Canvas Survey: Week 8, Spring 2017

Here are the results of my Canvas survey available during Week 8 of the Spring 2017 semester. You can see the survey here: Canvas Survey. These are from my students in two different classes, both fully online classes. Total number of students: 77. Number of responses: 76. You can see the results from the Fall semester here.

My use of Canvas is very minimal; the courses are both open (no log-in required), so you can see: Myth.MythFolklore.net and India.MythFolklore.net. Based on last semester's results, I had written up these Tech Tips to assist students with using Canvas: Canvas Tech Tips.

Below I have summarized the ratings in chart form, and I have listed the free responses below; see especially the advice to instructors and to students — that is very useful I think! In a separate post at my Teaching with Canvas blog, I'll write up my thoughts about this; I just wanted to get the raw data out for now.

Although there was a marked increase in the use of Canvas overall, the ratings the students gave were basically comparable to the ratings I saw in the Fall, with no significant changes. As always, the more useful information is in the free responses!

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I asked the students how many of their classes were using Canvas (every student had at least one because they are in one of my classes). There was a big increase in the number of students using Canvas in multiple classes because in the Spring we went to an "opt-out" for Canvas, as opposed to "opt-in" for Fall. In the Fall, the average number of Canvas classes per student was just 2.4.

I asked them to compare Canvas to D2L. This was close to the rating from last Fall: 2.8.

I asked them to rate the Gradebook on a scale of 1 to 4. This was somewhat higher than the rating from last Fall of 3.0.

I asked them to rate the Calendar on a scale of 1 to 4. This was comparable to the rating from last Fall of 2.9.

I asked them to rate the Inbox/Messages on a scale of 1 to 4. This was basically the same as last Fall's rating of 2.5.

I asked them to rate the Mobile App on a scale of 1 to 4. This was somewhat lower than the Fall rating of 2.7.

Here are the free response questions:

What are your favorite things about Canvas so far?

• The calendar and to-do list are more convenient than D2L. The mobile app works better than D2L (which ran through an OU app), but it was still had a lot of bugs that need to be fixed. The interface of Canvas is nice looking.
• I only like that I can click on a grade and do the assignment. I hate everything else.
• The gradebook; it is nice to see what I need to do in order to receive an A and see how I am doing overall.
• The layout of the courses. The quizzes are easier to get to also.
• I like that you are able to get notifications for grades and etc. Also, the fact that you are able to customize these settings.
• I like that uploading documents is easy and allows so many formats.
• I dont like canvas
• I like that there is a calendar that shows all of my assignments and their due dates. This makes it easier for me to check up on what I need to do! I would really like to learn how to manipulate this calendar and export it to my phone or my iPad for my own uses, but I have not learned how to do it yet! I like that you are able to view the class roster still. In addition, you can create collaborations with your group mates, which is connected to Canvas. This makes it easier because you don't have to go to another application/program. It's all saved within Canvas.
• Clean presentation, functional, and responsive. Just as long as it works, I can deal with it.
• Easy to stay organized
• dashboard
• I like the home screen (dashboard). I like that the gradebook can calculate grades based on what you input.
• I like the modules tab because you can flip through it easily.
• I like that there is an app, I like the calendar, and I like the condensed coursework page!
• The ability to plug in grades for assignments as well as seeing statistics on assignments/tests.
• I have not yet noticed anything that special compared to D2L as of yet.
• I like that it has a layout that has customizable colors and pictures. It is nice to log in and see the things that I added. I love the gradebook and the fact that I can see the average of the class on each assignment and where I stand. I also like that it calculates my total in the class for me for all classes and I can test out other hypothetical grades in my gradebook to see what I need to get on an assignment.
• All the assignments are easily accessible and I like receiving emails about my grades.
• Gradebook
• the calendar and grade estimates
• The grade book
• It is easier to navigate than D2L.
• The layout of the courses and the modules section that make it easy to see what all the instructors have posted
• I like the grade percentages that show
• The calendar is very handy and overall Canvas runs a lot smoother.
• better UI/layout and navigation
• I like that the app is easy to navigate and use.
• Trying out grades.
• I like how the calendar is all mixed together with all of my classes
• The ease with which you can calculate your potential grade in the course.
• I like that it has a usable app for android. It's also very colorful and a lot more appealing than D2L.
• ease of navigation
• The gradebook
• Gradebook
• I like the aesthetic appeal of canvas and ease of use.
• It calculates your grade for you
• I like the dashboard.
• the calendar
• Easily maneuverable. I'll agree that it wasn't like that last semester, but it got significantly easier this semester.
• That there is an app, and that I can play with "what if" grades.
• I really like the layout/design. It is very easy to get around and find what you are looking for
• it's easy to navigate and work
• I like how you are able to color code your classes and manipulate potential final grade points.
• The calendar and when assignments are due
• I love how easy it is to navigate
• The class calendar and the gradebook
• How convenient it is to have as an app whenever I am on the go and don't have my laptop with me.
• gradebook and the calendar
• I like how my grades are automatically calculated with the specific weights.
• Mobile App
• The grade book and that you can "test" different scores
• I really like the gradebook and the inbox for quick messages.
• interface
• keeping track of assignments and tracking grades
• Easy navigation
• I love the canvas calendar! It syncs to my google calendar which helps me keep my life on-track!
• gradebook
• I really like the calendar option and the gradebook option where you can put in estimated grade!
• easy to navigate
• The calendar and being able to input grades into the grade book to see what grade you would get.
• I really like the organization of Canvas. I feel like it's much more user-friendly than D2L.
• The Calendar and that it calculates your overall grade.
• I like that it reminds me what is due soon on the right hand side bar
• The gradebook and the mobile app. I receive notifications whenever a grade is put into the gradebook and it allows me to know my score instantaneously without having to pull out my laptop.
• The calendar and the "what if" grade options!
• The gradebook
• The simplicity in which anyone can easily navigate and is able to use its functions
• I love how clean and simple it looks, and how easy it is to navigate: D2L always felt cluttered and kind of stressful, but I've never felt that way about Canvas.
• The organized layout.
• Its easy to use.

