Authors

  1. Robb, Meigan PhD, RN
  2. Mikita, Karen MSN, RN

Article Content

Students often miss information in online courses when receiving faculty messages through a variety of formats. Using the announcement tool in a learning management system (LMS) helps streamline faculty communication by keeping it in 1 convenient location. However, ineffective use of this tool can result in students viewing course announcements as "junk mail" and ignoring the message. Posting meaningful course announcements is one method for preventing this. Post course announcements that have a clear purpose and do not add clutter to a course homepage. Use titles that are clear and consistent and make it easy for students to search for previous announcements (eg, Week XX Course Reminders). Make the message personal and brief to capture the student's attention. For example, posting a short video to offer encouragement would gain more student views than a lengthy written message. When appropriate, use humor such as pictures or memes to spark interest and encourage a higher recall of the information shared. Timing of course announcements should support the tempo of the course. Posting announcements following a schedule creates a routine in which students know when to expect communication from faculty. For example, post announcements on Mondays that introduce weekly topics and on Fridays review upcoming due dates. Effective use of the course announcement tool in an LMS allows students to efficiently manage faculty shared course-related messages.