Canvas has been chosen as Iowa State’s new learning management system (LMS).
The selection comes after an extensive review process that included multiple rounds of input from campus stakeholders, vendor demonstrations, and the migration of several existing Iowa State courses to let faculty see how finalists’ systems work in real time.
Features for faculty, students
- Intuitive interface design and easy navigation
- Flexibility for a variety of instructional approaches
- Integrated accessibility features
- Highly functional mobile interface
- Excellent user (faculty, staff, student) support
"The transition to Canvas is a great opportunity for faculty to reimagine courses and content, make sure materials are accessible for all learners, and to 'bake in' continuous course improvement through real-time learner analytics," said senior vice president and provost Jonathan Wickert.
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) and information technology will be working over the summer to prepare for the transition to Canvas. Initial plans are for 100-150 instructors to use a limited version of the new system for their fall 2017 courses.
All instructors teaching courses in spring 2018 will use the full version of Canvas, with extensive user support and integration of student data. Workshops and resources will be available during the fall semester to help instructors prepare their spring courses.
CELT director Ann Marie VanDerZanden noted that Canvas is well positioned to evolve alongside new computer applications and technology platforms, ensuring faculty can take advantage of the latest instructional tools. The transition also is an opportunity for faculty who did not use BlackBoard Learn to take advantage of the capabilities of an LMS to support their teaching.
The LMS review website has more information on the transition to Canvas.