Are there things you do NOT like about Canvas? Is there something you miss in Canvas that was possible in D2L?

• The Canvas interface is unnecessarily complex. It's difficult to find documents compared to D2L. There are too many emails from Canvas - most of them are also unnecessary. The group feature is not structured well; it's confusing to switch between the general class page and group page. Loading documents and Powerpoints are slow and sometimes does not even work.
• I hate so much about Canvas. It put me in a class I dropped weeks before the semester started, and I had to contact three different people to get it fixed. I work as a TA, and I can't get any of my students email addresses. I couldn't even figure out how to group message my students. I hate that I can't download individual papers, I have to download all of them at once. I am only in charge of half of the class, so I end up with a lot of useless documents. I hate that I can never find the emails my professor sends me from Canvas because they just disappear. I hate that I can't get links in Canvas to open in separate windows unless Canvas declares them ""unsafe." But above all else, please bring back the ability to email people or at least see their emails without having to use Canvas. I need to be able to get replies and not have the messages disappear or not work. I had to spend 30-40 minutes trying to find students' emails on the OU People Search site. 
• The daily general email messages from professors are annoying and I only really want to be notified if I new grade is up. Or if it is something important. I also miss being emailed an assignment download that D2L
• It's just a little harder to find things in Canvas as opposed to D2L, like the uploads professor put on canvas for the course.
• D2L was a lot more simple. It was really easy to use in my opinion. Everything was straightforward. I do not feel this way about Canvas.
• I do not like the layout, because the functionality is not as straightforward as it was in D2L. I think it is the way the instructors are laying out the sites, so as they get more feedback that may improve
• I just like D2L
• I hate HATE that there is not an option to separate class grade notifications from class assignment creation notifications. I have a professor that adds assignments as we go and it just spams my OU email with "assignment has been created" and "assignment has been edited" emails which push the important emails to the bottom. D2L had an option to view the grades with a bar graph so you could see how many students got which grade. I really liked that because I could accurately asses where I stood within my class. Canvas only has the option to view the IQR statistics, which is okay, but I want more info. I also liked that D2L was more organized than Canvas because all the files were under "Content." In Canvas, there are so many tabs with Modules, Files, Assignments, etc., which are all redundant and showing the same things over and over. Why can't we just have one tab that leads us to the topic/assignment and the files for that assignment?
• Connecting emails to get notifications through Canvas not totally responsive, layout is clean but a little confusing sometimes, and I prefer the design of D2L, personally
• not correlated to our actual submission of assignments
• I don't like the way the dashboard is formatted because I wish the images were smaller so I didn't have to scroll. I usually use the coursework tab instead because it's all condensed there.
• I do not like the formatting of the dashboard page very much and I think the email notifications are a bit excessive sometimes.
• I do not like the fact that we aren't able to pop out the window for files like we were in D2L.
• I don't really like the notifications. Even if an assignment is completed it still says it is coming up and it makes it hard to see what I actually need to do. I don't like that we don't get email receipts when we turn in documents and it is annoying to have the notifications for messages until I open them when I already saw them in my email.
• It doesn't load the first time
• I liked being able to see the roster for each of my classes in D2L. It helped me to know if I knew anyone in my class before the first day.
• I just don't like that some professors don't know how to use it well, so it isn't full beneficial yet.
• The only thing is that it seems like the instructors get confused on where to put their uploads. For a couple of my classes, I have to go searching through multiple tabs in order to find the assignment I'm looking for, because the file can be in either modules, assignment, etc.
