why can't i see all my students course as an observer in canvas?

by Miss Eugenia Marquardt PhD 8 min read

It can be difficult to manage your Observer account when you are Observing a large number of students. Canvas displays all of your students' classes on the dashboard and Calendar together, instead of making a new calendar view for each student, so sometimes it can be difficult to tell which class corresponds to which students.

Observers have limited permissions that allow them to view what is happening in a course without interrupting the flow of daily course communication. Like students, observers cannot view a course until it is published. To learn more about observing, view the Parent Registration and Student Observation video.

Full Answer

What can observers do in a canvas course?

Observers may be able to view assignments, course events, and grades for a student in the Canvas Parent app. For more information about course-level user permissions, view the Canvas Course Permissions PDF. Observers can view course data but cannot participate in all Canvas areas. Observers may be added to a course to observe course data.

How do I view my student's course in canvas?

View the dashboard of your Canvas account. View Course Click theCourseslink [1] and click the title of the course [2] to view the course your student is enrolled in. Canvas Observer Guide Canvas Observer Guide Updated 3/1/14Page 21 How are Observers added to a course?

Can I view past and future enrollment courses in canvas?

You may also be able to view past and future enrollment courses in Canvas. Note: Some institutions may restrict the option to view or access future enrollment courses before the participation dates and/or restrict the option to access concluded courses after the course has ended.

Can observers view the same content as the student they observe?

Observers can view the same content as the student they are observing unless the content is unpublished or restricted by locked dates. Observers can view module content locked by prerequisites or requirements, as module progression is not measured for observers.

How do I see everyone in a Canvas course?

From within your Canvas course, in the course navigation, click People. To view a user's profile, click their name from the list. In the new page, you will see their details. This includes their avatar, recent messages, and any services (e.g., Google Docs) they have linked to their Canvas account.

Why can't I see my students in Canvas?

The Canvas course site is not yet published by the instructor. A course site isn't visible to students until the instructor manually publishes the Canvas site. If the semester/term has already started and you are definitely registered for the course, contact your instructor and ask them to publish the course.

What can Canvas observer see?

Observers Can See and Do the Following:View and read announcements.View assignments index page.View the calendar.Join conferences, if invited.Join collaborations, if invited.View personal inbox.Send conversation messages to instructor and student they are observing.View the dashboard.More items...

How do I make sections of Canvas visible to students?

At any point, if you want to re-enable a section, return to Course Settings, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, click on the three dots, and click Enable.

Is there a student view in Canvas?

Open Student View Go to your course site and click the Student View button in the upper right corner. You can now view the course as a student user would see it. For example, students cannot see the Settings navigation link like instructors can.

How do you unlock content in Canvas?

Files can be manually locked from the Files section.Click on Files in the course navigation menu to the left.Locked files and folders will be indicated by a lock on the file icon.To unlock a file or folder, click the open lock icon to the right of it.

What is the role of the observer?

An observer is a meeting role granted by some organizations to non-members to allow them to monitor or participate in the organization's activities.

Do observers see announcements in Canvas?

Observers cannot view a course until it is published. Announcements Can view and read the announcements. Cannot comment or participate. Assignments Can view the assignments index page.

Can observers see discussions on Canvas?

Observers can read student replies to course Announcements and Discussions and see student profile images (if available), but they cannot add their own comments.

Where is course settings in Canvas?

To access settings, click on "Settings" located on the bottom of the navigation tabs on the left of your course. The information below will give you general information about the different parts of your course settings, but more information will be provided on the tabs on how to actually use these different features.

How do I edit sidebar in Canvas?

0:181:19How to change the Canvas course left navigation | Canvas TutorialsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSimply click and drag it to the top here and then you can rearrange them if you need to.MoreSimply click and drag it to the top here and then you can rearrange them if you need to.

How do I get out of student view on Canvas?

To quit student view, click Leave Student View menu at the right bottom of the screen.

How do you search for people on Canvas?

"People" located on the Course Navigation Menu. To find Faculty information, scroll down the list of people to find the faculty member or use the drop down filter to sort by teacher. If you know the Faculty member's name, you can also search the name in the search box.

How do I contact another student on Canvas?

Note: Currently you cannot message users in multiple courses.Open Inbox. In the Help Corner, click the Inbox link.Compose Message. Zoom. ... Filter Course. In the Courses drop-down menu, select the course where you want to send your message. ... Add Recipient. Add your recipient in the To field. ... Compose Message. ... View Sent Message.

How can I see a student view of Google classroom?

0:004:18Google Classroom: Student View - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOr log into your classroom. And then select the class where you want to be okay students so we haveMoreOr log into your classroom. And then select the class where you want to be okay students so we have streamed classwork in people. So underneath people you would see your teacher.

What is view all courses?

View All Courses. All Courses are courses that are part of the current semester or term. However, depending on access settings for a course, My Courses can also display courses that have not yet started or are unpublished. Active courses that are available to you are listed in blue text [1]. These courses have been published ...

What is the blue text on a course?

Active courses that are available to you are listed in blue text [1]. These courses have been published and include a link to the course. To open a course, click the name of the course. Courses that are within the current term dates but are not yet available are listed in black text [2]. These courses have not been published.

What is past enrollment?

Courses under the Past Enrollments heading are courses that have concluded but are still available as a read-only archived course. You can view course material and grades but can no longer participate in the course.

Can you view a future course before the start date?

However, some institutions may restrict you from viewing published courses before the start date. If a future course includes a link [1], you can view course content but cannot fully participate in the course until the start date.

Can a future course be viewed until the start date?

