.. _Example Messages to Students:

Example Messages to Learners
#############################

.. tags:: educator, reference

You can use these example messages, prepared for delivery before typical course
milestones, as models for your own course communications.

.. contents::
  :local:
  :depth: 1

These messages are styled as email messages, but you could also post this
information in a course discussion topic or in a course update. To use
:ref:`keywords <Use Keywords in Messages>`, you must send email messages;
keywords are not supported in discussion topics.

.. important::
 Revise these message templates carefully to include facts for
 your own course, meet the needs of your learners, and reflect your own
 objectives and personality. Search for the "{" and "}" characters to locate
 prompts and replace them with course-specific values.

 Some of these messages also contain :ref:`keywords <Use Keywords in
 Messages>`. Values specific to your course and the recipients will be
 substituted for the keywords when you send the messages. Ensure you are using
 keywords appropriately for your course and objectives.

.. _Prelaunch Reminder:

Pre-launch Reminder
*********************

Pre-launch reminders raise awareness of the course start date, publicize the
course, and generate excitement. In addition to the course start date and time,
the example that follows also lets learners know that:

* UTC is used in Open edX courses. Alternatively, you could include information
  about your course or the Open edX platform that will contribute to your learners'
  success.

* The course has a companion social media site. Alternatively, you might
  include information about planned meetups or other community-building
  opportunities.

You may want to send out more than one message before the course launches: use
this template as a starting point for crafting the different messages you want
to deliver. Replace values enclosed by {braces} with information that applies
to your course. In addition, check you are using :ref:`keywords <Use
Keywords in Messages>` appropriately.

::

  Subject: {course number} Starts Soon!

  Hello %%USER_FULLNAME%%,

  We are excited you are joining us for {course number}
  %%COURSE_DISPLAY_NAME%%, offered by {organization name}. Class
  begins on {day}, {date} at {time} UTC (which is {time} {local time zone}).
  Note that many dates and times in our courses appear in your local time zone,
  but some might appear in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Dates and times
  that use your local time zone are followed by an indication of the time
  zone: for example, 17:00 Sept. 5, 2016 IOT. UTC dates and times do not
  have a time zone indicator. For UTC times, you might want to use a time zone
  converter such as {link}.

  In case you haven't already found it, {course number} has its own official
  Facebook page {add link}. You can find videos and photos posted there before
  the course even begins.

  If this is your first course, consider enrolling in the Demo course
  {add link}. This course gives you an opportunity to explore the platform
  and learn how to answer problems and track your progress, before {course
  number} begins.

  Your {course number} course staff

.. _Launch Day Welcome:

Launch Day Welcome
*******************

On your course start date, you can send an email message that both welcomes
learners and gives them specific actions to accomplish. This example directs
learners to two of the course pages to encourage exploration and discovery, and
personally introduces the course team leader. Search for the values enclosed by
{braces} in this template and replace them with information for your course.

::

  Subject: {course number} Starts Today!

  Hello everyone!

  At this time, the course {course number} is available from your Dashboard
  {add link}, and the staff would like to officially welcome you to the course!
  You'll find materials for the first week on the Course page,
  including both video lectures and problem sets.

  Please take some time to go to the Home page to read the handouts
  and get familiar with course policies and philosophy.

  I will be your course lead and I hope you will all have a great time learning
  {subject}! It may be challenging, it may be frustrating, but it will be
  rewarding and you will learn a ton.

  On behalf of the staff, welcome, good luck, and have fun!

  {name} and the {course number} staff

.. _Verified Registration Reminder:

Reminder to Register for Verified Certificate
**********************************************

After your course has launched, you can send an email to remind learners that
the last day to register for a verified certificate is approaching. You can use
this template as a starting point for your own message; search for the values
enclosed by {braces} and replace them with information for your course. In
addition, check you are using :ref:`keywords <Use Keywords in Messages>`
appropriately.

::

  Subject: Earn a verified certificate for {course name}!

  Dear %%USER_FULLNAME%%,

  Interested in using a certificate to bolster a college application or to
  advance your career? With averified certificate, you can demonstrate to
  colleges, employers, and colleagues that you successfully completed a
  challenging course.

  We would like to remind you that {date} is the last day to register for a
  verified certificate in %%COURSE_DISPLAY_NAME%%. Registering for a
  certificate is easy! Just go to this course on your dashboard and click
  "Challenge Yourself".

  Good luck!

