If you see a Slack tool in your Canvas course, your teaching staff has likely created a Slack workspace that you can join.

What is Slack?

Your Stanford Slack account allows you to instantly share messages, links, and files with individuals or groups through selected channels in a workspace, as well as contact people by voice and video call. You can tag individuals or entire channels to get people's attention. You can adjust your notification settings per channel to passively drop in as you are interested or be actively notified about every message on your desktop or on your phone.

If you don’t see Slack in your Canvas course, the teaching team may not have enabled it. If you think your class would benefit from it, send the teaching team this article on how to create a private Slack Workspace for a course with Canvas.

How do I join a Slack workspace for my course?

Set up a Slack account (new users only)

For first time Slack users, go through the process of logging in to Stanford Slack for the first time.

Join the workspace and channels

Click the Slack tool in your Canvas course site.
Read the instructions and click Join Workspace (if you don’t see the message, skip to next section).
Launch the Slack Desktop or Web App to login.
You should now be in the workspace’s #general channel and subsequently can visit the workspace directly from the Slack app of your choice (web, desktop, or mobile), rather than from Canvas.
Your instructor may have set up several channels within this workspace for specific purposes, in which case you may already be a part of them or you may see them advertised in the #general channel. Once you are a member, you will see them listed on the left.
Learn more about your Stanford Slack account to access other features.

Troubleshooting Access Issues

I clicked Slack in my Canvas course but it says “Workspace Not Created Yet”

Your instructor may be midway through enabling a workspace or has chosen not to use it.

I clicked Slack in my Canvas course but it says I’m restricted

Only students, waitlisted students, and selected staff roles may join the Slack workspace.

I was a member of a Slack workspace for my course, but can no longer access it

You will be removed from the workspace under two conditions: you are not a member of the course anymore (e.g. you dropped the course) or it has been more than 180 days since the course ended.