At a Glance

Have a question? Here are answers to frequently asked questions from teaching teams about using Course Bot (Beta) Tool.

We’re piloting the Course Bot (Beta) Tool in select courses in Spring 2025. This page contains information for courses that are taking part in the pilot program.

About the Course Bot (Beta) Tool

What is the Course Bot?

Course Bot (Beta) is MIT Sloan’s Canvas integration that enables students to ask questions about course logistics and receive instant answers from an AI-powered chatbot. This tool is currently available for experimental use at MIT Sloan for selected pilot courses in Spring 2025.

What types of questions can the Course Bot answer?

The Course Bot is designed to assist with common logistical questions. Here are some examples:

Class Schedule

  • What is today’s class time and location?
  • Is class meeting on [specific date]?
  • What time does class end?

Attendance

  • How do I use the attendance check-in code?
  • Do late arrivals count as absences?
  • What should I do if I’m sick and can’t attend class?

Assignments & Deadlines

  • When is [name of assignment] due?
  • How many reflections are required?
  • How long should my paper be?
  • What is the late submission policy for assignments?

Course Registration

  • How do I drop the course?
  • How do I switch sections?
  • I’m cross-registered – what’s the enrollment process?

Canvas Support

  • How do I get help with Canvas?
  • How do I submit an assignment?
  • How do I sync my calendar?

Onboarding Process

How do I request to participate in the Course Bot pilot program?

Interested in participating? Submit a support ticket with:

  • Your name and group/unit
  • Course number and title for Spring 2025
  • Brief note about your interest in the pilot

Please note that during this pilot phase, participation is limited to 10 courses for Spring 2025. We’ll review requests on a rolling basis and notify you of your participation status promptly.

What is the onboarding process?

Once your course is selected for the pilot, you’ll receive a welcome email outlining four key action items:

  1. Submit Your Syllabus:
    • Reply to the welcome email with a PDF of your final syllabus.
    • The Course Bot will be activated in Canvas within 1 business day of receiving your syllabus.
  2. Optional Consultation:
    • If you want to add custom content (e.g., assignment instructions stored in PDFs) or have specific questions, sign up for a consultation using the scheduling link provided in the welcome email.
    • Come prepared with any content you’d like included in the bot.
  3. Complete Pre-Launch Survey:
    • Required for all teaching team members.
    • Helps establish baseline metrics about time spent on course logistics.
    • Takes approximately 3 minutes to complete.
    • Survey link is provided in the welcome email.
  4. Prepare Teaching Team and Students:
    • Share the Bot: Forward the welcome email to your co-faculty, TAs, and Course Admin to encourage their participation.
    • Test the Bot: Familiarize yourself with the bot by testing it with common course questions (e.g., assignment deadlines, class policies).
    • Announce the Bot: Introduce the bot to your students and encourage its use with this sample Canvas announcement and syllabus language.

What support is available during the onboarding process?

Each course is assigned a dedicated Instructional Technologist who will:

  • Serve as your primary point of contact
  • Assist with bot configuration and customization
  • Address questions and concerns throughout the pilot

Additional support resources include:

During the pilot, you can get support through the following channels (all contact details are provided in your welcome email):

Can I invite my teaching team to the optional consultation?

Yes, you’re welcome to invite members of your teaching team to the optional consultation. When scheduling the consultation via Calendly, you can add them as guests.

How do I access the Course Bot in my Canvas site?

After we activate the Course Bot in your Canvas course:

  1. In your Canvas course, click on Course Bot (Beta) in the Course Navigation Menu.
  2. Use the chat interface to ask questions about the course schedule, assignment due dates, and other logistics.

The Course Bot has access to your course syllabus, real-time Canvas data (e.g., announcements, assignments, calendar events, discussions, modules, pages), and any custom content added during the optional consultation.

By default, the Course Bot does NOT have real-time access to the Files and Quizzes areas in Canvas.

Functionality and Content

What Canvas content can the Course Bot access to answer student questions?

The Course Bot comes with two levels of access:

Basic Configuration (Default)

The basic Course Bot can answer questions by accessing:

  • Your course syllabus (uploaded during initial setup)
  • Real-time Canvas data including published:
    • Announcements
    • Assignments
    • Course Calendar Events
    • Discussions
    • Modules
    • Pages

The Course Bot can also access the Course Overview Tool, including the:

  • Course description
  • Day, time, and location of class lectures
  • Contact information for:
    • Teacher(s)
    • Teaching Assistant(s)
    • Course Admin(s)

Custom Configuration (Optional)

If you want the Course Bot to access additional content (e.g., assignment instructions stored in PDFs), schedule a consultation with our team using the link provided in the welcome email.

Note: The Course Bot does NOT have real-time access to the Files area in Canvas by default. This is intentional during the beta phase to ensure the bot focuses strictly on logistical questions (e.g., due dates, office hours) and avoids handling course content questions.

What real-time information does the Course Bot NOT have access to?

  • Files: The Course Bot does not have direct access to files stored in the Files area of your Canvas course.
  • Quizzes: The Course Bot cannot access any content stored in the Quizzes area of your Canvas course, including quizzes, exams, or surveys.

Can the Course Bot access unpublished course content in Canvas?

No, the Course Bot cannot access any unpublished course content in your Canvas site. This includes announcements, assignments, discussions, pages, and modules that are not published in the course, as well as any content restricted by the “Available From” and “Available Until” settings.

Can I include additional materials for the Course Bot to reference?

