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As email open rates continue to decline, we need to adjust our communication strategy to meet our students where they are more comfortable and present by integrating Pronto into our Canvas environment. Pronto is an easy-to-use platform that feels native to Canvas, but can also be used as a standalone mobile or desktop application, providing both chat and video communication, and much more direct access to your students.
Pronto closely resembles other tools students are using in the person lives like Discord, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, while integrating fully into Canvas. Pronto offers the collaborative benefits of Zoom while being asynchronous, while saving you time answering emails from students. You can message your students directly through chat and see when they have read your message. Your peers using the tool in their classroom have found students are very comfortable using the tools and become highly accessible accessible and responsive, which is not always the case with email or in Canvas itself.
Through the already completed integration, all of your sections and course groups will have corresponding communication groups pre-built and ready to go in Pronto. With your Pronto groups already prepared, this article is intended to help you get started in a few short minutes.
Getting Started with Pronto
The first step in improved communication and engagement is informing your students about the expectations for your course. We recommend you start with some simple language in your syllabus around communication and participation, that may look something like this.
For this course, we will be utilizing the Pronto: Team Communication tool. It can be downloaded via scanning the below QR code, by clicking on the Chat icon on the left side of Canvas, or by downloading the app to your phone using the direct linkLinks to an external site.. This is a real-time communication tool where I will be sharing resources, adding announcements, cultivating collaboration, and generally steering the direction of the course week in and week out.
Once you have download the app, use these instructions to sign inLinks to an external site..
Your first assignment is to open Pronto and post an introduction about yourself.
I will be available in Pronto to answer your questions in the general course group or via direct message during my scheduled Office Hours. If you message outside of these hours, I may respond, but you can trust in a response upon the next window.
I encourage you to be use Pronto to discuss and collaborate, however, you must not use it to . I suggest configuring your preferences to control when and how you are notified through the app.
We will also be holding live office hours via Pronto, which will be announced at a later date.
Example Boiler Plate you can Include in your Syllabus or at the top of your Canvas course
With your students informed about what Pronto is and how to access it, let’s make it a welcoming space by sending your first message.
Sending your first message
To get started, simply open your Canvas course, and click on the Pronto Icon on your global navigation. This should open a small window in the lower-right portion of your screen. Your first message can be as simple as you want it to be, but should be inviting. Try to make this fun by adding a gif welcoming them to class, a picture of yourself, or even a video introducing yourself, the course and what they can expect this semester. A great practice is to then invite students to share what their goals are for the class, share a gif/image of how they are feeling about the term, or to simply introduce themselves. This gives you a glimpse into your students’ personalities, their confidence levels, and their abilities to follow instruction and is a great ice breaker.
With your syllabus updated and your first message posted, you have laid the foundation for a great and engaging course.
Next steps
Please see the following resource to learn about the features and functionality of Pronto, including Automatic Language Translation, video communications with automatic captions, and much more.
Getting Started with Pronto – YouTube
Getting stuck? Pronto supports all SMCCCD faculty.
The Pronto support team is available directly at help@pronto.io if you need any support, or you can start up a conversation with them at pronto.io.