Use Student View!

Instructors can preview their Canvas course as a student at any time.  This is an essential part of developing and testing a course before it is actively used by students.

While in Student View, the instructor can:

• navigate course content
• submit assignments
• post to discussions
• take quizzes
• and more

Whether you are just learning Canvas or are an experienced user, taking the time to examine your course as a student is an important part of understanding how to best use the tools effectively.

What Is Student View?

• Using Student View is a critical part of ensuring course quality.
• Verify that course content is available as you intended.
• Student View includes a “Test Student” in the Gradebook.
• Instructors can submit work as Test Student to test Canvas grading features.
• Use “Reset Test Student” when you need to clear out data and start over.

Use Student View to confirm that modules and content items are published, and dates are set correctly.

Student View is indicated by a colorized page border.

How to Access Student View

Student View can be accessed from almost any page in a course.  Look for the Student View icon in the upper-right corner.

NOTE: Some instructor-only areas do not include the Student View button (Settings, for example).

Student View can also be used to submit sample assignments in your course, which will allow you to practice grading in SpeedGrader and to practice entering grades in the Canvas Gradebook.  A row in the grade book will appear with the name “Test Student”.  

What Doesn’t Work In Student View

There is a limitation on viewing some course tools, particularly with integrated third party software/programs,

The following tools are not available in Student View:

• The Inbox
• Course Groups
• Google Drive and Office 365 integrations
• Library database access
• Textbook publisher content integrations

See the Canvas Guide:

How do I view a course using Student View?