Profile and Settings

Canvas provides each user with an account area that can be configured as desired through the Profile and Settings links. Click Account in the Global Navigation. Your name and logout button will appear at the top of the menu while Profile, Settings, and Notifications will appear in the lower portion. 

In the Profile tab, we recommend that you write a short biography that describes who you are. This can be the same or different from the instructor introduction page that will go into individual courses. You can also upload a picture (click on the circle or pencil icon) of yourself or something that represents you or Webster University. Adding these items helps to initiate the feeling of community with students so that they know at the start that you are a qualified individual (i.e. a real person) who will be part of their learning success. Personalization is an important concept that encourages a successful learning environment for your student. The students are curious about you and your background as it relates to their program of study. It is important to set up your profile now so that it will be easily accessible to students. Uploading your picture and creating a short biography now will ensure that students in all of your future classes will have access to this information.

In the user Settings tab, you have the ability to change or add the following:

• Profile picture - This will be the same as found in the Settings. A dialog box will appear to upload a new picture.
• Full/Display/Sortable Name: Instructors and students cannot change the way their name appears in WorldClassRoom because of the integration with CARS.
• Time Zone - We ask that you do NOT change the time zone as it may affect the submission times of your assignments. Our system runs on Central Time.
• Ways to Contact - This information is ONLY for the system to send you Notifications (covered in the tab). Students will NOT have access to this information.
• Email address - The default address is your Webster email. All private messages in WorldClassRoom are routed through the Webster email via your notifications but they ARE NOT THE SAME.You may add another address if you wish by clicking on the "Add Email Address" button.
• Other contact info (cell phone for text messages) You may add a cell phone number to receive text messages if you wish by clicking on the "Add Contact Method" button

In Canvas, all notifications will go through the email address on your profile which by default is your district email address. All  users can set up additional ways of contact on their profile. The notification options in Canvas will allow users to customize how and when they receive notifications and messages from Canvas.

Time is a precious commodity for instructors and students. Instructor time spent in the course often revolves around a specific activity, like participating in discussion or grading assignments. Otherwise, you are likely waiting for something to happen on the part of students.Do you wonder:

• How can you reduce the amount of down time spent in a course without sacrificing your accessibility to students?
• How can you reply to student questions quickly without interrupting other things that you're working on?
• How can you maintain a presence in the course while traveling with limited access to wifi?

Canvas has a solution that can bring the course to you, via media that you're already using, and based on your schedule. The solution is called Notifications.

To access the notifications options, click Account in the global navigation. You can also access Notifications from the Profile menu. On the Notifications page, you will see a column of each way of contact that you have set up. Notice in the images below that there is one email address, one cell number, and then a column for Push Notifications (from the mobile app). On the left, you will find the list of activities that occur in a course. In each column, you can chose different settings for each activity. Point the mouse under the email or mobile number column to set your desired preferences for each activity. Review the list below for more detailed description of each option. At a minimum, we recommend that you set up notifications for the following activities in your courses:

• Announcement Created by You - this will send you a notification if a student responds to one of your Announcements
• Invitation - for courses, conferences, groups
• All Submissions - for assignment submissions
  Submission Comments - so you can be notified if a student responds to your assignment comments.
• Discussion and Discussion Post - you may not want to do this for the entire term as students could be posting at all hours of the night. Consider "subscribing" to certain discussions if you really want to know when students respond. More on this in the tool training.
• Conversations - this one is crucial so you can be aware at all times that students are trying to get in touch with you.

Note: Your students will be adjusting their profile as well so it is important that you stress to them that they adjust their notification preferences accordingly.