It’s official – Canvas is now the enterprise learning management system for Abilene Christian University. Canvas is built in such a way that it can effectively be used for both fully-online and face-to-face courses. Tools such as SpeedGrader make grading and grading with a rubric simple. The gradebook itself is fully functional, enabling faculty to drop grades, weight grades, and a host of other sought-after features.
Canvas will not only make life easier for faculty, but also for students. Students will experience a consistent online platform for course delivery and interaction. No longer will students lament that they are using 3 or 4 learning management systems. Using Canvas as a campus-wide solution will remove many of the undesirable difficulties encountered by students who have to determine what system to use for what class, and will enable faculty to focus them on desirable difficulties inherent to learning.
This process will be gradual. A pilot group is formed and will use Canvas this Spring semester, with campus-wide implementation set for Fall 2015. Canvas offers a wealth of learning guides online. Go to https://guides.instructure.com to get started. Local training on using Canvas will be offered at various times in the upcoming months, so be sure to watch the Adams Center calendar for a time that works for you.