The Course Welcome is the first thing students see when they log in to their course. It lives on the Canvas homepage and serves as a warm, engaging introduction that builds on, but does not simply repeat, the official catalog description. Its purpose is to set the tone for the course, spark curiosity, and help students understand why this course matters to them personally and professionally.
Content Guidelines
DO
- Be specific to the content of this course—highlight what students will actually gain, do, or be able to apply. Generic descriptions of course types or learning activities should be saved for the syllabus.
- Connect the course to real-world applications. Help students see why this course matters—what problems it helps solve, what professional contexts it prepares them for, or what they will be able to do differently as a result.
- Highlight compelling themes, questions, or problems the course will explore, where applicable. A well-framed question or tension can be more engaging than a list of topics.
- Use friendly, student-facing language. Write as if speaking directly to the student—warm, inviting, and human.
- Keep it concise: 1–2 paragraphs is the standard. A third paragraph is acceptable in rare cases; never exceed three.
DON’T
- Simply rewrite the catalog description in student-facing terms. The catalog description is a starting point, not a template.
- Include generic references to learning activities that could appear in any course. Statements like “You will participate in discussions where you will learn from your classmates” or “In this course, you will read case studies and complete projects” add no value here—save that information for the syllabus.
- Outline the entire course or describe what students will do in each module. The welcome is not a course map.
- Reference specific modules or weeks.
- Exceed three paragraphs.
Note: The Course Welcome may include a video. This is typically a brief introduction or a contextual hook that reinforces the welcome statement. However, it is not the best use of a course’s media budget—reserve media resources for content where video adds instructional value that text cannot provide.
Examples
We’ve selected several example course welcomes that we consider exemplary models. Please review these and the accompanying annotations, which highlight the key elements that make them effective and demonstrate best practices in course welcome design.
Lorem Ipsum
Explore how this concept applies to a real-world scenario in your field.
Lorem Ipsum
Reflect on how course concepts relate to your own experience.
Lorem Ipsum
Examine a complex issue with multiple valid perspectives.
Roles and Responsibilities
| Task | SME | ID |
|---|---|---|
| Draft the course welcome, using AI based on course content | Consult | Lead |
| Review for compliance with content guidelines | Consult | Lead |
AI Use Policy
IDs are encouraged to use AI to draft the course welcome. The most effective approach is to prompt AI using content already in the course—the catalog description, course-level outcomes, and module topics—and then refine the output for tone, specificity, and accuracy. All AI-generated drafts must be reviewed before use.
Review Checklist
Is the welcome specific to this course—not a generic statement that could appear in any course catalog?
Does it connect the course to real-world application or professional relevance?
Is the tone warm, student-facing, and engaging—not a restatement of the catalog description?
Does it stay within 1–3 paragraphs?
Is it free of generic learning activity references, module-by-module outlines, and references to specific modules or weeks?