Cannot view, join, or participate in a collaboration unless invited by instructor.

Conferences

✔️
Can view the conferences page.

✖️
Cannot view, join, or participate in a conference unless invited by instructor.

 

Conversations

✔️
Can view own Inbox.

✔️
Can send messages to the instructor and student they are observing.

✖️
Cannot view messages sent to the student they are observing.

✖️
Cannot send messages to others in the class.

Discussions

✔️
Can view discussions.

✖️
Cannot comment or participate.

Files

✔️
Can preview and download some files.

✖️
Cannot view a locked file or folder.

Grades

✔️
Can view grades including assignment comments for the student(s) they are observing. They can also filter the Grades view by grading period, filter by courses they are enrolled in, view assignment scores and due dates, and print grades. 

✖️
Cannot change grades.

Groups

✖️
Cannot view student groups.

✖️
Cannot participate in student groups.

Modules


 

✔️
Can view the point values for individual assignments. 

✔️
Can click any link in modules.

✖️
Cannot participate in Discussions, submit Assignments, or take Quizzes.

Notifications

✔️
Can view personal notification preferences.

✔️
Currently receive notifications for assignment creation, assignment modification, created announcement, course invitation, added to a conversation (if included as recipient), appointments available for signup in Scheduler, linked student reserved appointment).

Outcomes

✔️

✔️

Pages

✔️
Can view pages index page.

✔️
Can edit if Anyone setting is enabled by instructor.

People

✖️
Cannot view course roster.

✖️

Quizzes


 

✔️
Can view quizzes index page.

✖️
Cannot take a quiz.

✖️
Cannot view quiz.

Rubrics

✔️
Can view rubric.

✖️
Cannot view graded results.

Syllabus

 ✔️ ✔️

User Dashboard

 ✔️ ✔️

Last update: 2017-04-01

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