To create an attendance report in Canvas, you'll utilize the Roll Call Attendance tool, which allows you to export detailed attendance records for your course as a CSV file. This report is essential for tracking student engagement, calculating grades, or administrative purposes.
Step-by-Step Guide to Generating Your Attendance Report
Follow these steps to generate and download an attendance report in your Canvas course:
- Access Your Canvas Course: Log in to Canvas and navigate to the specific course for which you want to generate an attendance report.
- Go to Roll Call Attendance: In your course navigation menu, click on "Roll Call Attendance" (or simply "Attendance"). Note: Ensure the "Roll Call Attendance" tool is enabled in your course navigation settings if you don't see it.
- Locate the Report Options: Once on the Attendance page, you will see your class roster. Look for a gear icon (⚙️) or a "Settings" button, typically located in the top right corner of the attendance interface.
- Select Attendance Report: From the options that appear, select "Attendance Report".
- Configure Report Settings (Optional): A dialog box will appear, allowing you to refine your report.
- Start Date & End Date: You can specify a particular timeframe by entering a start date and an end date to only include attendance data within that period. This is useful for reporting on specific weeks, months, or semesters.
- Student ID: If you need to generate a report for a specific student, you can search by their SAS ID number (or SIS ID number).
- Run the Report: After setting your desired filters (or leaving them blank for a full report), click the "Run Report" or "Download Report" button.
- Download the CSV File: Canvas will then generate and automatically download the attendance report to your computer as a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file. This file can be opened with spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for further analysis.
What's Included in an Attendance Report?
A typical Canvas attendance report (CSV file) provides comprehensive data, making it easy to track various attendance metrics. Here's an example of the kind of information you can expect:
| Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Student Name | The full name of the student. |
| Student ID | The unique Student Information System (SIS) ID for the student. |
| Date | The specific date the attendance was recorded. |
| Status | Indicates the student's status for that date (e.g., Present, Late, Absent, Unmarked). |
| Percentage | The overall attendance percentage for the student across all recorded sessions. |
| Total Events | The total number of attendance-taking events in the report's scope. |
| Events Attended | The number of events the student was marked as Present. |
Tips for Effective Attendance Tracking in Canvas
- Consistency is Key: Regularly take attendance using the Roll Call Attendance tool to ensure your reports are accurate and up-to-date.
- Grading Integration: Roll Call Attendance creates a "Roll Call Attendance" assignment in your Canvas Gradebook, allowing you to incorporate attendance into your students' overall grades. You can adjust its point value or set it as "Do not count toward final grade" if it's for tracking only.
- Accessibility: Consider alternative ways for students to mark attendance if they have connectivity issues, and manually update the Roll Call tool afterward.
- Understanding Statuses: Familiarize yourself with how each status (Present, Late, Absent, Unmarked) impacts the attendance percentage.
- Present: Counts as 100% attendance for that session.
- Late: Typically counts as 50% attendance for that session (configurable).
- Absent: Counts as 0% attendance for that session.
- Unmarked: Does not count towards attendance until marked.
By following these steps and tips, you can efficiently create and utilize attendance reports to monitor student participation and engagement in your Canvas courses.
