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How to Post a Welcome Announcement in Canvas
Overview
A welcome announcement is a great way to introduce yourself, set the tone for your course, and guide students on how to get started. It also helps establish early engagement and reinforces your availability as their instructor.
Canvas Announcements appear on the course homepage (if enabled) and are sent to students via email and Canvas notifications (depending on their preferences).
Estimated Time to Complete: 5 minutes
Instructions
- Navigate to Announcements
- Log in to Learn@Capitol (Canvas)
- Open your course from the Dashboard
- Click Announcements in the course navigation menu
- Click the “+” Announcement button (top-right corner)
- Create Your Welcome Message
Recommended Elements to Include:
Section | Content |
Subject Line | Welcome to [Course Code & Name] |
Greeting | Brief introduction with your name and enthusiasm for the course |
Course Overview | Mention where to find the syllabus, modules, or Zoom sessions |
First Steps | What students should do in the first week (e.g., review syllabus, post to discussion board, attend Welcome Session) |
Contact Info | Your Capitol email and office hours |
Encouragement | Close with a friendly message of support or motivation |
Sample Welcome Announcement:
Subject: Welcome to CS-110: Introduction to Programming
Hello everyone and welcome!
My name is Dr. Jane Smith, and I’ll be your instructor for this course. I’m looking forward to a great semester with you as we explore the fundamentals of programming.
Please begin by reviewing the Course Homepage and eSyllabus. We’ll also have a Welcome Session via Zoom on Tuesday at 6:00 PM ET. You’ll find the link under the Capitol Live (Zoom) tab in Canvas.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at jsmith@captechu.edu. My office hours are Wednesdays from 1–3 PM ET.
Let’s have a great start to the semester!
– Dr. Smith
- Post the Announcement
- Scroll to the bottom of the announcement editor
- Click Save to publish the announcement
Students will be notified immediately unless you schedule it for a future date.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Solution |
Students didn’t receive the announcement | Check if they’ve turned off Canvas notifications; announcements are still visible inside Canvas |
Announcement didn’t appear on homepage | Make sure your homepage is set to show recent announcements (Settings > More Options) |
Forgot to include Zoom link | Edit the announcement to add details after posting students will be notified of the change |
Still Need Help?
If you need help crafting your message or scheduling an announcement, contact the Online Learning team at ask@captechu.edu.
Additional resources available here: Canvas Guide on Announcements