PSY 101
Welcoming Students Before the Course Starts

Research shows that when you contact students within the first weeks of school, this engagement increases student retention and success in your course.

[Instructors: Below are examples of effective practices to engage students]

Two weeks before course starts, go into course registration system to gather students' contact information registered in your course:

Insert a Welcome/Introductory Video into your course.
Send introductory emails to students to let them know that their textbook is free, for example, or what to expect next in the course.
Send resources such as etext links, college maps, etc.

Insert a Welcome/Introductory Video into your course.

Example - Faculty Introduction Video

Send Introductory Emails to Students

Example - Short Introductory Email

[Welcome to [PSY 101- Section XXX]. We are using the Canvas course management system for this course. Please see the [your school's Canvas help page] webpage, which provides instructions for logging in, finding your course, and confirming your email to receive Canvas notifications.

Your first due date for this course is [date/time]. I recommend that you log in to Canvas now to read the Syllabus and participate in the Check-in Discussion, which is in the Modules area of the course. The course navigation menu includes links to the Syllabus and to Modules.

Thank you,

Paola Sanchez ]

[**It is suggested to add a link to the phrase "log into Canvas now" that will take students to your school's Canvas login page.]