Slack is a communication platform that allows groups of people to easily collaborate. Through the Slack/Canvas (CourseBot) integration, instructors can set up a Slack Course Workspace associated with their Canvas site. A Slack Course Workspace is a Slack Workspace that is generated through Canvas and membership is linked to and managed by the enrollments listed in the People Tool of the associated Canvas site.
Slack Course Workspaces are time controlled spaces that will archive after 5 years in coordination with university retention policies.
Slack Course Workspaces
Slack Course Workspaces are essentially basic Slack Workspaces whose enrollment is managed through Canvas. As you implement Slack into your teaching practices, there are likely some modifications you may want to make to your Slack Course Workspace to make it more applicable in your course setting. Please check out our help articles on Slack Course Workspace Recommendations, Tips & Tricks.
Slack Course Workspaces are only available for academic course Canvas sites. Non-traditional and non-credit Canvas sites will not have access to the Slack/Canvas (CourseBot) integration.
Q&A
What is the relationship between academic course Canvas Sites and Slack Course Workspaces?
- Each academic course taught at Brown can get a Canvas site; each Canvas site can have one associated Slack Course Workspace.
- Users with the role of teacher or TA in a Canvas site can enable and create the associated Slack Course Workspace. (See How to create a Slack Course Workspace.)
- Slack Course Workspaces are linked to the Canvas site's course roster to control membership. (See the articles on Canvas / Slack Course Workspace Role Mapping and Slack Course Workspace Permissions.)
- All users must access the Slack Course Workspace the first time by going through Canvas. (See How to join a Slack Course Workspace.)
- Once a user has initially joined the Slack Course Workspace (via Canvas), future communications can be accessed directly through Slack without having go to Canvas. (Users can still use the Slack button in Canvas, but it is not required.)
What is the difference between Workspaces, Channels, Threads, and DMs?
Workspace: A Workspace is a hub where participants (instructors, TAs, and students) can communicate and work together. A Workspace can contain one or more channels. Users with the role of teacher or TA in the Canvas site will have administrative access over the Slack Course Workspace to modify settings and create channels.
Channel: Channels are where collaborative communication takes place. Channels can contain one or more message threads. Channels can be created as public (all participants in the workspace can join/view) or private (only participants of the workspace who are invited to that channel can join/view).
By default, all Workspaces begin with 2 public channels: #general and #random.
Threads: Threads are posts within a channel. Threads typically will have the initial message along with replies that are "threaded" together.
DMs: DMs (or Direct Messages) are messages sent to a specific user (or selected individual users up to 8 people).
Resources
Need Additional Help?
- For help with using Slack, please contact Brown's OIT Service Center
- For help with Canvas, please contact [email protected]
To discuss strategies for implementing Canvas and DLD approved integrated learning tools into your course, please contact [email protected]