In online learning, keeping learners engaged and well-informed is crucial to fostering a rich, interactive educational experience. One of the most effective tools at an instructor’s disposal in Avenue to Learn is the Announcement tool. This feature provides a communication channel that is efficient and adaptable to various uses, enriching your course and connecting learners in a dynamic, compelling way.

The Value of Announcements

The Announcement tool is more than just a bulletin board for course updates. It’s an open avenue of communication that can significantly enhance learner engagement.

1. Immediacy and Accessibility: Any information, updates, or reminders posted on the Announcement tool are instantly accessible to learners, giving them real-time insight into the latest course developments.
2. Versatility: Announcements can be tailored to serve a myriad of purposes, from updating learners about course changes, highlighting important dates, posting assignment details, to sharing resourceful links and materials, and much more.
3. Community Building: Regularly posted announcements foster a sense of community and continuity, showing learners that they’re part of a vibrant, actively managed learning journey.
4. Response and Engagement: Prompt updates encourage students to regularly check the course site, boosting their engagement with course content, their peers, and their instructor.

Power of Video in Announcements

Video is a powerful medium that can be used to bolster the impact of your announcements. Incorporating videos into your weekly announcements or to explain assignments provides several key advantages:

1. Visual Learning: Many learners are visual learners, meaning they understand and remember concepts better when they are presented visually. Videos cater to this learning style and can help increase comprehension and retention of information.
2. Personal Connection: Videos offer a human touch in an online environment. Seeing and hearing their instructor can make learners feel more connected to them and to the course, increasing their motivation to engage with the material.
3. Clarity and Detail: Complex assignments or intricate course material can be easier to explain in a video. The ability to demonstrate, highlight, and annotate during a video can significantly improve learners’ understanding.
4. Accessibility and Flexibility: Learners can watch videos at their own pace, pausing and re-watching as needed. This flexibility allows them to absorb the material in a way that best suits their learning pace.

Incorporating the Announcement tool, especially with video features, is an effective way to create a vibrant, interactive, and engaging online learning environment. It’s an opportunity to communicate, engage, and foster a dynamic learning community. In the following sections, we will guide you through the process of posting a new announcement and incorporating videos effectively into your course’s communication strategy.

View the video below for more information and a brief demonstration on how to record video notes

How to Create an Announcement

To create a new announcement, take the steps outlined below or as demonstrated in the video.

1. From the course home page, select the drop-down button attached to Announcements
2. Select New Announcement
3. Insert a Headline (this is the title of your announcement)
4. Insert your announcement text into the Content box
5. Scroll down to the Availability section and adjust the Start Date and End Date, as needed
6. In the Attachments section, you can Add a File (it is not recommended to use the Record Audio/Video features here; see the Video Notes guide for the recommended method)
7. You can also attach Additional Release Conditions
8. Select Publish when you are ready to post the announcement

Boost Engagement using Regular Announcements

Regular announcements play a vital role in cultivating a rich, dynamic online learning environment. Not only do they keep learners updated about the course’s developments, but they also build a consistent line of communication that significantly enhances engagement.

Here are some examples of the types of announcements you can create:

1. Weekly Overview: Summarize the upcoming week’s topics, assignments, and important dates.
2. Assignment Reminders: Post reminders of upcoming due dates, providing last-minute tips and resources.
3. Discussion Prompts: Encourage interaction and engagement with weekly discussion questions related to course content.
4. Feedback and Recognition: Offer collective feedback and celebrate students’ efforts and accomplishments.

Utilize these strategies to stimulate your learners’ engagement, promote active participation, and foster a dynamic online learning environment. Remember, the key to effective announcements is regularity, relevance, and an encouraging tone.

The video below will walk you through the process of scheduling announcements and how to set release conditions.

Delete and Restore Announcements

Need to delete or restore an announcement? View the video below.

References

Brightspace Tutorials. (2018, April 5). Teaching tips – make regular announcements – instructor. YouTube. https://youtu.be/gEKjx5M6WAA

Brightspace Tutorials. (2019, July 3). Announcements – delete and restore announcements – instructor. YouTube. https://youtu.be/9nZ7vA3wTMY

Brightspace Tutorials. (2020, July 1). Announcements – create an announcement – instructor. YouTube. https://youtu.be/-JlI6OdzwL0

D2L. (2020, April 16). Record short videos for your courses with Brightspace. YouTube. https://youtu.be/TgpM8tZ7CaQ

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (March 14 Version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/