How can I keep track of student information in Canvas?

Dear Aggie,

I am teaching a large class, and I have lots of student athletes who are traveling and students who need accommodations for exams (like extra time). I am getting several memos a week and am having a hard time keeping all this information organized. Any suggestions?

~Too Many Memos to Manage
 
Dear Too Many,

I hear you! It can be a lot to keep track of, even for a highly organized individual. Trust me.
 
One thing you may want to consider is using the "Notes" feature in the gradebook. Select the "View" option towards the top left of your gradebook and select Notes. A new column will appear right next to students' names for you to enter information that only instructors will see. Use this space to indicate when a student needs extended time on tests or when another will need an extended deadline. This space is also great to document when you reached out to check on a student who hasn’t been participating, or noting why you changed a grade for a student.
 
You can "hide" that column by going back to view and de-selecting notes, but the information stays there. Students will never see the notes,  however the note column can be used by anyone in your course with gradebook access (co-teachers, TAs) to document or check information. 



Here is a Canvas guide on Notes.

Hope this helps you keep all that extra information organized!
 
Sincerely,

Aggie