Canvas Baseline Practices: 2. Orientation to course
Help students get started with clarity and confidence.
What this practice involves
- Include a welcome message on the course homepage that introduces yourself, the course topic, and how to get started.
- Provide a short video or written tour that explains the structure of your Canvas course and how to navigate it.
- Link to key elements: the syllabus, weekly modules, assessment overview, and support resources.
- Add a visual or textual course map to show the flow of learning.
- Include clear guidance on how to participate—whether that’s attending lectures, posting in discussions, or submitting assignments.
- Use inclusive, student-facing language. Avoid academic or technical jargon in the orientation materials.
Why it matters
First impressions matter. Many students drop off or disengage early in a course due to uncertainty about expectations or confusion about how to begin. A welcoming, clear orientation can reduce anxiety, build trust, and promote a stronger learning partnership from the start. A good course orientation helps learners understand what the course is about, how it’s structured, and what’s expected of them.
It also aligns with Universal Design for Learning by supporting ‘engagement’ by helping students feel prepared, appreciated, and motivated.
Implementation
2.1 Provide a welcome message
Provide a video and/or introductory text, designed to build a sense of community and establish whanaungatanga (relationships).
A welcome page is a great opportunity to invite your students into your course and set the tone for their semester ahead. You may like to include a short video introduction of yourself and the course or simply add a photo and a short welcome paragraph. This can help start establishing the relationship between students and teachers and build a sense of community and belonging.
1. Provide a welcome message and video, introducing the course and yourself. This helps build teacher presence/relational learning. 2. Icons are useful visual cues to help students understand the expectations of the course and to identify specific activities and resources. 3. Describe the technologies used in this course so students can familiarise themselves with their use.
Resources
- Welcome to the course template (docx) for your initial announcement.
- Personal introduction template (docx).
2.2 Introduce the teaching team
Streamline communication between students and teachers by providing contact information: office hours, communication preferences, and expected response time. Include a profile photo, biography or a link to your Discovery Profile. Name the class representative(s); it’s a requirement of our Class Representation Policy.
1. Provide a photo and a bit about yourself to help build teacher presence (relational learning). 2. Don’t forget to add the class representative(s), once they have been selected in weeks 1-2.
Visit
2.3 Provide an orientation to the course
An orientation should describe the expectations for students and how the course is laid out. Provide instructions to help students find essential information (e.g., assessments, course schedule, weekly topics etc.). Compile date-specific information (comprising of tasks and their due-by dates) so students can prioritise their studies.
Teacher guides
Canvas basics guide: Course calendar
Canvas basics guide: How to insert links within your course
Canvas basics guide: How to insert links to external content
2.4 Provide links to student support
Link to relevant resources (e.g., technologies used in the course, student support services, library, faculty administrators). This enables students to self-help or support each other, reducing the load on teacher-provided support. Adding frequently asked questions eliminates the need for teachers to repeat themselves from one semester to the next. It also helps to avoid mixed messaging and duplication of effort.
1. Provide a link to this page from the course homepage and include it within Modules under a ‘Course introduction’ heading. 2. Prompt students to check the course introduction pages to see if their question has been answered already. And create a Canvas Discussion thread for general enquiries so that students can support each other. 3. An FAQs section addresses common questions asked each semester.
Reference
Video introductions
In this video, Helen Villers discusses her foray into using video to develop teacher presence for EDPROFST 707, Children’s Literature in Education. In 2016, Helen worked with learning designers Damon Ellis and Nicoletta Rata-Skudder to further develop the design of her course. Helen first taught this course—which is delivered exclusively online—in Semester One 2017.
To connect with and engage students across the country, Helen included a video introduction to the course. She created the video herself using her computer’s webcam.
Damon Ellis also mentions the use of closed captioning for enabling accessible video. The University has since invested in Panopto, which provides this feature.
Tips and tools
- Instruct students to review their Canvas notifications settings. These are found under the Account button on Canvas’ side menu. Advise them to turn on notifications for (at least) Announcements and Conversations, Due Date, and Calendar.
- Ask students to ensure their University email account is forwarded to their personal email address (for those who prefer to use personal email only).
- Ask students to upload a profile photo to Canvas: https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/profile, and for Zoom: https://auckland.zoom.us/profile. Let them know they can use a virtual Zoom background if they wish and whether you expect the to keep their cameras on or off.
- Invite students to reflect or introduce themselves as a first activity to foster connection.
Page updated 27/08/2025 (moved ‘video introductions’ from defunct page)