We are sometimes asked:

🙋‍♂️ "Is it necessary to create a separate course in the LMS (in the case of Howest: Canvas/Leho) for a short learning opportunity?"

🙋 "Doesn't this make things more complex for external students? Will they be able to log in?"

🤔 "Wouldn't it be better to just work entirely via MS Teams?"

Our answer to these questions is clear:

🙂‍↕️"Yes, we recommend creating a separate course in the LMS."

🙂‍↔️ "No, working exclusively via MS Teams is not better."

🤷‍♂️"But, why???"

👉 It is only by working with a good LMS and the associated tools already purchased by the institution, that you can create a rich and powerful learning environment for students.

If you don't use a LMS, many of the choices you made earlier regarding the diversity of learning activities and working methods will often not be possible. In particular, asynchronous learning will be greatly impoverished.

You can certainly work with MS Teams, but use it for synchronous moments: online lessons and/or moments when students want to discuss things in their own groups. MS Teams is very strong for such synchronous contacts.

So, next to MS Teams, use always a solid course in your LMS for asynchronous learning.

🤷‍♀️"But, how???"

How can I add external students to a Canvas Course??

Specifically for Canvas:

Option 1: You make the course public (Visibility: institute or public) and allow students to enrol themselves via a participation link. You can generate this link via the settings:

Option 2: Your course remains private, but you add all students manually using their email address, after which they will receive an email inviting them to participate in your course and create a Canvas account.

For extra clarity for the students, you can provide them with the following instructions:
- Dutch instructions: You can use this document (link is not accessible for students, don't forget to dowthis linknload it)
- English instructions: You can use this link (publicly accessible), with a very clear short video (1')