E-Town Pilots Canvas Learning Management System

As part of strategic plan focus group work, ITS has been reviewing options in the learning management system (LMS) market.  In fall 2013, select members of ITS participated in online webinars presented by several LMS providers: Sakai, Desire2Learn, Moodle, Canvas and Blackboard.  These webinars were recorded and the top three – Blackboard, Canvas and Desire2Learn — were shared with interested faculty.  Survey results from faculty have allowed us to narrow the field to Blackboard or Canvas.

In order to make sure that we are using the best learning management system here at E-Town, that meets the teaching and learning needs of our students and faculty, we will pilot the Canvas Learning Management System in a subset of courses during the summer 2014 and fall 2014 semesters.  Approximately 14-18 courses taught by 11-15 faculty will be supported and delivered through Canvas.  Faculty and students in both the traditional and SCPS programs will participate.

Faculty and students who participate in the pilot will help to evaluate Canvas and provide feedback to the ITS department and IT Strategic Plan Committee regarding their impressions and experience with Canvas and help to make a recommendation whether or not we should remain with Blackboard or switch to Canvas after our current Bb contract expires in Summer 2015.

The IT Strategic Plan Committee will then make a recommendation by December 2014 to either renew the current Blackboard LMS contract or switch to Canvas. If a switch is made, the entire campus would migrate to Canvas by June 30, 2015.

Questions regarding the pilot can be directed to Linda Macaulay, Instructional Technologist, macaulayl@etown.edu or x1554.

Want to learn more about Canvas?  Check out http://www.instructure.com.

Did you receive an email saying you were a part of the pilot from an instructor?  Need to know where to find your course?  Login with your usual E-Town username and password at http://etown.instructure.com