Canvas Adds Mobile App to Improve Parent Engagement

Instructure has launched a new mobile app for its Canvas learning management system (LMS), the Canvas Parent app, designed to give parents or guardians a new tool to more easily monitor their students' progress.

The new app allows parents to view student courses and grades, look at assignments and events or set up alerts for specific student activities, such as course grades crossing a low or high threshold, grades on specific assignments, missing assignments and more. Teachers can also use the app to communicate directly with parents.

"Parents who want information about their children's education and how to support them are always wondering about their progress, current assignments, due dates and grades," according to a news release. "Typically, these parents have to contact teachers directly, peruse assignment planners or wait to receive scheduled report cards to answer these questions. Some parents will log in to and navigate an LMS, which can prove inconvenient. Canvas Parent removes these obstacles by providing an intuitive, easily accessible app that establishes a continual flow of essential information."

"Canvas Parent is designed to lower the barriers to parental engagement," said Hilary Scharton, senior director of Canvas K–12 product strategy at Instructure, in a prepared statement. "It's simple to set up, easy to use and provides relevant and actionable information. From over a decade of research, we know that getting parents more involved in their children's schooling increases student achievement. We want to help parents engage with and encourage their children in a way that only well-informed parents can."

The app is available for Android and iOS devices.

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Indianapolis Public Schools Adopt DreamBox Math

    Thanks to a new partnership with Discovery Education, all Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) K–8 students and teachers will gain access to DreamBox Math, which blends curriculum and continuous formative assessments that adapt to student needs to boost achievement.

  • The First Steps of Establishing Your Cloud Security Strategy

    In this guide, we'll identify some first steps you can take to establish your cloud security strategy. We'll do so by discussing the cloud security impact of individual, concrete actions featured within the CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) and the CIS Benchmarks™.

  • Google Brings Gemini AI to Teens in the Classroom

    Google is making its Gemini large language model available for free for students ages 13 and up in the United States (age minimums vary by country), via Google Workspace for Education accounts.

  • A top-down view of a person walking through a maze with walls made of glowing blue Wi-Fi symbols on dark pathways

    Navigating New E-Rate Rules for WiFi Hotspots

    Beginning in funding year 2025, WiFi hotspots will be eligible for E-rate Category One discounts. Here's what you need to know about your school's eligibility, funding caps, tracking requirements, and more.