Your instructors and TAs may communicate with you using Announcements in your Canvas course site or messages in the Canvas Inbox. Be sure to set your notification preferences to receive email or push notifications according to how your instructor plans to communicate with your class so you receive important updates.
Announcements
Announcements send a message that is broadcast within your course, either to all users or to those enrolled in a certain section of the course.
You can:
- View and filter all Announcements in a Canvas course by clicking Announcements in the course navigation menu.
- Reply to an Announcement if you have a question. Note that your reply will be visible to everyone in the course, not just your instructor.
You may also occasionally see global announcements on your Canvas Dashboard. Your Canvas administrators use these notifications to share information that is important to all Penn users.
Inbox
The Inbox allows you to send and receive private or group messages with instructors, TAs, or other students in your courses. You can message one student, a group, or the entire class.
You can access Canvas Inbox by clicking Inbox in the global navigation menu on the left side of your dashboard. This feature looks similar to an email portal. You can use the drop-down menu to sort messages by course and status.
Click the Compose icon in the top menu bar to send a message. You will then be prompted to select the course containing the user(s) you wish to message. In the To field, use the address book to choose your recipients. Compose the message, attach any files or media, and click Send.
A badge notification displays above the Inbox icon when there is an unread Inbox message. You will be notified of Inbox messages via your Penn email only if your Conversation notifications are turned on. You can also reply to messages you have received.
Additional Resources
Getting Help
Please contact your Local Support Provider or submit a request to canvas@pobox.upenn.edu.