Collaboration
On this page:
Canvas Discussions
Canvas Collaborations
Microsoft Teams
Perusall
Canvas Discussions
Canvas Discussions allows both instructors and students to start and contribute to discussion topics. Discussions can also be created as an assignment for grading purposes, or may serve as a forum for course topics and current events. Discussions can be created within student groups as well.
Discussion boards can function as an asynchronous online replacement for discussions you would normally have in class. They can also help to promote social bonding among students and between students and teacher in the absence of face-to-face contact. However, for this to function well, it is advised you heavily promote their importance to students, and frequently remind students of them as well as to make sure they offer a safe online environment. Some monitoring is recommended therefore, as well as creating space for some more informal (by the water cooler) type of interaction.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft 365’s Teams program enables safe online meetings, chats and collaboration with colleagues, lecturers as well as students within and beyond the UvA. The UvA has accelerated the provision of this service to facilitate working from home.
Perusall
Perusall is a online social learning platform that can be used in Canvas to activate students by supporting them in reading and processing the study material in preparation for lectures or other contact hours. Perusall ensures that students understand what they read faster and better. To achieve this, students will jointly annotate texts with questions and comments and they will receive help from each other. The teacher will receive a confusion report about the questions/comments that are placed by students, which can be used during the next contact moment to explain things that are still unclear and to further deepen their knowledge.
This tool has been in use since last year at the FNWI, but is now available for all lecturers within the UvA. In order to help you setting up Perusall assignments in your Canvas course , the UvA TLC has recently established a Perusall Support Team.