Using the "No Canvas" flags

Overview of how to view the flag and how to incorporate the flag into outreach for academic early alerts.

Purpose of the Flags

The No Canvas flags are system-generated alerts in MU Connect used to identify potential disengagement in courses. Academic Advising unit leadership reviews and determines which courses these flags are assigned to each semester.

No Canvas Activity Flag

• The flag is raised automatically in Fall or Spring when a student enrolled in one or more courses has not logged into Canvas for 11 consecutive days. The flagged course is listed in the Context section of the flag.

• The flag is resolved automatically once the student logs back into Canvas - no action is needed to clear it.

• Advisors, support staff, and instructors are able to see the No Canvas Activity flag on a student's account. Instructors are only able to see the flag if the student was flagged in the course the instructor is teaching.

• Students are not notified that they received a flag and are not able to see the flag in MU Connect.

No Canvas Login Flag

• The flag is raised automatically when a student enrolled in one or more courses has not logged into Canvas at all after 5 consecutive days. The flagged course is listed in the Context section of the flag.

• The flag is resolved automatically once the student logs back into Canvas - no action is needed to clear it.

• Advisors, support staff, and instructors are able to see the No Canvas Login flag on a student's account. Instructors are only able to see the flag if the student was flagged in the course the instructor is teaching.

• Students are not notified that they received a flag and are not able to see the flag in MU Connect.

Note: These flags are not intended to prompt required outreach on their own. However, they can provide valuable insight when paired with other alerts (e.g., In Danger of Failing, Missing Assignment, etc.).

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How to View the Flag

You can view the No Canvas flags in two ways:

1. Student Folder (view active or resolved flags by student)

   • This is helpful when preparing for a meeting with a student and determining if a student needs outreach

   • Navigate to the student’s profile in MU Connect (Students > My Students tab > search for the student by name or ID number > click on the student's name)

   • Click the Tracking tab to view current and past flags > look for the No Canvas Activity or No Canvas Login flag in the list

2. Tracking Tab (view flags for all of your students)

   • This is helpful when looking for patterns across courses, multiple flags of the same type, or pairing with other alerts

   • Within MU Connect click the menu icon > Students > Tracking tab

   • Click Add Filters (or Edit Filters if you already have filters added)

   • To see active flags:

     • Status = Active (includes Needs Review)

     • Item Name = No Canvas Activity OR No Canvas Login

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How to Use This Flag to Inform Outreach

While no specific outreach is required for this flag alone, it should be considered as part of the overall student engagement and academic early alert process.

Examples of when to reference this flag:

• A student has received multiple No Canvas flags. This may indicate a pattern of disengagement.

• A student receives an In Danger of Failing flag and also has a No Canvas Activity flag.  This may indicate deeper disengagement and help guide the outreach conversation.

• A student hasn't responded to outreach for other flags. This flag may explain reduced responsiveness.

When included in conversations, you shouldn't directly mention the flag, but you might say:

“How are things going in your course so far?  Is there anything making it difficult to access Canvas or keep up with the course?”

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Best Practices for Documenting Outreach

If you reach out to a student after noticing this flag:

1. Keep in mind the nuances of course requirements - take a look at the overall performance in the course (assignments submitted or missing, grades on assignments or quizzes/exams, overall grade in the course, etc.).

2. Record your outreach on another flag using the Comment function in MU Connect. Because the flag cannot be manually cleared, it will also not allow for comments.

3. Do not resolve or clear this flag manually. It will resolve automatically once the student logs in again.

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Quick Summary

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Need Help? Contact muconnectsupport@missouri.edu with questions.