Individuals with roles in ELMS-Canvas (instructor, student, TA, designer, etc.) can manage elements that affect their appearance in all course spaces.

The Profile link in one’s account settings enables users to manage a profile picture, contact settings, and pronouns. 

The Namecoach link at the Account level enables users to provide written and auditory name pronunciation. The Namecoach Roster link enabled in a course Navigation menu facilitates inclusive teaching practices by enabling instructors and students to additionally listen to and view the pronunciation of course member names. It should be noted that use of this feature is optional and should not be a requirement of course participation.

 

Edit Your Profile

1. Click on the Account link in the global toolbar; then click on the Profile link. 
2. Instructors click on the Three dots on the top right-hand side of the screen, then click on the Edit Profile link.

Students see only the Edit Profile link.

Select Your Pronoun

The selected pronoun will display in the user settings/user profile page, Conversation tool (Inbox), Discussions, People page, Groups People page and comments field for all ELMS-Canvas members; in addition the pronoun will also display in SpeedGrader, Assignment creation menu and peer review page for Instructors. To select a pronoun for yourself:

1. Click on the Pronouns menu while editing your Profile.
2. Click on the pronoun with which you identify.
   
   

 

Add or Update a Profile Picture

You can also provide a picture of yourself within the Profile area.

1. Hover your cursor over the profile picture avatar and click on the pencil icon.
2. Upload an image (.png, .jpg or .gif) by locating it on your local computer or take a picture using your computer’s built-in camera.  (UMD does not make use of the Gravatar function.)
3. Click the Save button.

You can only maintain one picture in the Profile Picture bin at a time.  If you upload or take a new picture of yourself, it will replace the original picture.

You can additionally edit your contact preferences and biography in the Profile area.  Faculty can manage the title by which they wish to be known.  It is recommended that you not use the Profiles area to change how your name will appear to others.  See “Changing Name Settings in ELMS-Canvas” for details on requirements and recommended strategies for updating one’s name in ELMS-Canvas.

 

Use Namecoach to Provide Name Pronunciation

The Namecoach feature available via the Account menu icon enables users to provide a recording and phonetic representation of their name that will be available to any course in which the Namecoach Roster link is made visible on the course menu. 

1. Select the Namecoach link from the Account menu.
   
2. Click on the Name Recording button to create an oral recording of your name.
   You can record your name using the microphone on your local computer (Web recorder) or you can use a telephone recording by having the Namecoach system call you to capture the pronunciation.

 

3. In addition, you can provide a phonetic spelling of your name in the Phonetic Spelling field. Phonetic pronunciation is represented by spelling a word based on how it sounds not how the letters look.
   
   
   
   This resource from Carnegie Mellon University provides a suggested phonetic spelling key.

 

Viewing the Namecoach Roster in a Course Space

All members of an ELMS-Canvas course space can also contribute or revise pronunciation at the course level via the Namecoach Roster tool.  The Namecoach Roster also enables members to hear the name pronunciation of other members of the course.

1. The course instructor, TA or designer can make the Namecoach Roster tool visible on the ELMS-Canvas course menu by going to the Navigation tab via the Settings link on the course menu.
2. Drag Namecoach Roster from the hidden items section to the list of items that are visible on the course menu.  Click on the Save button to confirm the selection.
3. Click on the Namecoach Roster link in the course navigation menu. (Canvas will prompt you to authorize your use of the Namecoach app in your course space.  Click on the Authorize button.)
   
   “Faculty” View (Instructor, Co-Instructor, Course Manager, Guest Instructor)
   
   

The Actions tools are visible only in Faculty View and can be used to request that students provide a name pronunciation. However, we strongly recommend that you send a personal message through the ELMS-Canvas message tool if you wish to encourage your students to record their names. This may lead to a higher response rate as opposed to using the built-in Action tool feature. The Action tool distributes a message from the Namecoach vendor; your name as the instructor is not included in the sender field of the message. As you know, an email that comes from an unknown person has a higher risk of being interpreted as a phishing attack and being ignored by your students.



“Student” View (Student, TA, Observer)

1. Individuals can edit their own recording here (once saved the new recording would be available globally in any course in which Namecoach Roster is enabled).
2. Instructors can toggle between viewing the alphabetized list of Recorded Names and Unrecorded Names by clicking on these tabs.
3. Click on the Name Pronunciation recorder icon to listen to the pronunciation provided by the selected individual.