  {name} and the {course number} staff

.. _Weekly Highlights:

Weekly Highlights
******************

Sending a weekly email to learners can be a great way to keep them engaged and
provide encouragement. At the end of each week you might send learners an email
that summarizes the content covered, and reminds learners about upcoming
assessments or milestones in the course. Optionally, to encourage participation
in the discussion forums, you might also highlight particularly interesting or
important discussions, and provide links to the discussion topics.

You can use this template as a starting point for designing your own message,
omitting the discussion highlights if they are not appropriate for your course
(the example discussion highlights are from a course about urban solutions to
the global water crisis). Search for the values enclosed by {braces} and
replace them with information for your course. In addition, check that you are
using :ref:`keywords <Use Keywords in Messages>` appropriately.

::

  Subject: {Course Name} Week 1 Highlights

  We hope you all had a great week! Below, we have provided links to some
  exciting discussions that have been going on, and a Q&A video with
  {Professor} that recaps some of the questions that have come up this week.

  We'd also like to remind you to take this week's quiz by {date} at {time}
  UTC. The next module will be available on {Time and Date}.

  {Link to Video}

  Here are a few highlights from the discussion forum this week. Please join us
  online and keep the conversation going!

  * There has been quite a debate over whether urban stream restoration is
    possible and what types of restoration are desirable. How can we improve
    restoration practice and its outcomes? {Link to the Discussion}

  * Please continue to share your stories of urban stream restoration - there
    are many great examples here of what is possible! {Link to the Discussion}

  See you next week,
  {name} and the {course number} staff


.. _Midcourse Encouragement:

Mid-Course Encouragement
*************************

While your course is running, you can send messages to promote community,
remind learners of upcoming due dates, and address any recurring issues.

This example gives learners guidance on how to keep up with the course schedule
and encourages contributions to the discussions. You may want to send out more
than one message while the course is running. You can use this template as a
starting point for your own messages; search for the values enclosed by
{braces} and replace them with information for your course. In
addition, check that you are using :ref:`keywords <Use Keywords in Messages>`
appropriately.

::

  Subject: {course name} Announcements

  Dear students,

  We hope you are learning a lot in {course number}! Remember that problem
  set {number} is due on {date} at {time} UTC. You can always check the
  schedule {add link} on the Home page to plan ahead.

  The contributions to the course discussions have been amazing. You'll also
  see on the Home page that we have made several of you community
  TAs to thank you for your thoughtful contributions. Keep those conversations
  going!

  We have a few additional announcements.

  * Week {number} on {subject} is now available on the Course page.

  * Problem set {number} is also available. It is due on {date} at {time} UTC.

  * Remember that the due dates for problem sets and exams are in UTC (the GMT
    time zone). See the current UTC time here {add link}. Please convert the
    times given to your own time zone!

  Wishing you continued success in the course,

  {name} and the {course number} staff

.. _Midcourse Events:

Mid-Course Event
******************

Before an exam or other significant course event, messages can provide
practical information about the exam, communicate expectations regarding
conduct, and also encourage learners to continue working toward course
completion. This example lets learners know:

* How long they have to complete the exam, and when they can see answers to
  questions.

* How to communicate any errors or other issues found during the exam to the
  course staff.

* Whether the course discussions will be open or closed during the exam. (In
  the example that follows, the discussions will remain **open**.)

* What constitutes an honor code violation.

* What technical limitations, if any, are imposed by external tools such as
  graders.

Be sure to search for the values enclosed by {braces} and replace them with
information for your course. In addition, check that you are using
:ref:`keywords <Use Keywords in Messages>` appropriately.

::

  Subject: {course number} Exam Info

  Hello %%USER_FULLNAME%%,

  Great job working through week {number}! As you know, the {course number}
  exam is next week. If you missed a problem set, you can still earn a
  certificate. Each problem set is worth only {number}% of the overall grade,
  but this exam is worth {number}%.

  Please read this important information about the exam before you begin taking
  it.

  * The exam starts on {date} at {time} UTC and must be finished by {date} at
    {time} UTC. Plan your schedule accordingly.

  * Be sure you know what time the UTC deadline is in your time zone. See
    the current UTC time {add link}. No extensions will be given.

  * The exam is not timed. You can start, stop, and come back to it until the
    deadline.

  * Each exam question allows only one answer submission. If you accidentally
    click "Check", that problem cannot be reset for you.

  * The exam covers everything (video lectures, reading, and problem sets) from
    weeks {number}-{number}. If you missed any of these materials, you will
    want to review them before you take the exam.

  * You can use the textbook and the Internet to clarify your knowledge of exam
    topics, as long as you are not deliberately looking up answers to exam
    questions.

  * Course discussions will remain open during the exam, but anyone who posts
    an answer to an exam question will be violating the honor code and risk
    being removed from the class, forfeiting the certificate.

