In a Canvas course, a user’s role determines how they can interact with the content and other users. Below is a simplified explanation of what various user roles can and cannot do in a Canvas course.
| Permissions | Teacher | Course Admin | Designer | TA | Undergrad TA | Observer2 | Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View published content | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔3 | ✔ |
| Manage content (add/edit/delete, publish and unpublish content) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| View unpublished content | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Add/Remove users1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| View Student Grades; Grade Assignments/ Discussions/ Quizzes | ✔ | ✔ | ✘4 | ✔ | ✘5 | ✘ | Can view their own posted grades |
| Create and manage course Discussions | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Can create and view only | ✘ | Can create (w/ special settings), view, and post |
| Generate Course Usage Reports | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Send Announcements | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Create Assessments | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘6 | ✘ | ✘ |
| Add Calendar Events | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Only on personal calendar | Only on personal calendar | Only on personal calendar |
| Create Groups | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
1 Managed enrollment users cannot be removed manually
2 Observers are basically read-only users in Canvas courses.
3 Observers are not restricted from seeing content in modules that are locked by prerequisites.
4 If a Designer has ever been a different role in the course, they may be able to access student answers and grades on New Quizzes and some third-party tools.
5 Undergrad TAs are able to access student answers and grades on New Quizzes and some third-party tools.
6 Undergrad TAs are able to access the settings of existing New Quizzes, can change questions, and can generate answer keys.
