Canvas

The Canvas App for parents provides quick access to their students’ coursework and grades.  Through the app, the parent can receive notifications and reminders for assignments and events.

The Canvas app is available for free in both Android and iOS platforms. 

Download the app from the Google Play Store ​ or the Apple App Store. ​

Parent App Guides:

• Android App
• iOS App

Creating an Account:

• Once the app is downloaded, create an account in the Canvas Parent App by following these steps:
• Upon opening the app, you will see a screen that asks you to find a school.
• Type in “Baldwin-Whitehall” and choose the Parent option.
• Once you access the Baldwin-Whitehall Instructure site, you will be prompted to enter your name, your email address, and a password that you create.
• You will also be asked for a student pairing code.  It is a unique, six-digit alphanumeric code that your child can generate in Canvas under Settings, "Pair with Observer" (located on the right side of the page). 
• You can link additional students to the app after your account is created.

Four Basic Features of the App found on the Dashboard:

1. User Menu
2. Courses
3. Calendar
4. Alerts

​User Menu (upper left) provides access to:

Inbox

• communicating with your student’s teacher.
• You can view messages from the teacher and respond to messages.

Manage Students

• You can add students if you have more than one student in the District.
• To add another student, have the student’s unique six-digit alphanumeric code available. Again, this can be generated via the student's account under Settings, "Pair with Observer" (located on the right side of the page). 
• You can also manage notifications here.

Help

• Help/support resources from Canvas can be accessed here.

Change User

• If you and someone else in your family have a Parent account, you can switch user accounts here.
• Log out

​Courses (bottom left)

• If you tab this icon, you will see all of the courses in which your selected student is enrolled.
• Beside each course, there will be a current grade for the student.
• Tap the course to see more details about the grade and assignments.
• Details will include the due date and whether or not the student submitted the assignment.
• You will also see home page images for each course.  If you tap the home page image, you will be taken to the course in Canvas Instructure where you can view the course as an Observer.

​Calendar (bottom center)

• A blue dot in a date indicates that an assignment is due.
• To view the assignment, tap the date.

​Alerts (bottom right)

• A list of alerts will appear.
• Tap to read the specific content of the alert.

Click here for access to the Observer/Family Guide.

As an observer, what do I have access to view? Click here for the guide. Please note, observer permissions are limited. Unauthorized warnings will appear if an observer clicks to a page that they do not have permission to access.

Click here for information about the Parent/Observer app as well as the Student App.

Here's an easy to follow Apple Book about the app.

The Canvas App for students provides quick access to coursework and grades.  Through the app, the student can receive notifications and reminders for assignments and events, access and submit assignments, take quizzes, reply to discussions, and view grades and feedback.

The Canvas app is available for free in both Android and iOS platforms.

Download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

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Directions

Once the app is downloaded, log in using the Canvas username and password given to you by the District. 

You will see three basic features:

1. Courses
2. Groups
3. Navigation options at the bottom.

To open a course, click on the course tile.

The links at the bottom of your Dashboard screen take you to your Calendar, To-Do List, Notifications, and your Canvas Messages.

Calendar: Displays all events and course assignments.

To-Do List: Shows a list of upcoming assignments.

Notifications: Shows notifications from each course.

Inbox: Allows you to easily communicate with your instructor and classmates.

To access Account Settings through the app, tap the menu icon, then tap "Settings."

Profile: You can update your profile picture by tapping the profile image. It will give you the option to take or upload a profile picture, build an avatar, or add a cover photo.

About: This is where you can view your profile user information. There are also links to some of the policies and legal info for the app, but you will not have to worry too much about that section.

Landing Page: The Landing Page is the page you would like to have shown when you first open the student app. You can choose from the list of options.

Notification Preferences: Customize your notification preferences for your student app. Note these settings are for the app only and will not change your notification preferences.

To find your Assignments in the app, look for the Assignments icon.

The most common locations to view your assignments within a course is through Modules or the Assignments area. Please note: The Assignments area may not be turned on by your instructor.

To open an assignment:

1. Select a course from the Student App Dashboard.
2. Choose either the "Modules" or "Assignments" tab in the course menu.
3. Locate and select an assignment.
4. Expand the window for a full-screen view of the assignment details.

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Submitting Assignments

You can submit assignments through your student app. You may have multiple submission options based on how your instructor has set up the assignments. The most common submissions are uploading a resource, such as a document, image, or video. You will see a list of the submission types allowed by your instructor in the assignment details.

To upload a file or media from your phone:

1. From the "Assignment Details" page click on "Submit Assignment”
2. Select the submission type File upload.
3. You will have three options:
4. Select "Camera" to open your camera and take a photo or video
5. Select "Library" to add an image
6. Select "Files" to upload a File

Other Submission Types

Text Entry: The Text Entry option allows you to type your assignment or paste in text. When you click into the enter submission area, you will see text editing tools and links to add images, record a video, take a picture with your phone’s camera, and add links to your submission.

Media Recording: This will give you the option to record a video or audio submission using your phone’s camera and/or microphone.

URL: If your instructor asks for you to submit a website link for an assignment, you can select "URL" and paste the link as your submission.

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Taking a Quiz

You can take a quiz through your student app. Some features and quiz settings are not supported in the mobile app. If your quiz includes features or questions types that are not supported, you will be asked to log in to Canvas, and you will be redirected to the browser view.

Choose either the "Modules" or "Quizzes" tab in the course menu.

1. Locate and select a quiz.
2. Click the "Take Quiz" button to begin the quiz.
3. "New Quiz" quizzes cannot be taken on the Student App. To take a "New Quiz," click on "Launch External Tool" to open the quiz in your mobile browser

Discussions in the App

1. Replying to a Discussion
2. Choose either the "Modules" or "Discussions" tab in the course menu.
3. Locate and select a discussion.
4. Click the "Reply" button to enter your response.
5. When finished, click the "Send" or "Done" button to submit your reply.

Reviewing Grades and Feedback

From the Grades Index page, you can see your current scores, submission(s) status, and total points possible for all graded assignments, discussions, and quizzes. The Grades Index page can show different information based on settings.

1. Click on "Grades" link on the course menu.
2. To view more details for an assignment, click on an assignment.
3. Select "Submission & Rubric" to view your feedback.
4. Choose "Comments," "Files," or "Rubrics" to view feedback.

This app provides access to Canvas while on the go. Depending on your device, not all Canvas features may be available on the app at this time. View Canvas Student mobile features by version and device from the Mobile Canvas Student PDF posted in the District’s Canvas Library.

What can you do with the app? Check here for a list of features. 

Click here for information about the Parent/Observer app as well as the Student App.

Click here to access the Student Guide with information and answers to all things related to Canvas.