Canvas Communication Tips for Instructors

There are several integrated ways to communicate with students in Canvas. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the possibilities and to think about how you want to use them in your course.

Some instructors set expectations that they will not answer messages asking questions that are either clearly answered in the syllabus or of general interest. Creating a discussion forum, either in Discussions or in an extension like Piazza, is a great way to provide students with a place to answer questions that are applicable to the whole class.  For more information on discussions, see this page.

Here is a 6-minute video about communicating with students using Announcements, Discussions (jump to 1:05), Conversations (2:10), Gradebook (2:43), and SpeedGrader (4:22).

Here’s a 5-minute video about the Conversations tool (also called Inbox).

You can use Announcements to send messages to the entire class. Examples include reminders about location changes, deadlines, or class-related events of general interest. Depending on your settings, students may be able to comment on announcements. Learn how to disable comments for a single announcement or for all announcements.

You can use your wisc.edu email and/or Conversations to communicate with your students individually or in small groups.

You are likely accustomed to using email to communicate with students. The following are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach:

Note that students are able to set their notification preferences so that they receive Announcements and/or Conversations messages via email and/or text from Canvas immediately, daily, weekly, or not at all. You (as an instructor) can also set notifications so that Canvas Conversations messages go to your email, and you can respond to the messages from there if you prefer.

No matter which option you choose, be sure to communicate expectations clearly to students.

We recommend setting expectations for Announcements and Conversations use at the outset in your syllabus, and possibly also within a welcome letter sent via email before the course begins.

You may want to point students toward Canvas guides or videos for the following topics:

• Setting your notification preferences (guide for all users): https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-1286
• Using Communication tools in Canvas (video for students): https://community.canvaslms.com/videos/1127-communication-students

Here is some sample text* to include if you choose to use Announcements and/or Conversations. . .

In your syllabus and/or welcome letter:

Students are required to customize their Canvas notifications preferences to receive immediate (ASAP) notifications of messages and announcements through the third-party provider of choice (e.g. email, SMS/text). Students are required to log into the course regularly (more than twice a week) and check Announcements and the Canvas Inbox immediately upon logging in to stay on top of developments in the course as they occur.

and

Please send emails and messages to the instructor through Canvas. Messages sent through the Canvas Inbox (Send a Message) feature will be answered within 24 hours during the week and within 48 hours on weekends.

If you find that students continue to send course-related emails to your wisc.edu account, address this in class and consider setting an auto-reply:

Your email has been received. If you are a student who is currently enrolled in {Course Name} for {Course Term}, please know that I do not accept student emails at this address.

I reply to Canvas messages within 24 hours on weekdays and within 48 hours on weekends.

*boilerplate text from https://community.canvaslms.com/thread/15179-canvas-conversations-inbox message by Stefanie Sanders