After you log into Canvas for the first time as a parent/observer, you’ll want to set if/when Canvas sends you notifications. The default settings are probably not what you want.

NOTE: You can also change most of these settings on the app under the hamburger menu, then settings, then the various notifications. BUT I don’t think you can tell Canvas to include grades from the app (at least I couldn’t find that one).

From the main Canvas screen (1) click on Account then (2) click on Notifications.

There are a couple of things to note before we look at individual notifications:

4. Note the notes. They are pretty self explanatory, but worth reading and then closing.
5. This is where you would say that you wanted to set notifications on the class level. You might want to do this if (a) only one or two classes need monitoring for your student or if (b) you have several students and don’t need to monitor them the same way.
6. Turning this on lets you know which student the notification pertains to.
7. Turning this on tells Canvas that you want them to include the actual grade in notifications about a grade. They have to do this for legal reasons (or so they tell me).

Before we look at individual notifications, some notes about all of the notifications.

8. You’ll see your email address here, and maybe a second column if you’ve used the app. You can set email and app notifications differently if you like.
9. If you hover over a specific course activity, you’ll get a little more information on just what triggers a notification.
10. For each type of course activity, clicking on the icon on the left will let you change if/when you are notified about each item.
11. Your four options are pretty self explanatory. Daily summaries are sent around 6pm, and Weekly summaries go out on Saturday morning.

Below are some basic suggestions for each setting. Note that not all notifications are available for parent accounts. More information on notifications can be found in the Canvas documentation.

Course Activity

• Due Date: When assignments are published or when the due date for an assignment changes. (Daily Summary if your student needs reminders)
• Grading Policies: These don’t tend to change for a course. (doesn’t really matter)
  • Remember that you have to move the slider to green on this one for the notifications to include the grade.
• Course Content: Lots of things trigger this notification. (no more than summary, probably off)
• Files: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Announcement: Some teachers use announcements to inform students (daily if at all)
• Announcements Created By You: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Grading: (Daily Summary if you need to stay on top of your student)
• Invitations: Doesn’t get used much (off or whatever)
• All Submissions: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Late Grading: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Submission Comments: Sends a notification if your student or a teacher makes a comment on an assignment. (Daily Summary if you need to stay on top of your student)
• Blueprint Sync: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.

Discussions

• New Topic: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• New Reply: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• New Mention: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.

Conversations

• Added To Conversation: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Conversation Message: We don’t use this feature much. (off)
• Conversations Created By Me: We don’t use this feature much. (off)

Scheduling

• Student Appointment Signups: We don’t use this feature much. (off)
• Appointment Signups: We don’t use this feature much. (off)
• Appointment Cancelations: We don’t use this feature much. (off)
• Appointment Availability: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Calendar: We don’t add items directly to the calendar much, it’s usually through assignments. (daily summary)

Groups, Conferences, and Alerts

• Membership Update: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Recording Ready: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Administrative Notifications: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Content Link Error: Doesn’t send notifications to observers.
• Global Announcements: Very low volume (immediately)

That’s it. Hopefully, your in-box won’t be as full now.