Intrusive and Proactive Communication Methods

Intrusive and proactive communication means not waiting for a student to contact you when they are struggling; it means taking proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of obstacles and barriers to student success; it means creating opportunities for students to take ownership and engagement in their learning. 

Examples and Best Practices:

• Sometimes the difference between a student dropping out, or working through their difficulties, can be a single contact from the instructor. A simple email/Canvas message can make a huge impact on a struggling student.

  • SAMPLE LANGUAGE: “I’ve noticed that you’ve missed a couple of assignments lately and have not been to class in a while. Please let me know what I can do to help.  I’ve checked your scores and I think we can work together to ensure that you pass this course.”

  • Sometimes, simply knowing there is genuine care and support can make all the difference in the world. 

• Conduct an informal assessment of student’s experiences in their previous classroom settings

• Making smart use of announcements: In addition to making regular announcements and reminders in class, use Announcements in Canvas with the reply feature enabled to communicate with students 

  • In your Canvas settings, select the option of having announcements sent to students’ emails as well.

  • Create a regular schedule of announcements and stick to it. For example, on Mondays announce what students should do for the week, and on Fridays send a reminder of what will be due the following Monday. You can even write announcements ahead of time and delay when they are posted.

  • Use email or the Canvas Inbox to provide individual student feedback.

  • Use the Gradebook feature to message students who haven’t submitted an assignment yet.

  • Enable the New Analytics Tool in your Canvas courses to send multiple emails simultaneously to individual students based on grade/participation criteria: How do I send a message to all students based on specific course criteria in New Analytics?

• In-person classes have a Canvas page, which provides us with an opportunity to communicate with students.

  • For example, create a brief orientation video that introduces them to the goals of the class, the expectations of the assignments in the class, how the class will use the Canvas page and any other technology (such as Google docs, Zoom) they will need for the course, and yourself

• Make success in the course transparent

  • In your first lecture of the semester, or in your syllabus, or in a video on your Canvas page, answer for them, “What will it take to be successful in this course?”

  • Discuss campus resources that can best facilitate learning

  • Address the “how should I…” kinds of questions, such as:

    • Approach the reading

    • Begin studying for tests on day 1 of the course

    • Taking and organizing notes

• Think about “Universal Design Learning” approach for not only your Canvas page, but also in how you design your lectures and your assignments

  • Making the course content inviting

  • Using smaller or “low stakes” assignments rather than larger assignments with big point totals

  • Provide variety in assignment types, i.e. not all essay-based or multiple-choice tests

  • Provide personalized feedback whenever possible that stresses continuous improvement and progress

• Performance monitoring in Canvas to catch when students aren’t completing assignments and reach out to them to start a conversation for working together to find solutions; send out reminders to students that an upcoming due date is approaching

  • In Canvas you can create “To Do Lists” for students to help the stay on track

  • Even if attendance does not count for points in your course, consider taking it in your class to keep track of which students are missing lectures and labs 

  • If you notice a student has missed several lectures or labs, especially consecutively, reach out to them to see how you can work together to get back on track  

• Reach out by using Starfish to provide students’ direct feedback about their course performance in the form of kudos, flags, and messages. Celebrate the success of your students and connect them to academic resources or support as needed. 

RESOURCES

Some of these resources were created for online teaching, but since all courses use Canvas and communicate through Canvas tools and email, etc., many of the practices represented in these resources are equally useful for in-person instruction.

Webinars:

• Employing Equity-Minded & Culturally-Affirming Teaching Practices by Luke Wood and Frank Harris III.  See especially minutes 29:19-42:52.

• Keeping Equity in Mind Teaching Online: Communication Keeps Students Engaged and Learning by Michael Robertson (Canvas tools)

  • Clarify the importance of a two-way communication plan in online courses. (Starts at 5:31)

  • Discuss what the content of messages should be. (Starts at 10:22)

  • Identify various communication tools through Canvas (Announcements, Gradebook, Chat). (Starts at 15:57)

  • Enable the “New Analytics” function for targeted contact. (Starts at 24:28)

  • Create opportunities for students to initiate communication with peers. (Starts at 33:10)

  • Design discussion forums that build community within the course. (Starts at 40:42)