Practice using Slack

Slack will be one of our main communication tools for the semester. To get you more comfortable using this platform, complete the following practice steps:

• Make sure your profile is updated with a profile picture and your preferred display name.
• A channel is a space for communications dedicated to a specific topic or task.
  • I’ll be using the #in-class channel to send out files or other material to use in class. Navigate to the #in-class channel and download the PDF file that Prof. Blevins posted.
• Threads help you create organized discussions around specific messages. They let you discuss a topic in more detail without adding clutter to a channel or direct message (DM) conversation.
  • Navigate to the #random Slack channel and answer Prof. Blevins’s question using the “Reply in Thread” button.
• Direct Messages are smaller conversations in Slack (1-9 people) that happen outside of channels. DMs work well for one-off conversations that don’t require an entire channel of people to weigh in or that you would like to keep private.
  • Find out the name of the person immediately to your left (if nobody is to your left, ask the person in front or behind you).
  • Send a direct message to that person and include Prof. Blevins as a recipient on the message.
• Mentions are a way to directly reference someone in a thread or channel conversation. You can use this to respond to another person’s comment or notify them of something that needs their attention.
  • Navigate to the thread you answered above in the #random channel, scroll through your classmates’ answers, and write a message that @mentions someone whose answer you enjoyed.
• Slack is only effective if you are actively using it. Although not required, I would recommend downloading the Slack app to your phone (Android, iOS) and adding our course’s Slack workspace to the app by using the email you used to initially join.