“One of the things I like about Canvas is the ease of finding answers to technical questions online.”
After using Canvas at a previous institution, I was excited to hear Texas State adopted the new learning management system, so my decision to start using TXST Canvas was easy. Texas State provided tools and training sessions to transition TRACS sites into the new platform.
I am a lecturer for the Department of Management at McCoy College of Business. I was among the first faculty to begin teaching courses in Canvas when it was introduced in spring 2020.
I attended several virtual training sessions and relied on the many online tutorials to help in the transition. One of the things I like about Canvas is the ease of finding answers to technical questions online. A simple web search usually results in a quick response to any questions that I have about a tool. Of all the features available in Canvas, three of them stand out among my favorites: Announcements, integrations with publishers, and the Dashboard.
Announcements
The Announcements tool in Canvas is easy to use and provides an effective form of communication with students. I enjoy its ability to include direct links to assignments, modules, and other tools within Canvas. It also offers the ability to schedule the posting date and time for announcements, so you can set them up earlier in the week or semester.
Each week I create a Weekly Announcement with upcoming assignments and due dates. The Announcements tool makes it easy to schedule these, so they go out over the weekend, reminding students about expectations for the following week. I include direct links to all assignments so students can easily find what they need to be successful.
Integrations
Another enjoyable aspect of Canvas is its integrations with a variety of publishers, including McGraw Hill, Cengage, and Pearson. This allows instructors to easily utilize the activities built into the online textbook platform. As soon as a student finishes an assignment or exam on the publisher’s platform, the grade is automatically imported to the student’s grades on Canvas.
I also appreciate the single sign-on offered by publishers, so students do not have an additional password to remember after logging into Canvas. The button for the publisher’s page is easily accessed on the course Canvas page and the assignments tool lists the assignments from the textbook platform. This makes it easy and centralizes all learning material for the course.
Dashboard
As an instructor, I like the information provided on the Dashboard. This is the first screen you see when you log into Canvas and it gives you quick access to your current courses. It also provides all upcoming deadlines posted for the course to give you an idea of assignments that students will be working on. This is a useful reminder for instructors juggling multiple courses because it puts all deadlines for each course in a single location.
The Dashboard provides a “To Do” list of each assignment that students have submitted and is ready for instructors to grade. It helps me keep up with the grading across my courses.
My research primarily looks at the communication practices of employees as they enter new jobs and careers. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies & Media Communication from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication & Technology from The University of Texas at Austin.
As an instructor and Canvas Champion, I encourage my colleagues to transition to Canvas and utilize the tools that streamline their teaching experience. The variety of available tools helps reduce the amount of time tracking down grades and assignments so instructors can focus on teaching the content.
Dr. Seth Frei is a lecturer in the Department of Management and Canvas Champion.
