Building Student Engagement and Belonging in Your Canvas Course Design

Creating opportunities for students to feel connected and supported in a course can significantly improve participation, motivation, and learning, especially in large classes or courses with limited instructor time. Small design choices, such as discussion checkpoints, reflection prompts, and low-stakes participation activities, can help students feel more comfortable sharing ideas and engaging with course content.

In this session, we will explore practical strategies instructors can use to encourage student engagement and foster a stronger sense of belonging. We will also share examples of how Canvas discussions can be used as simple “checkpoints” throughout the quarter to gather feedback, support reflection, and keep students connected to the course.

Participants will leave with ready-to-use ideas and discussion prompt examples that can be easily implemented in their Canvas courses.