FAQ: Common Access Issues in Canvas

Summary

If you are facing issues accessing Canvas, there could be several reasons behind it. Depending on whether you are an instructor or a student, the troubleshooting steps may vary. These are the common reasons and their respective solutions.

Body

Quick Links: | I Can't Access My Class | My Class Has a Different Name Than I Registered For | Canvas Doesn't Have An Account for User |

If you are facing issues accessing Canvas at Chico State, there could be several reasons behind it. Depending on whether you are an instructor or a student, the troubleshooting steps may vary. Below are the common reasons and their respective solutions:

I can't see my course

Students:

If a class you're taking doesn't show on your Canvas dashboard, there could be several causes. Follow the steps below to check your enrollment:

  1. Check Courses > All Courses:

    Log in to Canvas and access the "Courses" section, then click on "All Courses." If the course you are trying to access is there but not clickable, the course is not published yet.

    Solution: Contact your professor to inquire about the course's publishing date and when you can expect it to become accessible.

  2. Course does not appear on the list:

    If the course you are enrolled in does not appear in the "All Courses" list, it's possible that you are not enrolled in the course or were dropped from the course.

    Solution: If you just enrolled in the course, wait 15 minutes and check again. Otherwise, reach out to your instructor or the registrar's office to verify your enrollment status and seek assistance in case there are any enrollment discrepancies.

Instructors:

If a course you're teaching doesn't show on your Canvas dashboard, there could be several causes. Follow the steps below to troubleshoot the most common reasons.

  1. Check Courses > All Courses:

    From the Canvas global navigation, select Courses and click on "All Courses." If the course you are looking for doesn't show up in the list, proceed with the next step.

  2. Check Faculty Center (from the Chico State Portal):

    Access the Faculty Center through the Chico State Portal and verify if the course is listed there under the current term. If it is not visible in the Faculty Center, move on to the next step and ensure you are assigned to teach the course.

  3. Check the university class schedule:

    Refer to the official university class schedule to confirm whether you are listed as an instructor for the course. If you are not listed, continue to the next step.

  4. You're not assigned to teach that course in PeopleSoft:

    If you recently received an assignment to teach the course, it may take some time for your department to update the course schedule. Wait for your department to make the necessary updates. If you believe this is an error, promptly contact your department for resolution.

    If you are listed as an instructor for the course and still cannot access it, open a ticket with Learning Technology Services and one of our support technicians will help resolve the issue.

 

Course has a different name than the one I enrolled in (Students):

Instructors sometimes teach the same course in multiple departments or teach several sections of the same course, which might lead them to combine course sites in Canvas. As a result, it may seem that you have a course you didn't enroll in on your dashboard, but the course just appears with a different name or section number than the one you originally enrolled in. However, rest assured that the course content remains the same and your transcript will correctly reflect the course you enrolled in.

Solution: To clarify any confusion, directly communicate with your instructor and inquire if this applies to your course. They will be able to provide you with the necessary information and guidance. Likewise, check your Student Center to verify the course subject and number you are enrolled in.

I can't log in to Canvas

If you have followed the relevant troubleshooting steps and are still unable to access Canvas, or if your issue is different from the ones mentioned above, please contact IT Support Services (ITSS) for further assistance.

Details

Details

Article ID: 113606
Created
Tue 8/1/23 8:00 PM
Modified
Thu 7/11/24 4:13 PM

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Faculty and students may find themselves needing to access course materials, submissions, or records from a previous term in Canvas. Courses from previous terms are not immediately visible on the Canvas dashboard due to the platform's design, which prioritizes current and upcoming courses for a more organized user experience. Courses in previous terms can be found in your past enrollments.