Canvas: How to Add a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Special Role to a Course

Adding a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Special Role to a Canvas Course

NC A&T State University | Canvas Faculty Guide

Overview

Faculty can add Teaching Assistants (TAs) and other authorized users to their Canvas courses by assigning an appropriate course role. Each role provides different levels of access to course content, student information, grading, and instructional tools.

Follow the instructions below to add a user and review the available NC A&T Canvas course roles before selecting one.

How to Add a User to a Canvas Course

  1. Open the Canvas course in which you would like to add a user.
  2. From the course navigation menu, select People.
  3. Click the + People button in the upper-right corner of the page.
  4. Under Add User(s), enter the person's email address or Login ID (OneID username).
  5. From the Role drop-down menu, select the appropriate role, such as:
    • TA
    • Faculty Peer Reviewer
    • Designer
    • Another available special role
  6. Disregard the Section drop-down menu if it is not applicable.
  7. Click Next to verify the user's information.
  8. Review the information, then click Add Users to enroll the individual in the course.

NC A&T Canvas Course Roles

The following table explains the available course roles, their intended use, and whether they provide access to student grades.

Course Role Description Typical Use Can View Grades
TA Provides nearly the same access as an instructor, allowing the user to assist with course management, grading, and student support. Teaching Assistants do not receive communications intended specifically for the course instructor. Graduate assistants, co-instructors, lab assistants Yes
Faculty Peer Reviewer Allows another faculty member to review course content without making changes. Peer review, mentoring, quality assurance No
Designer Allows the user to create, edit, and organize course materials. Instructional Designers, multimedia specialists No
Custom TA (View Only) Provides read-only access to course content, student submissions, and the Gradebook. Users cannot add, edit, or delete content. Observers who need to review course activity Yes
Student Supplemental Instructor (SI) Can view published course content and communicate with students but cannot modify content, view unpublished items, or access grades. Supplemental Instruction leaders, usually undergraduate students providing peer support No
Learning Assistant 1 Can access published course content and send email to students but cannot manage content or view grades. Learning assistants No
Learning Assistant 2 Same as Learning Assistant 1, with the additional ability to create and manage announcements. Lead learning assistants No
Course Grader Can review and grade student work with limited course management permissions. Grading assistants Yes
Observer Provides read-only access for authorized athletic academic support staff to monitor course participation and progress. Can view assignment and quiz index pages, assignment due dates, comments, modules, and pages. Can be linked to a student. Athletic academic advisors Yes

Important: Selecting the Correct Role

Canvas roles determine what users can access within a course. Review the permissions listed above and select the role appropriate for the individual's responsibilities. Some roles provide access to student grades and submissions.

Need Additional Assistance?

If you need assistance with Canvas course access, enrollment, or permissions, submit a support request through the Canvas Support service.

Canvas Support →

North Carolina A&T State University | Information Technology Services | Instructional Technology & Training Development (ITTD)

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