How do I create a Homeroom announcement as an instructor?

This lesson applies to users at institutions that have enabled the Canvas for Elementary user interface.

Homeroom announcements display for all users in their Homeroom. A homeroom announcement displays for 2 weeks or until it is replaced by a new announcement. You can navigate past homeroom announcements using the Previous and Next buttons.

Notes:

  • Your homeroom must be published for students to receive announcement notifications. If you import an announcement from another Canvas course, new announcement notifications will not send to course users.
  • If an announcement is created before the homeroom start date and the Students can only participate in the course between these dates setting is enabled, students will not receive announcement notifications.

Open Homeroom

Open Homeroom

In Global Navigation, click the Home link.

Add Homeroom Announcement

If your Homeroom tab [1] is not currently displaying an announcement, you can add a new announcement by clicking the Add Announcement button [2].

Note: By default, the most recent announcement displays if it has been posted in the last two weeks. If you have an existing homeroom announcement, the Add Announcement button does not display. To replace the current announcement with a new announcement, click the Homeroom subject link [3].

Replace Homeroom Announcement

If the Homeroom link was clicked, the Announcements page displays [1]. To add a new announcement to replace the current homeroom announcement, click the Add Announcement button [2].

Create Announcement

Create Announcement

Type a title for the announcement in the Topic Title field [1] and add content in the Rich Content Editor [2].

Select Sections

Select Sections

By default, Canvas will send your announcement to all sections within your homeroom course. To select specific sections for your announcement, click the Post to drop-down menu and select sections from the list provided.  

Note: If your course does not have sections, Canvas will still show the All Sections option, and all homeroom course users can view the announcement.

Add Attachment

Add Attachment

To add an attachment to your announcement, click the Attach link [1].

If required by your institution, you will need to select usage right settings for your attachment. To manage usage right settings, click the Set usage rights icon [2].

In the Usage Right drop-down menu [3], select one of five usage rights:

  • I hold the copyright (original content created by you)
  • I have obtained permission to use the file (authorized permission by the author)
  • The material is in the public domain (explicitly assigned to public domain, cannot be copyrighted, or is no longer protected by copyright)
  • The material is subject to an exception - e.g. fair use, the right to quote, or others under applicable copyright laws (excerpt or summary used for commentary, news reporting, research, or analysis in education)
  • The material is licensed under Creative Commons; this option also requires setting a specific Creative Commons license

If known, enter the copyright holder information in the Copyright Holder field [4].

To save your usage right settings, click the Save button [5]. You can edit usage right settings by clicking the Set usage rights icon.

Select Options

In the Options section, you can select various options for your announcement.

Additionally, you can allow users to comment on the announcement [1] and require students to reply to a post before seeing other replies [2].

You can also enable an announcement podcast feed [3] and allow students to like announcement replies [4].

You can delay the posting of your announcement [5], which allows you to schedule the announcement for a future date.

Publish Announcement

Save Announcement

Click the Publish button.

Note: Unless you are using the delay posting option in Announcements, once you click Publish, your announcement will immediately be posted in the Homeroom.

View Announcement in Homeroom

View the announcement in the Homeroom [1] including the announcement's posting date and time [2].

By default, the Homeroom displays the most recent homeroom announcement for 2 weeks or until it is replaced by a new announcement.

To edit the announcement, click the Edit icon [3].

To navigate through homeroom announcements, use the Previous and Next buttons [4].

Note: If the Previous icon does not display, there are no previous homeroom announcements.

View Unpublished Homeroom Warning

Your Homeroom must be published for students to receive announcement notifications. If your homeroom has not been published, a warning message displays in the Homeroom.