Link to a newly composed message

[JonMusselwhite]

The syllabus would be a perfect place to put a link to contact the professor, but I'm having trouble finding a way to do it that keeps the communication inside Canvas.

It's easy enough to insert a mailto link so students can click it to automatically open their email client and send an email, but that doesn't work well for students using library computers.

I could include instructions for how to click over to the Inbox, click the little pencil-with-a-box icon, select the course, then select the instructor, but those are a lot of steps for something so fundamental. Is it possible to link directly to a newly composed message?

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @JonMusselwhite ...

There is yet another way for your students to contact you directly within Canvas...which might even be easier than what you've described.  On the far left-hand side global navigation menu, click on the "Help" icon.  In the slide-out menu that appears, there should be a link for "Ask Your Instructor a Question".  The only thing a student has to do is to select the course name, and then type the message.  You can find a little more details in this Guide:

• How do I get help with Canvas as a student?

Do you think this might be a workable alternative for you and your students to contact you?

[Ron_Bowman]

@JonMusselwhite -

I checked out what @Chris_Hofer talked about and tried creating a link on a page to that particular help line.  Unfortunately, that does not work.  The student will have to click on the help button, click on ask instructor a question, select the course and post their question.  

You could create a short 30 second video explaining on how to ask your instructor a question and put that where you want your mail the instructor link to go.  That may help with making it easier for the students.  Plus, once they have it figured out, it will no longer be an issue.

Ron

[dhulsey]

@JonMusselwhite it is possible to link to the inbox. At my school, we use this url: https://nmjc.instructure.com/conversations#filter=type=inbox. For both faculty and students, that address goes straight to the user's inbox. Try editing the address for your school's Canvas url.

I hope that helps, and I am curious if it works for you.!

[Ron_Bowman]

@dhulsey -

That should work for getting the compose window up.  I interpreted what @JonMusselwhite wanted was to have the compose window come up with the class and instructor present in the compose box so all the student has to do is type in the message.  Neither option does that.

Your method will work and the student will have to know how to select the course and put in the instructors name(not too difficult).  The way @Chris_Hofer mentioned requires more thought to get to a compose window, but removes adding the instructors name part.

more or less a wash on which method is quicker - I guess it just depends on the method that is perceived to be easier for the students to grasp.

Ron

[JonMusselwhite]

Yeah, both methods are just a bit shy of what I was hoping for.

Since it isn't possible in Canvas, I suppose I'll just include instructions for going through the Help menu and also leave a mailto link with the course name for the default subject as a fallback option. At least then students are more likely to include some indication of which course they are writing about.

Thanks for all the help.

[Ron_Bowman]

@JonMusselwhite -

Unfortunately some answers for something you want to do in Canvas fall short of what we would like.  I deal with college students(so I make the possibly bad assumption that they can navigate Canvas for the most part) , so I don't think about things like what you posted.  I could see where it would be nice for a 1st or 2nd grader(no idea what age kids you are dealing with) to be able to just click on a link and then write their question.  Then again the way some 1st and 2nd graders are with technology I am probably wrong. 

Ron

[JonMusselwhite]

There is no question of the students' intelligence. They are capable of figuring it out, but I want to reduce barriers students face when needing help. Actions speak louder than words, and optimizing the process for students is one way of making it clear that you want to be contacted for help. For an online class, I prefer to use intuitive design while simplifying life as much as possible by keeping everything within Canvas. Linking a method of contacting the professor at the location in the syllabus that describes how to contact the professor is intuitive. That is all.