One quick, easy way of integrating individual students' names into announcements and mass emails is to utilize the token feature. Tokens are shortcut codes that, when posted, inserts each respective student's name in place of the code.

To utilize tokens in your announcements, follow these steps:

Step 1: Write an announcement/email/discussion/feedback and enter the token below where you would like the students' respective names to show up.

$FIRST_NAME$

Step 2: Save or post the announcement and exit the announcement editor. View your course home page to see your name where the token was typed. Since you are logged into the course, the token displays your name. When your students enter the course, their name will appear where the token is typed since they will be logged in to the course.

Note: This also works when sending a MASS email to the whole class. Enter their names in the BCC area of the new message, and then type the token at the start of the message so each student's respective name will show up when they open the email.