!!! 5.2 Communicate with Students

Communicate with Students

An effective online instructor will use the Canvas communication tools to facilitate student-to-teacher and student-to-student interactions. Regular, substantive, instructor-initiated contact and contact among students are accreditation requirements and required by Title 5. The built-in communication tools facilitate discussion of course concepts, increase understanding of content, and allow for community building within a course.

• Employ attributes of the text on your Home page to increase readability and accessibility, and to create a professional “look and feel.”
• Use images that add relevance or personality to your Homepage.
• Organize your Home page content to improve clarity and orientation for your students.

• Understand how to access the Gradebook and the students' Grades link.
• Describe the Gradebook tool and the benefits of allowing students to see their own grades.
• Understand how to make a grading rubric.
• Create and manage Gradebook columns.
• Grade different areas of the course, including discussions, assignments, and quizzes.
• Use the “Message Students Who” feature.

• Describe the educational relevance of communication tools.
• Manage Canvas Conversations.
• Identify the Canvas areas with built-in Conversations capabilities.
• Provide course protocol, netiquette rules and directions so students can make the most of these tools.
• Identify difficulties new students may have when sending and reading Conversations.
• Understand the features of Canvas Announcements.

• Create Discussions.
• Read and reply to posts.
• Add media to Discussions.
• Search for replies.
• Work with configuration options.

• Explain what Zoom is and what role it plays in the online course.
• Explain how Zoom and its whiteboard can be used as communication tools.
• Describe the primary tools in Zoom.
• Describe the Zoom whiteboard and its features.
• In Zoom’s whiteboard, draw, modify, and change attributes.
• Cite examples of how educators use Zoom in their courses.
• Cite some examples of how educators use Zoom’s whiteboard in meaningful ways.
• Identify how to record Zoom meetings and how students can use them later.

• Describe Pronto and its features.
• Cite examples of how to use Pronto and chat in an online course.
• Send a private message in Pronto.
• Know how to troubleshoot and communicate common Pronto problems.

• Add/update and delete entries.
• Calendar Settings.
• Describe the potential impact of Calendar on the overall course design and organization.