Smooth Start
How Impact Can Help Reduce Stress - And Increase Success
• Impact Campaigns
• Data-Driven Strategies
• Planning for Success
Introduction: As schools across the country gear up for the new academic year, administrators and educators face another round of challenges and opportunities. While this time of year can be hectic, with the right tools and strategies, stress can be transformed into success. In this blog, we’ll explore practical ways to streamline your Back-to-School preparations, focusing on real-world examples and proven strategies using Impact. We’ll delve into: Unique Back-to-School campaigns designed to make the transition smoother Insights on leveraging data to improve content delivery Quick and effective “out-of-the-box” solutions that can be implemented with ease Experiences and expectations from schools new to using Impact Whether you're a seasoned admin or new to your role, these insights and tips will help you kick off the school year with confidence and efficiency. Let’s dive in and discover how to make this school year the best one yet!
Contributor: Nicole Youmans, Dedicated Strategic Consultant
Returning to the classroom means the pressure is on to ensure everything runs smoothly from day one. Instructure Consultant Nicole Youmans has been working with DeKalb County Schools in Atlanta, Georgia, to set up Impact campaigns that support all stakeholders in getting the assistance and messaging they need to be successful—from the moment they log in to Canvas until they are ready to log out. Whether they are new users or experienced, Impact campaigns focus on critical areas like communication, resource access, and early engagement with students and parents—giving users real-time suggestions, reminders, tutorials, and easy access to targeted data. One standout effort is the “Welcome Back Campaign”, which aims to provide a seamless transition for both new and returning users by delivering tailored in-app messages and resources. This approach not only alleviates some of the typical Back-to-School chaos but also sets a positive tone for the rest of the year.
Contributor: Brittany Firestone, Dedicated Strategic Consultant
Dedicated Consultant for Richmond County, Brittany Firestone, highlights how Richmond County has effectively used data from Impact to enhance communication and content delivery strategies. Specifically, data collected during a 2023 back-to-school campaign, which reminded instructors to pull Digital Citizenship resources from Commons, revealed that a more streamlined solution was needed for delivering essential content to teachers and students. This campaign's data, alongside Commons import statistics, indicated a gap in content accessibility and teacher engagement. As a result, at the start of the 2024 school year, Richmond County adopted a new approach by blueprinting a course district-wide for students in grades 4-12. This course, covering foundational topics such as Growth Mindset, Digital Citizenship, and the Code of Conduct, was directly added to each student's dashboard. To further support this initiative, Impact was utilized once again to remind teachers where to access the facilitator version of the course and to provide instructional delivery tips. A systray message on each teacher’s dashboard included a direct link to the facilitator version of the course in Canvas Catalog, ensuring easy access and streamlined implementation. This use of Impact messaging analytics not only ensured a more efficient and user-friendly delivery of essential content but also demonstrated how data-driven decisions can lead to significant improvements in educational outcomes. Richmond County's approach underscores the importance of leveraging data to refine communication and content strategies, ultimately making the start of the school year smoother for both teachers and students.
Impact provides a range of ready-to-use campaigns designed to simplify Back-to-School preparations and enhance technology adoption within Canvas. These campaigns include targeted in-app messaging that offers customized, real-time guidance to users, ensuring they receive timely support and instructions directly within the Canvas environment. This approach helps educators, students, and administrators navigate their tasks more effectively and improves overall technology usage. Additionally, Impact’s insightful dashboards and dynamic reporting give administrators a comprehensive view of how Canvas features are being utilized. By highlighting areas of underuse and providing actionable data, Impact enables targeted outreach and support where it’s needed most. This leads to increased adoption of Canvas tools, better user satisfaction, and a more streamlined start to the school year. If you want to find out more about Impact, check out "Maximize Canvas LMS Adoption for More Effective Teaching & Learning," a session led by Instructure K-12 experts.
As a Dedicated Learning Consultant working with Chesapeake Public Schools in Virginia, I’m excited to see the district rolling out Impact for the first time this year. With the new school year quickly approaching, we’ve been focused on preparing key campaigns to ensure a smooth transition. Some of the campaigns we plan to have ready for day one include: Course Content Import and Setup: Assisting teachers with importing content from previous courses, ensuring they remove outdated due dates to avoid grading errors in Synergy, and streamlining course navigation for a better student experience. Observer Role Campaign: Guiding parents and guardians on how to access grades, comments, and effectively use the Canvas Inbox for communication, along with setting up their notification preferences. Student Engagement and Setup: Providing students with reminders on setting up their notification preferences, understanding how to navigate their courses, and ensuring they’re prepared to start the year on the right foot. Administrator Data and Analytics: Targeting administrators with guides on how to filter and access critical data and analytics, helping them make informed decisions based on real-time insights. Mastery Connect Setup for Teachers: Offering step-by-step guides for teachers to set up Mastery Connect Trackers and assign district-provided benchmarks and assessments, ensuring a consistent and effective approach to student evaluation. For schools new to using Impact, there’s a mix of excitement and anticipation as they prepare to integrate this tool into their Back-to-School routines. Chesapeake, for example, has chosen to focus on ensuring their teachers, parents, and administrators have the support they need to navigate Canvas and Mastery Connect confidently. They’re hoping that Impact will not only reduce the typical start-of-year stress but also foster better communication, organization, and data-driven decision-making across the district.
As we look forward to the new school year, it’s clear that the key to reducing stress and increasing success lies in preparation and adaptability. By using tools like Impact and learning from past experiences, schools can create a more organized, less stressful environment for both educators and students. The stories and strategies shared by Nicole, Brittany, and the insights about Impact illustrate how thoughtful planning and the right tools can make a world of difference. Whether it’s through innovative campaigns, data-driven decisions, or the excitement of new beginnings, there’s no doubt that this school year will be a success.
The Back-to-School season doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the strategies and tools shared in this blog, administrators and educators can set themselves up for a smooth and successful start to the school year. Remember, reducing stress and increasing success is within reach — with a little planning and the right resources. For more information on how Impact can help your school, or to request a demonstration, check out the Instructure Website - Or click here to request a demo for your school.
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Our team of dedicated strategic consultants helps customers deepen and elevate their use of Instructure Learning Platform products to meet pedagogical goals across their organization by offering expertise, strategic advice, customized consultation, and targeted coaching. If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact your CSM, or @Kelley_Lozicki, Manager, Learning Services, or by email kloziciki@instructure.com.
