Slack
Slack is a platform for individuals and groups to send messages online, organize conversations, and share links and media synchronously or asynchronously.
Slack is a tool for work group communications and discussions. It provides a platform for individuals and groups to exchange messages online and keep conversations organized and accessible through threads and channels. Stanford Slack Grid, or Stanford Slack, is the enterprise version of Slack. It allows teams within Stanford to have their own workspace and connect to other workspaces across the university. Stanford UIT provides campus-wide access to Slack.
Slack features
- Messaging: instantly message individuals and groups, and share topic channels with any of your Stanford colleagues who have Slack accounts.
- Connect easily and securely: log in and authenticate with your SUNet ID.
- Find colleagues: Stanford Slack is integrated with the Stanford directory, allowing you to find the account of any of your colleagues using Stanford Slack.
- Share channels to other Stanford workspaces: Stanford Slack allows you to share your channels with other workspaces in Stanford Slack.
- Video calls and meetings: Slack huddles are online video calls and meetings launched through Slack.
Artificial intelligence features
In Slack, two AI-driven features help you organize conversations, capture meeting highlights, and find related information:
- Conversation Summaries summarize the main points of a conversation in a thread, DM, or channel.
- Huddle Notes automate note-taking during huddle calls. Visit the Stanford Slack AI webpage for more details.
Access Slack
Slack through Canvas
If your workspace will be used by students enrolled in a single section of a course, we recommend this option. When you create a private Slack workspace for your course with Canvas, students can join the workspace through Canvas as they enroll and be added to any default channels you have created. They will be removed from your workspace automatically if they drop the course or 180 days after the course has concluded.
If you have further technical questions about integrating Slack into your Canvas course, contact canvashelp@stanford.edu.
Join a Slack workspace for your course
Slack as a standalone tool
If your workspace will be used by students enrolled in multiple sections that aren’t enrolled in a common lecture section, we recommend you request Slack workspaces directly from Slack, one for each section of your course. Once the workspace is set up, take a few steps to maintain student privacy in your non-Canvas Slack workspace.
However, depending on your needs and teaching methodology, it’s possible that Canvas or Ed Discussion could be a better fit for your teaching needs, particularly if your students are not already using Slack.
Use Slack for teaching
See the Teaching Commons article Best ways to use Slack for teaching. The article will guide you through the process of integrating Slack into your teaching practice.
- Best ways to use Slack for teaching
- Setting up a Slack workspace for your students
- Telling your students how to use a Slack workspace
Questions?
Refer to the following resources for assistance with Slack.
- Visit the Slack help center for general help documentation.
- Contact canvashelp@stanford.edu for help with the Slack integration with Canvas.
- Contact UIT support for technical questions about Slack.
- Request a consultation from the Center for Teaching and Learning to explore ways to engage your students and the benefits of one tool over another.
- View the Fall 2021 TEACH Symposium recording on Using Slack to Support Your Class (SUNet required).