"Message OBSERVERS of Students Who..." in Grade books!

[jeff_pence]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

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K12 teachers MUST have the ability to "Message The Observers of Students Who...directly from the grade book. To maintain contact with Parents.

As a K-12 teacher, communication with parents (Observers) was one of the biggest challenges that almost turned our school away from using Canvas. Being able to communicate with the Parent/Observer in conjunction with, or at least as much as the Student, is incredibly important. For example, if a student is missing an assignment or needs to make revisions, as a teacher, I can send a message to the Student directly from the grade book. However, in order for me to contact the parent/Observer, I need to write myself a paper note and then go the Messages/Inbox (a more manual strategy). It would be better if communication between teacher and student were more transparent to the parent and to have an easier, more direct line of communication to the parent. I don't know if the new/in-progress parent app does more than allow parents to easier check grades. I think that for the teacher, improving the ways in which we can communicate with an Observer/Parent would greatly improve the functionality and ease of use of the Canvas platform.

Therefore, I propose that teachers have the ability to "Message The Observers of Students Who..." in addition to the current/only "Message Students Who" directly from the grade book.

NOTE: This is a resubmission of a feature originally proposed by by Amber De Petro on May 19, 2016.

[doneng]

Yes please! Vote this up!

This should be considered core functionality. In addition to being able to do this from the main grade book screen on an assignment by assignment basis, I'd like teachers to have the option of communicating with observers from the New Analytics area as well.

eg, "message observers of students with an overall class grade below 60%" etc. 

[calhoun5]

We need a way to be able to email students (and copy observers) based on the Current Grade column in the Canvas Gradebook.  This should be similar to the "Message Students Who" feature that is currently available.

[rickardl]

Yes, I wish teachers could select to message observers, based on the student's grade, so I could send a quick positive message to all guardians of students who are passing, for example. Thanks

[jling]

I don't use Canvas to communicate for this very reason - I can't copy specific observers, nor can I "message student's who..." are below a certain grade in the class.  But, that's another topic for debate I suppose.

[sbevier]

Where is Canvas on this? This seems like a relatively simple thing to incorporate. If Canvas truly wants to make this software more appealing to the K12 market, this change should be made immediately.

[brownli]

I do not understand why this is not an option yet! This has been discussed for FOUR YEARS and no action has been taken? With online learning being so prevalent right now and the desire to make the LMS a "one-stop-shop" for families, why can't this be implemented? Parents aren't engaged because they are bombarded by messages from 3-4 different sources. There should be no reason to have to use Remind/text, an SIS, an LMS, and email to *cross our fingers* get in touch with a parent.

[Sally_Dale]

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please make this available ASAP! Thanks! 🙂

[Sally_Dale]

Also, why can't I vote for this? I can't find anything that would allow me to vote for this feature.

[eperry4]

This would be a fabulous feature and it is ridiculous that it has been in conversation for four years!  Canvas needs to get this rolling.  I would love to vote this up, but I can't find a vote option. 

[dcooper2]

Being able to copy/message the parents with a Message Students Who would be very beneficial.  It would save time and be much more efficient than our current process.  PLEAS IMPLEMENT!!!!