Canvas: Frequently Asked Questions
Reference Number: AA-00710 Last Updated: 2025-05-08 10:46

Student Questions

Can my students use any web browser to access Hawkes Learning in Canvas?

We recommend your students use either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browsers when accessing Hawkes in Canvas. Microsoft Edge and Mac Safari are also supported web browsers, but browser cookie restrictions may affect Student Single Sign On.

Can my students still access the eBook and Practice Tests if I'm using deep links?

Yes! To make these resources easier for them to access, consider also adding the Student Single Sign on link to your course in addition to adding assignment deep links.

Assignment Questions

If I un-assign or delete an assignment from Hawkes, will it delete the assignment in Canvas?

No, un-assigning or deleting an assignment in Hawkes does not remove that assignment from Canvas. It will break the deep link (if one was created), but the assignment will still show up in your assignment list in Canvas. If you want to remove an assignment from Hawkes and Canvas, you will need to remove it in both platforms.

If I delete an assignment from Canvas, will it delete the assignment in Hawkes?

No, deleting an assignment in Canvas does not remove that assignment from being assigned in Hawkes. If you want to remove an assignment from Hawkes and Canvas, you will need to remove it in both platforms.

If I sync my assignments and then change a due date in Hawkes, will the due date update in Canvas?

Hawkes due dates re-sync anytime auto grade sync runs or if you run a manual grade sync.

I created assignment deep links last semester, can I use them again?

Yes! You may use Canvas's copy features to carry forward assignment deep links created in a previous course into a new course. However, in order for the links to remain valid, the original link to Hawkes must be maintained in the previous course or master shell (e.g. still linked via the Sync Tool and still assigned in that corresponding Hawkes section) until the assignments are assigned and linked in the new section, and must remain linked/assigned in at least one section at all times.

What can cause assignment deep links to no longer work?

Assignment deep links may become invalid if the Canvas course link is removed from the Hawkes section (using Tools > Manage Sections in Hawkes), the assignment is un-assigned in Hawkes, or the assignment is un-linked from within the Hawkes Sync Tool (Assignments > 'Unlink LMS Column').

Why didn't all of my assignments sync over from Hawkes to Canvas?

This is likely because you had more than 40 assignments and did not select Show All from the Results drop-down to view all assignments in the Hawkes Sync Tool.

Grading Questions

Do I need to set up my Assignment Groups in Hawkes if I'm keeping track of the student grades in Canvas?

Hawkes Assignment Groups are independent of Canvas, but we do recommend you still set up your Hawkes Assignment groups so that students will see an accurate grade if they view their grades in Hawkes.

If you're only assigning the Certify Lessons in Hawkes, consider making one Hawkes Assignment Group weighed at 100% for those lessons so that students can see their overall homework grade in Hawkes.

If you are tracking some grades in Canvas and not in Hawkes, but you're assigning more than just lessons in Hawkes, consider hiding the students' overall grades in Hawkes so that they do not display incorrectly for them. Set this up in your Hawkes Course under Tools > Display Options, and un-select 'Display overall grade percentage' and 'Display overall letter grade.' Changing these settings will prevent students from seeing an inaccurate overall grade in Hawkes, and they will be able to see their accurate overall grade in Canvas.

What do I need to update in Canvas for students to see their accurate grade, including Hawkes assignments?

In order for the student grades to display accurately in Canvas, you will need to enable assignment group weights in Canvas and also properly categorize your Hawkes assignments into the correct groups. By default, all individual Hawkes assignments are categorized into one Hawkes group in Canvas.

How do grades appear in Canvas when synced over from Hawkes?

If your Hawkes Grade Book is weighted (which is the default setting in the Hawkes Grade Book), grades are synced as the total percentage points earned out of 100. If your Hawkes Grade Book is points-based, grades are synced as the total points earned out of the total points possible

What if I want to organize Hawkes assignment into weighted groups in Canvas?

Assignment group weights can be created and adjusted from within the Canvas Grade Book. You can then categorize your Hawkes assignments into the grading groups you create in Canvas

If I sync over just Hawkes assignment groups and not all individual assignments to Canvas, how and when do grades appear in Canvas?

Grades for Assignment Groups that don't have any graded assignments yet will be synced differently than individual assignments, depending on the weight distribution chosen in Hawkes Assignment Groups. The below percentages will sync to Canvas for Hawkes Assignment Groups when no due dates in that assignment group have passed. Once a due date has passed in the assignment group, the grades will update accordingly. (This % matches what is shown in the grade reports in the Hawkes Course.)
Even: 0%
Proportional: 100%
Sum: 100%

Because the assignment group grades will not be fully accurate in Canvas until after assignment due dates pass, we recommend syncing individual assignments (instead of Hawkes Assignment Groups) whenever possible. If you still want to sync over Assignment Groups, it is best to wait to map them until after the first due date has passed within the group.

Troubleshooting Questions

What if I linked my Canvas course to the wrong section in Hawkes?

If you linked your Canvas course to the wrong Hawkes section, you can break the link association in your Hawkes Course by following the steps below:

  1. Select the Tools > Manage Sections
  2. Select the section(s)
  3. In the top-right, click Actions > Remove LMS Links
  4. Click Confirm to review the LMS link associated with the Hawkes section(s).

Once the reset occurs, return to Canvas and walk through the synchronization process from the start to link to the correct Hawkes section.

Why are no Hawkes courses (e.g. College Algebra) appearing in the drop-down menu when I'm trying to link my Hawkes sections to Canvas courses?

If your Hawkes course is not appearing in the drop-down menu as an option to link to in Canvas, it means that this course is not yet linked to your teach.hawkeslearning.com account. To correct this, please sign in to https://teach.hawkeslearning.com, select the Add Course button and add the course either using the course invitation link or your old Grade Book credentials.