Purpose of Creating a Start Here Module

A Start Here or Getting Started module is a place you can send your students prior to the start of the class to communicate and prepare them to be successful.

If you click on Modules in the navigation links of this course, you'll notice again that there was a Start Here module.

Items to include in Start Here module:

Create a Welcome Page
- Include information about yourself and how to best communicate with you if they need support. (do you prefer email? phone? Zoom meetings one-on-one?).
- Provide an overview of what is in the Start Here Module and why each is so important.
Create and add a Welcome Video (create Video with Canvas Studio)
- In the video you may be repeating much of what you conveyed on the welcome page. Show enthusiam about the subject they will be learning. Share with them how this course can apply to their program/life so they get WHY it's important to be in this course. Be yourself and be positive and encouraging. (Again, nice for them to see you as a human behind the course.)
Create a Canvas + Syllabus Overview video providing a quick tour of your Canvas course, maybe also showing programs they may be using, do a quick overview of your syllabus, etc.
Create a link to your Syllabus and also to any textbook or learning material resources.
This Start Here module could also include an Introductions discussion, so that students can get to know one another.

Remember to keep videos 10 mins or less. (Tech Tip: If you are creating several videos in a row, turn your computer off and then back on between every few videos ou create. This will clear the memory buffer. Otherwise you may experience a slow-down when uploading/captioning your videos.)

Canvas How-to's

You may refer to the Instructor Canvas Guides for step-by-step how-tos on create a module and add items to it. (The purpose of this course is to provide online course design basics, and does not explicitly include Canvas how-tos, as there are other resources for Canvas use.)