If a future course does not include a link [2], the course cannot be viewed until the start date.

Can you view future enrollment courses before the enrollment date?

Note: Some institutions may restrict the option to view or access future enrollment courses before the participation dates and/or restrict the option to access concluded courses after the course has ended.

What is an observer role in Canvas?

What is the Observer role? In Canvas, the Observer role can be used to enroll parents, mentors, and guests who would like to participate in a Canvas course but do not need to earn course credit.

Why do you need an observer in a course?

Observers may be added to a course to observe course data . For instance, instructors sometimes invite guests to join their courses, such as for a web conference. Enrolling the guest with an observer role allows access to the course without being able to affect any course data or participation. The main use of the observer role is to link a user ...

What is the role of an observer in K-12?

The main use of the observer role is to link a user to a student. Observers can be linked to a student or multiple students and view the student's data in the course. Parents are often enrolled as observers and linked to students, especially in K12 environments.

What is a course level link?

A course-level link is a link between an observer's enrollment in a course and the student's enrollment in that same course. These links have to be created each time the student and observer are enrolled in a course.

Can an observer be linked to multiple students?

Observers can be linked to a single student or multiple students. These links can be at the account or course levels. A user-account level link will ensure the observer is linked to a student and will enroll the observer in each student's past, current, and future courses automatically.

Can you view assignments in Canvas?

Observers may be able to view assignments, course events, and grades for a student in the Canvas Parent app. For more information about course-level user permissions, view the Canvas Course Permissions PDF.

Can instructors customize the links in the course navigation?

Each instructor can customize the links in the Course Navigation and limit the number of features that students and observers can see. Observers may or may not see links to certain features.

Check who you're observing

To check who you're observing, click on Account and then Observing. You will see this screen, with a list of the students you are observing.

Manage the courses on your dashboard

To manage which courses show up on your dashboard, click on Courses on the left sidebar, and then All courses. You will see a list of courses that you are enrolled in (as an observer). Star the ones you want to appear on your dashboard--you can have up to 21 courses on your dashboard.

Color code, nickname, and arrange your courses

When you go to your dashboard, you will see course cards for each course. The courses you've starred will appear here--if you haven't starred any courses, you will see the first 10 courses you're enrolled in.

Managing your calendar

The colors and course nicknames you set on your dashboard will apply everywhere in your Canvas Observer account, including the Calendar and the Canvas inbox. For more information about using the calendar in Canvas, check out the article below.

Managing your inbox

Setting nicknames for your courses will be extremely helpful for using the Canvas inbox feature. We recommend setting a nickname that tells you which student is in the course, and what the course is--something like "Emma English". For more information about using the inbox in Canvas, check out the article below.

Try the parent app!

The Canvas parent app will not give you access to as many features as accessing Canvas through your web browser, but it can make managing a large number of students easier. In the parent app you can switch between views for each observed student, and view individual calendars for each student. Here is our guide for setting up the parent app:

How long does it take for a course to show up on canvas?

If you just recently registered or added a course, please allow at least four hours for the course to show up in your Canvas account. The time it takes from when you register to the time it will show up in Canvas is not immediate.

How to reinstall Canvas Student?

Step 2: If updating the app and the operating system does not resolve the issue, delete and reinstall the Canvas Student App.

How to contact Canvas Help Desk?

To contact the Canvas Help Desk regarding missing courses in Canvas, please submit a ticket through the tech support page and select Canvas Support from the department drop-down list.

How to check the start date of a course?

To check the start date of your course: Log into Self-Service from the top of the www.stanly.edu website. Click on Student Planning. Click on Plan & Schedule. If you need help, you also have the option to call the Eagle's One Stop at 704-991-0123 and have them check your course start dates.

How many weeks are there in a course?

Also, please consider if it's a 16-week, 12-week, 8-week, or 4-week course. If you have multiple courses, some courses may be missing until their start date.

What is an observer in Canvas?

In Canvas, the Observer role can be used to enroll Parents, Mentors, Auditors, and Guests who would like to participate in a Canvas course but do not need to earn course credit. 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.

What happens if an observer clicks on grades?

From the Global Navigation Menu, if an Observer clicks onGrades, they will see a blank page, unless they are linked to a student.

What happens if an instructor locks a folder in course files?

If an Instructor locks a folder in course Files, Observers will not be able to view the content.

Can observers see assignments due?

Observers can see a list of Assignments due and click on their titles, but...

Where do observers see global streams?

When they first log in, Observers will see the Global Stream in their Dashboard.

Can observers click on the Inbox link?

Observers can click on the Inbox link to access Conversations, but ...

Can you add observers to a group in Canvas?

Instructors and students can create groups inside of Canvas that make it easy to collaborate in smaller groups. Observers cannot be added to or interact inside of Groups.

How to check if a course is correct?

1. Click on Settings in the course navigation menu to the left. 2. Under the Course Details tab, check that the dates are correct (there might not be an end date) and that Users can only participate in the course between these dates is unchecked. 3.

How to change the date on a course assignment?

1. Click on Assignments in the course navigation menu to the left. 2. Click on the assignment name to see its details. 3. The Available from and Until dates set when the students can access the assignment. 4. To change the dates, click on the Edit button to the right. 5.

What does the green icon on a quiz mean?

The green icon [1] means the material is published , and grey [2] is unpublished. Similarly, if you enter any of these items individually (modules, pages, assignments, discussions, quizzes), there will be a green/grey button at the top indicating whether it is published or not.

Where is the publish button on a website?

Click Publish located on the right hand side of your screen.

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