Canvas Communicator
This microcredential represents the skilled use of Canvas features to communicate clearly and efficiently with learners.
To earn this 0.5 USBE credit microcredential you will submit two types of evidence from the list below to demonstrate your successful implementation of Canvas's communications tools. You will also complete a short written or video reflective analysis. Click Earn This Microcredential to learn more!
To receive this microcredential, a teacher must be using Canvas to actively and efficiently communicate with students. Evidence of how Canvas is bringing additional functionality to the process must be present. Fully articulated directions and resources must provide clarity and enrichment for students.
Announcements allow instructors to communicate with students about course activities and post interesting course-related topics. Announcements are designed to allow instructors to broadcast information out to all members of a course or to all members of sections within a course. Students may be able to reply to announcements, but replies are not considered to be a conversation and do not appear in the Conversations Inbox
Calendar:The Calendar is a great way to view everything you have to do for all your courses in one place. You can view calendar events by day, week, month, or agenda list. The calendar also includes access to the Scheduler, which is an optional scheduling tool in Canvas.
Rubrics:You can add a rubric to an assignment to help students understand expectations for the assignment and how you intend to score their submissions. Occasionally, rubrics are added to assignments when you have an outcome inside of the rubric that you would like to use for alignment purposes. In addition to assignments, rubrics can also be added to graded discussions and quizzes. Rubrics can be added by finding an existing rubric in one of your courses, or by creating a new rubric.
Notifications:Canvas includes a set of default notification preferences you can receive for your courses. However, you can change the default settings by setting your own notification preferences. These preferences only apply to you; they are not used to control how course updates are sent to other users.
Speedgrader:SpeedGrader makes it easy to evaluate individual student assignments and group assignments quickly. SpeedGrader displays assignment submissions for active students in your course. However, SpeedGrader displays assignment submissions according to the current Gradebook settings for inactive enrollments and concluded enrollments. For instance, if the Gradebook settings show inactive enrollments, inactive student submissions also appear in SpeedGrader. You can access SpeedGrader through Assignments, Quizzes, Graded Discussions, and the Gradebook.
Screencast:A screencast is a video recording or transmission of the data displayed on the screen of a computer or mobile device, typically with accompanying audio
As an educator looks to communicate about his or her students’ learning, Canvas Announcements, Inbox, Calendar, Notifications, and Speedgrader are great options. To demonstrate consistency of effective Canvas communication, a teacher may choose to submit evidence for this badge after having used several Canvas communications with their students. This is an opportunity to show proficiency with Canvas’ powerful communication features and demonstrate effective use in the classroom.
Category: Implementation
Select ONE of the evidence options below to demonstrate your effective implementation of Canvas communication tools to support learners
Submit a 3-5 minute narrated screencast demonstrating your use of Canvas communications. This should include explanation of how you use Announcements, Calendar, Inbox, Feedback, Notifications, etc. The Screencast should show proficiency and how they are have been used to effectively communicate with learners. This should not be used to show what communication has taken place, but why using the tools has enhanced communication and improved student learning. Be sure to follow your district/charter guidelines for student privacy.
Category: Supplemental
Select ONE of the evidence options below to demonstrate your effective use of Canvas communication tools to support learners
Submit a survey about your use of Canvas’s communications tools that you have administered to current learners, along with its results. The survey should cover the following aspects of your use of Canvas: (a) Announcements; (b) Calendar; (c) Notifications; (d) other Canvas communication tools. The survey data should demonstrate your effective and consistent use of Canvas’s communications tools to support learning.
Submit at least two video or written testimonials from learners in which they describe your use of Canvas’s communications tools to support their learning. These testimonials should touch on the following:(a) Announcements; (b) Calendar; (c) Notifications; (d) other Canvas communication tools. These learner testimonials should demonstrate your effective and consistent use of Canvas’s communications tools to support learning. Be sure to follow your district/charter guidelines for student privacy.
Provide samples of feedback that you have provided to learners. You will need to provide three different conversations. This could be using audio, video, or text and can be documented with the actual audio/video/text, screenshots, or documents. Samples should show how feedback improves learning and may show multiple conversations between educator and learner. Be sure to follow your district/charter guidelines for student privacy.
Review Criteria
Criterion 1: Evidence includes examples of at least 3 of the following communication items; these may include announcements, calendar, notifications, feedback using speedgrader, inbox. Submission items must show evidence of use with students.
Criterion 2: Evidence should demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency at using multiple communication methods in Canvas including but not limited to announcements, calendar, notifications, feedback using speedgrader, inbox. Need to show examples of at least 3 different methods of communication.
Criterion 3: Evidence demonstrations professionalism and articulation in communications on the part of the educator.
Describe how the use of the Canvas communication tools has enhanced or transformed the way you communicate and give feedback to learners.
Discuss what aspects of Canvas's communication tools allow you to effectively communicate and enhance learning.
Discuss what next steps you plan to take as you continue to use Canvas communication tools with learners.
Review Criteria
Criterion 1: Reflection provides examples of how Canvas communication tools have improved their abilities to check for learner understanding throughout instruction. Educator shares specific examples of feedback loops and communication that impacts learning.
Criterion 2: Reflection discusses the features of Canvas communication tools that most support learners. Examples may include the use of announcements, calendar, feedback, inbox, and notifications.
Criterion 3: Reflection discusses areas where improvement can still be made with Canvas communication tools. Possible areas may include more consistent use of Canvas communication tools, increased use of feedback in SpeedGrader, additional opportunities for communication, notification learner guides, and inbox guidelines for communicating with the educator.
https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10460#jive_content_id_Announcements
Canvas Guides website that provides teachers with support on using Announcements in Canvas.
Canvas Instructor Guide - Calendar
https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10460#jive_content_id_Calendar
Canvas Guides website that provides teachers with support on using the Calendar in Canvas.
Canvas Instructor Guide - SpeedGrader
https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10460#jive_content_id_SpeedGrader
Canvas Guides website that provides teachers with support on using SpeedGrader in Canvas.
Canvas Instructor Guide - Profile and User Settings
https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10460#jive_content_id_Profile_and_User_Settings
Canvas Guides website that provides teachers with support on changing user settings, including notifications in Canvas.
Canvas Basics: Getting Started - Self-Paced Course
https://dsd.instructure.com/enroll/E4GAFF
Use the self-enroll link to get started on this self-paced, asynchronous course.
This course is designed to help you become familiar with Canvas Course Navigation, Course Settings, Inbox and Calendar. This course will help you with your course set up. To get started click on the Course Overview button below.
Canvas Communication Tools - Self-Paced Course
https://dsd.instructure.com/enroll/KCR7H9
Use the self-enroll link to get started on this asynchronous, self-paced course.
In Canvas, there are many ways to communicate with course participants. In this course, you will learn how to use the tools available in Canvas to give feedback, share announcements, and manage communication preferences.
Michelle Atkin
Jennifer Baker
Anna Bessesen
Valerie Burgoyne
Ingrid Camposmontero
Joanne Christensen
Jessica George
Iain Harvey
Danielle Heilbut
Tamara Henderson
Elisha Jones
Scott Judy
Jessica Kempter
Kyle King
Lorena Lesue
David Ludwig
Sergio Macias
Carly Maloney
Elizabeth McKinney
Natalie Niederhauser
Danielle Nielsen
Jonathan Poll
Shaina Trujillo
Richard Valdez
Armando Verdejogarcia
Deanna Wilson
Christine Wolf
250 East 500 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3204
Phone: 801.538.7807