Communication
Knowledge Center
Communication
Students highly value instructors who are accessible and who communicate their expectations clearly. Now that we have different formats for instruction (in-person, remote, online, and hybrid), communication is more important than ever. Students will look to you for guidance about the format of their course and about any changes that happen due to local health concerns.
So just how are you going to communicate? We have lots of ways.
Email, through the Webster system, through Connections, is one way to go.
Students are loaded in their Canvas course shells the Friday before classes begin, so you won't be able to communicate with them in Canvas before that time, but you can use email to connect with them. Simply go to the Faculty tab in Connections, click on Faculty Academic Services, and then go to Class List on the left side of the screen.
Also through Connections, you can find the quick link to Starfish where you can find the list of students who are registered for your course and send them a message through there.
Learn more here: StudentSuccessPortal
I always reach out to my students in the week prior to the start to let them know a little bit about me, a brief outline of the course activities, and any expectations that need to be addressed as they begin their learning journey. This message to students lays the groundwork for the learning community that will take place in your course. Let them know who you are and what your plans are.
You can always continue to message through Starfish once the course starts but there are some other tools you can use within WorldClassRoom.
The Inbox can be used anytime after the students are loaded into the course. This allows for private individual messages as well as a group message. This is not the same as Webster email though if notifications are set up, students can also receive a notification about your message in their email or on their phones.
Announcements are meant to be in-the-moment group messages designed to inform, update, and encourage your students. You could use an Announcement to respond to questions you have received privately, or to summarize the weekly discussions, or even to announce an upcoming change. Announcements can also be used to share relevant information that you just came across, such as a new article or a podcast that you think might help students to understand the current topics.
Each of these tools enable a two way conversation between students and instructor. And that is how you establish--and keep--those connections.