Canvas Parent Observer Guide

An innovative way to connect with your child and teachers

What is Canvas?Canvas is a learning management system (LMS) that enables teachers to deliver blended learning in their classrooms.

What is blended learning?Blended learning is the use of traditional face-to-face instructional practices supported and transformed by online technology to improve the learning process.

What is an Observer role in Canvas?Observers have limited permissions that allow them to see what is going on in a course without interrupting the flow of daily course communication. Like students, Observers cannot view a course until it is published and the course has started.

How will a parent access Canvas?The link to the Canvas login is on the BDJH campus webpage. Please remember to bookmark the Canvas login website for future quick and easy access.

BDJH parents can now be observers in Canvas to assist their child in their educational journey. Remember, observers can view the course content but cannot participate in the course.

These are the options you will have as an observer –

not all courses will utilize all of the options:

Set your Notifications

View the Dashboard

View the course Syllabus

View but not participate in Discussions

View but not submit Assignments

Preview and download some Files

View the Modules Page

View Canvas Grades

View the Calendar

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

To login to Canvas, click on the link provided on the BDJH campus website.• Your username and password are the same as your HAC

account username and password• Any 6-digit passwords will be asked to create an 8-digit

password to comply with Canvas safety standards

Canvas HelpIf you are experiencing trouble with your Canvas login or password, please contact Kristi O’Hara at BDJH: KrisiLOhara@katyisd.org, 281-237-8805.

For assistance with Assignments, Test Dates, Quizzes, or other Canvas course content, please contact your child’s teacher.

How does a parent observer set notifications in Canvas?

1. Click on Settings in the top right Global Navigation bar.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

2. Click “Add Email Address” to add your preferred email address for notifications.

3. Click “Add Contact Method” to add another method of notification.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

4. You can view and set notification preferences within a course. In the user navigation menu, click the Notificationslink.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

The Notifications Preference page will display all of the contact methods created across the top of the page. You can specify how you want to be notified for each contact method.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

How does a parent observer navigate Canvas?

View the Dashboard:The observer can view the following items on the Dashboard:• List of all of your child’s courses• Any Announcements or Discussions posted• To Do list, Coming Up items, and Recent Feedback

*Click on any linked item on the Dashboard to see more details.

View the Course Syllabus:

The syllabus is a public page (you do not have to login to Canvas to access it) that houses an automatically updated list of events, assignments, quizzes, etc. Some teachers may choose to add documents and/or course guidelines pertinent to the course on this page.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

1. Click on the Syllabus link in the left menu.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

View a Canvas Course:To locate and enter a course, hover your mouse over Courses on the red navigation bar. A drop down menu will appear –click on the course you wish to enter. If you click on the word Courses, a full listing of courses will appear – click on the course you wish to enter.

View Discussions:

1. Click on the Discussions link in the left menu.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

View Assignments:1. Click on the Assignments Link in the left menu.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

Preview and Download Some Files:Click on Files in the left menu (if available).1. You will see two columns appear. One column shows you the file hierarchy [1]. The other column makes it easy for you to preview and download course files [2]. Note that the Instructor for this course has locked one of the folders [3]. You will not be able to access the contents of locked folders or files.

2. Click an unlocked folder from the left-hand side to open its contents in the preview pane on the right-hand side.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

3. Click the expand arrow to the left of a folder to see its contents on the left-hand side.

4. Now you can click the file name to see it previewed on the right-hand side. Be sure to click on the file name and not on the icon, or it won't open the preview.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

View the Modules Page:Modules are the organization of content within a course.

1. Click on the Modules link in the left menu.

2. Click on any linked item in the modules to see more details.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

View My Child’s Canvas Grades:The grades in Canvas do not reflect your child’s official Katy ISD grades for their course.

1. Click on the Grades link on the top red navigation bar or on the left menu.

Grades are sorted chronologically by assignment due date, followed by assignments with no due dates. You can view the name of the assignment [1], the assignment due date [2], the score earned [3], the total point value of the assignment [4], and icons for any assignment details [5]. You may also see an icon in the score column [6] indicating the type of assignment submitted. Once the teacher has graded the assignment, the icon will be replaced by the score.

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

Some teachers may choose to grade an assignment using a rubric.

View the results on the scoring rubric by clicking the Rubricicon [1]. View your score based on the rubric [2]. To close the rubric, click the Close Rubric link [3].

Canvas Parent Observer Guide

View the Canvas Calendar:1. Click on Calendar in the

top navigation bar.

• Notice the color coded Calendar List to the right of the calendar.

• Click on any item on the calendar to see more details.

Expanding the Undated events link will show a list of events and assignments that are not dated. The assignments and events will be differentiated by icons and by the personal, course, or group calendar color.