  * If you need to alert the staff to an issue with the exam while the exam is
    open, add a post to the General discussion topic and include [EXAM] in
    the subject line.

  * Check the Home page periodically. It is the fastest way the
    staff has to communicate any delays, corrections, or changes.

  Good luck!

  {name} and the {course number} staff

.. _Technical Issue:

Technical Issue
*****************

In the event of an unanticipated system failure, a message can both alert
learners to the problem and reassure them that the issue is either resolved or
being addressed. The message can also provide information about any changes
made to the course as a result.

Technical issues can arise during a course for many different reasons, so this
example is likely to need revision to apply to an issue you encounter.
Keep in mind that to reassure the learners who are affected by the problem, the
message should have a positive tone, and calmly and briefly identify the
problem, the status of its solution, and any after effects.

::

  Dear students,

  We've encountered a technical problem with {video, assignment, etc. name}.
  {We are working to resolve it now. / This issue has been fixed.}

  As a result of this issue, we have {extended the deadline for / rescored}
  this assignment so that it will not affect your grade.

  Thanks for your patience, and we look forward to continuing the course with
  you.

  {name} and the {course number} staff

.. _Course Farewell and Certificates:

Course Farewell and Certificates
*********************************

In the last few days before your course ends, a message can direct learners to
a course survey, answer questions about certificates, and provide information
about future access to course materials. Be sure to replace values enclosed by
{braces} with information for your course.

::

  Subject: {course number} Final Remarks

  Dear %%USER_FULLNAME%%,

  Thank you for making %%COURSE_DISPLAY_NAME%% so much fun these last few
  months! We had a great time getting to know you through the course
  discussions. We appreciate the effort you put into this course, and we
  hope you enjoyed learning {subject}. With or without a
  certificate, you should be proud of your accomplishments.

  * Please take a few minutes to answer the exit survey, now available on the
    Course page. We will use your responses to improve the course in the
    future.

  * If you qualify for a certificate (overall score {number}% or higher), the
    dashboard will include a link to your certificate in the near future.
    While you may see the link in a few days, it can take up to two weeks for
    all of the course certificates to be generated.

  * As an enrolled student, you will have access to the lecture videos even
    after the course ends. Assessments will remain, but you will no longer be
    able to submit answers to any problem sets or exams with due dates.

  * The {course number} discussions close on {date} at {time} UTC. You will not
    be able to add to the discussions after that time, but you will be able to
    continue viewing all of the conversations that took place during the
    course.

  We hope you share what you learned in {course number} with your
  colleagues, friends, and family.

  Good luck on the final exam and beyond!

  {name} and the {course number} staff

.. _New Course Run Announcement:

New Course Run Announcement
*****************************

When you prepare a course for a new run, you can use the bulk email feature in
its previous run (or runs) to inform an engaged and knowledgeable audience:
your former learners. Announcing a new run to learners of an earlier run gives
you the opportunity to highlight key aspects of the course, such as the quality
and variety of its discussions, or the global interest and relevance of the
subject, as demonstrated by past enrollment. You can also reveal new features
or content that have been added to the new course run. By emphasizing the
value of the course, you get people thinking and talking about their
experiences, build excitement, and encourage re-enrollment.

This message template offers learners who did not complete the course, or who
did not previously choose the verified certificate track, the opportunity to do
so. It also invites learners to share the course with colleagues and and
friends.

When preparing a message from this template, search for values enclosed by
{braces} and replace them with information that applies to your course.

::

  Subject: Announcing a new run of {course name}

  Hello {course number} learners,

  The next run of {course number} {course name} begins on {date}! We are glad
  to share this news with you, the students who made the earlier run{s} of
  {course number} so successful.

  {Success story from the previous run.}

  {New content or features for the upcoming run.}

  Perhaps you want to share the {course name} experience with a friend or
  colleague, earn an ID-verified certificate of achievement, or work through
  course content you weren't able to complete before. When {course number}
  is offered in {time frame}, we welcome you to join the community of learners
  again.

  To learn more and to enroll, visit the {course name} page {add link}.

  We hope to see you in the course,

  The {course number} Staff

.. seealso::
 

 :ref:`Guide to Bulk Email Messages` (reference)

 :ref:`Send an Email Message to Course Participants` (how-to)

 :ref:`Review Sent Messages` (how-to)

**Maintenance chart**

+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
| Review Date  | Working Group Reviewer        |   Release      |Test situation                  |
+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+
|              |                               |                |                                |
+--------------+-------------------------------+----------------+--------------------------------+