Canvas Learning Management

In Canvas, the Observer role can be used to enroll parents/guardians and others who would like to champion students and monitor their progress. Observers have limited access to view their student’s course content and feedback. Refer to What is the Observer Role? to learn more about the Observer role for parents/ guardians.

Being an Observer in Canvas is similar to looking out the window of a plane. You can see the ground but you can't make out all of the fine details. There may be times when you click a Canvas notification on your phone and it will result in a 503 error. This happens because you do not have a Rockwood student email account, and both Canvas and Google limit what you can see. If you need to see everything, we recommend sitting next to your child while they log in to Canvas.

Observer permissions are limited. Unauthorized warnings will appear if they click to a page that they do not have permission to access.

Each Instructor can customize the links in the Course Navigation and limit the number of features that Students and Observers can see. If the course navigation link does not appear, the instructor has hidden the link from course users. Observers may or may not have access to all features. Observers cannot view a course until it is published.

* If you are currently a Rockwood staff member, you must use a personal email account to register as an Observer. Once you register, and for ease of Canvas access, be sure to complete an IncidentIQ ticket requesting to merge your staff and personal Canvas accounts.

* If your child was previously enrolled in Launch (Springfield Public Schools), you must contact their support at 417-523-0417 or support@fueledbylaunch.com to remove your Launch Observer account from their system before you can enroll in Rockwood's system as an Observer.

Click the following link to get started: https://rsdmo.instructure.com/login/canvas

In order to become an Observer in Canvas, you need to obtain a Student Pairing code from each child you want to monitor. To get started, ask your child(ren) to log into their account and generate a pairing code. After an Observer enters a valid pairing code, the Observer will be linked to the student and be able to access the course(s).

If your child needs assistance in generating a pairing code, visit How do I generate a pairing code for an observer as a student?.

Visit rsdmo.instructure.com/login/canvas and log in with the same credentials you used to set up your account.

Of course! The best place to link additional children is through the browser. Have the students' pairing codes ready, and then repeat the process completed during the initial account creation.

• From a web browser, visit https://rsdmo.instructure.com/login/canvas
• Log in and click Account
• Click Settings and link a student to your account.

You could also do this from the Canvas Parent app. 

• How do I link additional students to my account in the Canvas Parent app on my iOS device? 
• How do I link additional students to my account in the Canvas Parent app on my Android device?

You can receive Canvas notifications for the courses you observe. Notifications are sent to the Canvas contact methods listed in your account User Settings. Your notification settings only apply to you; your notification settings do not affect course notifications sent to the student you are observing.

The Canvas Parent app offers different notification options compared to the desktop version. App notifications are turned off by default and can be customized for each child via the Manage Students settings.

To learn how to manage notifications, visit Canvas Notifications for Observers.

Users who have an Observer role within a course currently only receive notifications for actions related to the following settings:

• Course Activities
• Conversations
• Scheduling
• Global Announcements

As an Observer, there may be times when you click a Canvas notification and receive an error message. This happens because you do not have a Rockwood email account, and both Canvas and Google limit what you can see. If you need to see everything, we recommend sitting next to your child while they log in to Canvas. 

Canvas's default language is English, but you can choose to view the Canvas interface in another language.

Note: Instructors have the option to change the language preference for their courses. If you are observing a student in a course where the instructor has made this change (most often for a foreign language course), the course language will override your selected language.

To learn more about setting your language preferences, visit Change My Language Preference. 

Canvas Parent: Available for both Android and iOS, this app is designed for you to engage in your child(ren)'s education and view assignments, events, and grades.  There is a simple interface that allows Observers to easily switch between children. If an Observer wishes to have a quick overview of student progress or the week's assignments, the mobile app is perfect for keeping track of multiple students' academics.
Note: The desktop version offers more in-depth access to your child’s courses.
Note: The Canvas Parent app offers different notification options compared to the desktop version. App notifications are turned off by default and can be customized for each child via the Manage Students settings.

View Canvas Parent mobile features by version and device. 
You can learn more about mobile applications in the Canvas Mobile Guides.

There is a variety of Canvas support available for parents/guardians. Below are the preferred methods of support:

• Rockwood website
• Canvas Community Observer Guides
• Canvas Support (24/7)
  • (877) 875-9183
• Rockwood Technology Help Desk (M-F, 7:00 AM-4:30 PM)
  • (636) 733-1111
  • Online ticketing system
  • Email
     

Canvas provides a variety of user guides, video tutorials, and other resources to maximize the support you might need as an Observer. To learn more, refer to the following resources: 

• Canvas Observer Community
• Observer/Parent Getting Started Resources 
• Observer Visibility and Participation
   

Although the Canvas grade book can sync with Infinite Campus, the IC grade book is the official State-reported record of grades. If you have questions about either grade book, contact the student's teacher for more information.

To get started, go to your Canvas account at rsdmo.instructure.com. You can also click the icon that is in the Google App Launcher in Chrome.

Yes. Canvas courses become read-only after a Term has ended. They can be found in the Past Enrollments section in the Subjects > All Subjects menu in the global navigation.

Canvas Student: Available for both Android and iOS, this app allows you to access your courses and groups using a mobile device. You can submit assignments, participate in discussions, and view grades and course materials. The app also provides access to course calendars, To-Do items, notifications, and Conversations messages.

Tip: It is sometimes easier to record videos and capture images on your mobile device and submit them to an Assignment instead of using your Chromebook.

You can learn more about mobile applications in the Canvas Mobile Guides.

There is a variety of Canvas support available for Rockwood students. Below are the preferred methods of support:

• On District blueprinted content, Related Canvas Guides are included at the bottom of every Assignment and Discussion to help you submit your work.
• Rockwood Technology Help Desk (M-F, 7:00 AM-4:30 PM)
  • (636) 733-1111
  • Online ticketing system
  • Email
• Canvas Community User Guides

For students in grades 6-12, Classroom was available until June 30, 2024. For students in grades K-5, access to Classroom will remain available indefinitely.