Canvas: A Global Learning Platform for Students & Teachers - Essay Sample

Introduction

Canvas is a learning management system that enables online learning by providing a platform where students and teachers communicate (Canvas Network, 2018). Learning institutions all over the world are now using the system to enhance the process of learning. The company offers institutions like Florida Tech, a platform where the institution can model its learning structure per its objectives. Tutors use canvas to communicate to their students. Learners use canvas to get the learning materials needed for learning, like the syllabus and course outline.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Florida Tech uses canvas to provide additional learning materials and tools to the regular students who only depend on face to face interaction with their teachers. The learning management system is also used by the students who rely on online classes only for their studies. These students access their learning materials using a platform provided by Canvas. Such students enroll for their courses using Canvas. They use it to access their syllabus and assignments. Since Florida Tech also offers blended courses, such students also use Canvas when taking their online classes. Different departments in Florida Tech uses Canvas to communicate.

The learning management system will need to use some data from Florida Tech to function correctly. Mainly the network is interested in information about the students, the educators, and about the course being offered. Canvas is granted the permission to access all the courses offered at the university. The courses offered are divided into different subjects, which are taught by different educators. It also requires the data of the total number of students enrolled in the various courses offered at Florida Tech. It also requires the name, emails, photo, and the status of the students to identify the students individually. The data collected is used to make sure that there is coordination between the different departments at Florida Tech.

The adoption of Canvas has had several advantages for the students as well as the faculty. Canvas is user friendly and so its users; therefore, teachers and the students can navigate more with a lot of ease. Students can access the Canvas application from their mobile phones, thus making learning much more straightforward. Canvas has a grading system that helps the instructors give better feedback to their students. The grading system is always available to the students, and so the students still have access to their grades (Watson, 2007). Students are also reminded of their assignments due date by Canvas. Because Canvas used a cloud-based computing system, students can access their learning materials from any location and at any time. Canvas has different ways of enhancing the communication between students and their instructors and also among the students themselves.

The adoption of Canvas instead of Florida Tech building its learning management system has its risks. Before deciding on an inbuilt learning system, Florida Tech should determine its readiness to host it with all the capital needed in setting up the required infrastructure (Phaovisaid, 2017). An inbuilt learning management system will allow Florida Tech faculty to respond to issues raised by students in a better and faster way than Canvas will. Florida Tech may have problems with the security of their data being in the hands of another party yet, in an inbuilt system, they will be the ones in control of their data.

There are other learning management systems like Moodle and Sakai, which could be used as alternatives by Florida Tech. They all provide the same services, but they are differentiated in certain features, but the prices are different. Institutions need to develop a balance between promoting learning for the students and ensuring that their data is secured. They also have to choose a learning management system that will provide support to their students at all times. Lastly, the institution should consider the most cost-effective learning management system from the pool learning management systems available.

References

Canvas Network. (2018). About Us. Canvas Network. Retrieved from https://info.canvas.net/

Phaovisaid, Pearl. (2017). Learning Management System (LMS) Canvas: Study of user interaction to determine its qualitative aspect for the School of Global Studies, Thammasat University.

Watson, William. (2007). An Argument for clarity: What are Learning Management Systems, what are they not, and what should they become. TechTrends. 51. 28-34.