How to Contact your Peers on Canvas

A short explanation of the inbox and messaging feature on Canvas.

Socializing online can sometimes be difficult, even for the most extroverted people. Canvas has some features that make it easier to reach out to your peers when you need help.   

On the left-hand side of the Canvas home page, you’ll see an envelope icon that says ‘Inbox’ for the messages tab. Here, you can compose a new message and find any course you are currently enrolled in along with a list containing your classmates. You can also use the search bar to find someone by their name. 

You can connect with classmates and professors quickly and easily by using the two search engines Canvas provides in the inbox. The quickest way to find a fellow classmate or professor is by first selecting the course they are in with you. Canvas will then show you the names of people within the class in the second search engine. From there, you can either scroll through the list or type their name in the second engine. This is a great way to ask for notes after a lecture or set up study groups outside of class. This feature is especially helpful when taking online asynchronous classes that require your participation in online group projects.   

Though each class has different expectations for participation, most classes are intended to be collaborative and interpersonal. Don’t be afraid to reach out to anyone in any of your classes unless you’re explicitly told otherwise.  

Take advantage of Canvas and your ability to connect and learn with others.