Canvas: How to communicate with students through Canvas

Summary

This KB article provides an overview of all the communication tools in Canvas. For more details about using any of the tools search on that topic in the knowledge base or Canvas guides.

 

Content

There are several options for communicating with students.  

  • Announcements:  Send course announcements that all students can see.
  • Inbox:  Email tool to send email to all students, individual students, to course groups or course section.
  • Assessment:  Send comments to individual students that is private and associated to the specific assessment.
  • Discussions:  The Discussion forum can be setup as an open, interactive communication for the entire class.
  • Gradebook:  The assessment column has an communication option for sending messages to specific students.  In the column header use the option to "Message students who".
  • People:  In the People area you can select an individual student and select the Envelope icon in their profile to send an individual email.

Note:  Your course must be Published in order to email your students.  At the end of the semester the course will be set to "Read Only", at that time, the functionality to email students is no longer available.

 

Outcome

You are able to communicate with students in an effective manner that suits their needs.

 

Further readings

Canvas Guides for all topics  

 

Need additional help?

Submit a Canvas (myCourses) support request or visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request.  For password issues you must call or visit the Help Desk in person.  

 

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