Yes. While the basic Course Bot configuration includes your syllabus and real-time Canvas data, you can add custom content (e.g., assignment instructions stored in PDFs) through a consultation with our team.

To add custom materials:

  • Sign up for a consultation using the link in your welcome email.
  • Come prepared with the specific content you’d like the bot to reference.
  • During the consultation, our team will review your needs and configure your bot accordingly.

Customization and Accuracy

How do I ensure the Course Bot provides accurate responses?

By default, the Course Bot draws information from two main sources:

  • Your course syllabus (submitted via email)
  • Real-time Canvas data (e.g., Published Announcements, Assignments, Course Calendar Events, Discussions, Modules
    Pages)

To ensure accuracy:

  • Submit your finalized syllabus in PDF format
  • Keep your course content up to date
  • Make sure all relevant course information is published within your Canvas site
  • Test the bot with common course questions before launch
  • Report any discrepancies to your assigned Instructional Technologist

If you’ve added custom content through a consultation (e.g., assignment instructions stored in PDFs), make sure to notify your Instructional Technologist when these materials are updated.

Can I customize the Course Bot?

Yes, you can customize the Course Bot through a consultation with our team. While you cannot directly modify the bot’s configuration, our team can help set up the bot to answer questions about specific files, like assignment instructions stored in PDFs. To get started, schedule a consultation using the link in your welcome email and come prepared with any custom content you’d like the bot to reference.

How can I test the Course Bot before students use it?

Before publishing your Canvas site, we recommend testing the Course Bot by:

  • Simulating common student questions to verify the bot’s responses
  • Checking that answers are accurate based on:
    • your course syllabus
    • published Canvas content
    • any custom content added during your consultation (optional)
  • Testing questions across different topics (e.g., assignments, course policies, deadlines)

Sample Canvas Announcement and Syllabus Language

What information should I share with my students?

If you plan to use the Course Bot (Beta) in your Canvas course, consider including information in both your syllabus and a course announcement. Below you’ll find suggested language for each that you can customize for your course:

Syllabus

Consider adding the following section to your course syllabus:

This course is participating in an experimental pilot program testing an AI-powered Course Bot as a supplementary resource. As this is an experimental tool, while the Course Bot (Beta) provides helpful information drawn from our course materials, it should not be considered the definitive source of course information. Always:

  • Refer to the official syllabus and Canvas site first
  • Verify important dates, deadlines, and requirements through official course documents
  • Report any discrepancies between the Course Bot and official materials to the teaching team

The Course Bot offers 24/7 assistance with general course questions, but please base critical course decisions on official materials or direct communication with your instructor or TA.

For instructions on using the Course Bot, see the Student Guide.

Canvas Announcement

Consider posting an announcement for students with the following information:   

Hello everyone!

I’m excited to share that our course will be participating in an experimental pilot program testing an AI-powered Course Bot! This innovative tool is designed to provide 24/7 assistance with course-related questions and enhance your learning experience.

The Course Bot (Beta) Tool can help you get quick answers to logistical questions about your course, such as assignment due dates, class schedules, and office hours.

Important Guidelines:

  • Always treat official course materials (syllabus, Canvas site, assignment instructions) as the authoritative source of information
  • Double-check important dates, deadlines, and requirements through official course documents
  • Use the Course Bot (Beta) Tool as a supplementary resource rather than your primary source of course information
  • Let the teaching team know if you notice any discrepancies between Course Bot responses and official course materials

As this is an experimental tool, we appreciate your patience and feedback as we explore its capabilities together. While the Course Bot draws information directly from our course materials, remember that the teaching team remains your best resource for critical course decisions and clarifications.

For detailed instructions on using the Course Bot, please refer to the Student Guide.

I look forward to hearing about your experiences with this new tool. If you have any questions about the Course Bot (Beta) Tool, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Updates and Troubleshooting

If I update course content in Canvas, how quickly will the chatbot reflect those changes?

  • Canvas Content Updates: Any changes you make to published content (e.g., Announcement, assignments, course calendar events, modules, pages) in your Canvas site are reflected instantly in the Course Bot. As soon as you publish new or modified content, the Course Bot will incorporate these updates into its responses.
  • Syllabus and Custom Content Updates: For updates to your syllabus or other supplementary course documents, please follow these steps:
    • Email your assigned Instructional Technologist or submit a support ticket with your updated documents attached.
    • Our team will update the Course Bot within one business day.
    • Once updated, the Course Bot will immediately begin using your new content.

What should I do if students report incorrect answers from the bot?

Report the issue to your assigned Instructional Technologist or submit a ticket to our team.

What happens if the Course Bot cannot answer a student’s question?

If the Course Bot cannot find the answer, it will let the student know and will suggest reaching out to the teaching team for further clarification.

Privacy and Security

Does the Course Bot track or log student interactions?

The Course Bot records limited interaction data to ensure accuracy of responses and provide the best user experience:

  • Questions asked by students (associated with student names)
  • Student feedback responses (thumbs up/down ratings)

None of this data is used to train AI models.

In addition, we prioritize student privacy and data security through our partnership with Stack AI. All personal identifying information (PII) is protected under our data security agreement, ensuring student data remains confidential and is not shared with third parties. For more information, see Stack AI’s Privacy Policy.

How secure is the information accessed by the Course Bot?

The Course Bot uses secure integrations to access only the published content in your Canvas course. It does not have access to unpublished materials or any private data beyond what is shared in Canvas.

Support

MIT Sloan Teaching & Learning Technologies

Submit a support request for any questions related to the Course Bot tool.

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