It is important to announce your online presence and let your students know how you will communicate with them throughout the semester. University-supported tools can create an effective communication channel between you and your students.
Set up your Canvas site for effective communication
Your Canvas profile is a visual reminder of your presence in the course. Canvas allows instructors and students to control where and when they receive notifications about Canvas activity. As you determine your communication plan, think about how notifications can support timely interactions with your students.
- Set up your notification preferences as an instructor.
- Set Expectations for Student Course Notifications.
- Ask your students to set up their Canvas profile.
Share information with Canvas Announcements
Instructors can post an announcement for everyone in their Canvas course.
- Announcements are typically sent as an email; be sure students know this is dependent on their notification settings.
- Create Announcements ahead of time. Instructors can decide when announcements are automatically released at a specific time and date.
- Leave the “Announcements” section viewable in the left Course Navigation links so that the archive of information is available to students.
- Display recent announcements on your course home page.
- Manage announcement replies to allow or restrict further student conversation.
Use the Canvas Inbox
The Canvas Inbox (also known as Canvas Conversations) is an email tool within Canvas.
- Find instructions on How do I use the Inbox as an instructor?
- Use the Inbox to send a message to all students in a course or send a message to one or more specific students.
- Filter Inbox conversations to help you stay organized and manage your messages.
Hold virtual office hours
Zoom is the University-supported online meeting tool that supports and enables real-time conversations.
Set Up Virtual Office Hours or Meet Individually with Students
- Create a calendar event in Canvas.
- Hold Online Office Hours to provide a virtual space that any student in your course can join.