This guide shows you how to give students a one-tap way to open Beacon by K12 from inside Canvas — on the web and in the Canvas Student mobile app. The recommended method is adding Beacon as a Calendar assignment — it lands directly on students' Canvas Calendar and To-Do list alongside their other coursework, which pilot feedback found is the easiest and most consistent way for students to find it.

Beacon runs in the browser — there's no app to install. Students sign in to Beacon through Canvas, so the link you'll add is the Canvas link: http://account.tutoring.k12.com/login/?source=AI_TUTOR&idp=MPSOkta. Wherever students tap it, Beacon opens in a browser using their school Canvas account — no separate password.

How sign-in worksStudents log in to Beacon via Canvas using the Canvas link above. Educators sign in differently — directly through K12 Tutoring — then open Beacon. For the full breakdown, see Logging in to Beacon by K12 Tutoring.
Before you startHave ready: the Canvas link — http://account.tutoring.k12.com/login/?source=AI_TUTOR&idp=MPSOkta — and Teacher (instructor) access to the Canvas course you want to add it to.

Add Beacon to Students' Calendar (recommended)

This adds Beacon as a Canvas Assignment with a due date, so it appears directly on students' Calendar and To-Do list — the same place they already check for daily coursework. It does not require students to submit anything unless you choose to grade it (see below).

  1. In your course, click Assignments, then + Assignment.
  2. Give it a name that matches your lesson topic (e.g., Ratios or Unit Rates) so students know exactly what to look for.
  3. In the description (Rich Content Editor), add a short instruction and a link to Beacon:
  4. Under Submission Type, select No Submission.
    • Set Points to 0 (or leave the assignment out of the grade calculation) so it doesn't affect grades.
  5. Set a Due date that matches that day's lesson. This is what puts the assignment on students' Calendar and To-Do list, right alongside their other work.
  6. Click Save & Publish.
Tip from the pilotIt helps to remind students they can click Forgot Password on the Canvas sign-in screen if they don't remember their login.
Consider grading itPilot educators have found that a graded assignment gets meaningfully more consistent completion than an optional one — even a small point value can be the difference between students trying it and skipping it. To grade it, set Submission Type to Online → Website URL (or another type your gradebook supports) and assign points. If you'd rather keep it low-stakes, No Submission works too — just expect lower completion without another incentive in place.

Other ways to add Beacon

If Assignments don't fit your workflow, or you'd like an additional way to surface the link, here are two alternatives.

Module link

This puts a "Launch Beacon" link inside a module. It shows up under Modules on the web and in the Canvas Student app.

  1. Open your course in Canvas and click Modules in the course navigation.
  2. Find the module you want to add Beacon to (or click + Module to create one — e.g., "Beacon").
  3. Click the + (plus) icon to the right of the module name.
  4. In the Add drop-down at the top of the pop-up, select External URL.
  5. In the URL field, paste the Canvas link: http://account.tutoring.k12.com/login/?source=AI_TUTOR&idp=MPSOkta
  6. In the Page Name field, type a clear label such as Launch Beacon or Open Beacon.
  7. Check Load in a new tab so Beacon opens in its own window instead of inside a Canvas frame. Beacon is a web app and may not display correctly when embedded, so this avoids blank screens.
  8. Click Add Item. The link appears at the bottom of the module.
  9. Click the Publish icon (the circle/checkmark) on the module item — and on the module itself — so students can see it. Unpublished items are hidden from students.
TipDrag the item to the top of the module if you want students to find it first.

Course navigation menu (Redirect Tool)

This pins a permanent Beacon link in the left-hand course menu, so it's always one click away. Note that course-navigation links from the Redirect Tool are most reliable on the web; in the mobile app, the Calendar assignment method above is the surest bet.

  1. In your course, click Settings at the bottom of the course navigation.
  2. Click the Apps tab.
  3. Search for Redirect Tool and click its tile.
  4. Click + Add App.
  5. Fill in the fields:
  6. Click Add App, then refresh the page.
  7. Confirm Beacon now appears in your course navigation menu. If it doesn't, go to Settings > Navigation, make sure Beacon is in the enabled (top) list, and click Save.

How students reach Beacon (web and Canvas app)

Beacon runs in a browser, so students don't download anything — they tap the link in Canvas and Beacon opens in a browser tab, signed in through their Canvas account.

  • Calendar & Assignments (recommended): The assignment shows on students' Calendar and To-Do list alongside their daily coursework; students tap it and follow the link in the description.
  • Module links: Students open the course, tap Modules, and tap Launch Beacon. With Load in a new tab enabled, it opens in the in-app browser or hands off to the device browser, signed in through their Canvas account.
  • Course navigation: Appears in the course menu on the web reliably; in the Canvas Student app the menu link can vary, so pair it with the Calendar assignment method if app access matters for your pilot.

For the easiest, most consistent reach for students, use the Calendar assignment method above, and add the Module link or course navigation menu if you want extra visibility.

Troubleshooting

  • Students can't see the link. The module item or assignment is likely unpublished. Check for the green Publish icon on both the item and its module.
  • Beacon opens to a blank or "can't be displayed" screen. Edit the Module item and enable Load in a new tab so Beacon isn't embedded in a Canvas frame.
  • "Beacon" doesn't show in the course menu. Go to Settings > Navigation, drag Beacon into the enabled list, and Save.
  • Students land on a login page they can't get past. Confirm the link is exactly the Canvas link (account.tutoring.k12.com/login), and that students are signed in to Canvas with their school account.
  • Redirect Tool isn't available. Your institution's Canvas admin may have restricted external apps. Add Beacon as a Calendar assignment instead (see above), or use the Module link.

Need help?

Reach out to your Beacon by K12 contact with your Canvas course name and the method you're using, and we'll help you get students logging in.