• Sometimes the app sends me notifications for things that I have already seen or sends me notifications for unimportant things that I have tried to turn off.
• Change is hard. I feel everything is the same, but some professors just don't know how to use Canvas yet and that makes things difficult. 
• No, they seem to have the same functionality.
• I like that everything ever posted in D2L was on the news section.
• Not really
• I don't like the notification system. It's quite confusing.
• I miss that you can't see the class average on assignments on Canvas like you could on D2L.
• I don't like the inbox/messages. Too difficult to manage and delete.
• I really don't care for the messaging system in canvas. In D2L I could easily e-mail the entire course list if necessary in attempt to get lost notes or anything of the sort. With canvas, I have tried multiple times and the absolute only way I've found to do that is by selecting each name individually (which is rather time consuming).
• It is just hard to adjust to a new system, but I do not notice anything missing from Canvas that we had in D2L.
• I just liked how familiar I was with D2L already.
• It was easier to submit assignments and view each student's discussion responses in D2L.
• I miss the class directory having everyones email.
• the inbox/messaging stinks.
• How the assignments and notes are set up
• I don't really like how the inbox is setup.
• Sometimes it is hard to find things but that is probably due to the instructor.
• How the notifications work
• Though we can tweak the notifications how we want it to be, it's still quite a bit of a task having to deal with the way the notifications work.
• Seems like it's in a beta design
• the to list does not always accuractly display what tasks I need to do, the notifications are deleayed
• I don't like the canvas inbox! I get bogged down with junk email that I would rather see in my OU email account.
• it goes down too much
• I wish you could have different notification settings for different classes.
• I wish that the calendar was more comprehensive. Sometimes events or assignments don't appear on it.
• A notifcation on the canvas homepage that shows you have a new grade.
• how to grades are usually wrong because of weighting
• I haven't used d2l since last spring so I honestly couldn't tell you. I just know that I enjoy canvas right now because it is easier to navigate and check scores/look at files in the class.
• The one thing I liked about D2L was the easy-access notifications button that used to be at the top-right. Otherwise, nothing.

What advice would you give to INSTRUCTORS who are setting up a Canvas course?

• Try to make it as simple as possible, put files into folders to make it easier to find, and do not use the group feature.
• Don't bother setting up your course on Canvas. Use an alternative site and just input grades on Canvas. It isn't worth the hassle.
• Make sure that things are published for students to see on time. The fewer tabs we have to open the better.
• Model the straightforward design of old D2L courses
• Dont, go to D2L
• Links, links, links. Many instructors set up links to modules, files, and syllabi that do not work. I heard that Canvas has a "view in student mode" option that many instructors tend to neglect. It would really be helpful if they took a look at it every so often to make sure that students are seeing what they need to. In addition, I think instructors should input assignments and due dates early on in the semester. The bombardment of emails I receive when they start messing with Canvas to add assignments is not necessary if they planned assignments out in advance. Of course, there are some assignments that require careful planning and specific timing, but I have a professor that started out the semester with NO assignments!
• Make sure you let people know how to set up Canvas notifications through email; I've had problems with receiving them from a class even with an OU Email attached. Integrate Canvas "tips" into your course for those new to it, maybe?
• Post assignments well ahead of the time they are due
• All the side bar options are a little confusing (Modules, Files, etc). I miss the contents button.
• Sometimes, instructors put content on Canvas but do not make it public to the students so we cannot view it. It has been difficult determining what is public and what isn't in some of my classes.
• Sometimes professors put content up on Canvas but do not make it public so that students can access it! So maybe a training would be helpful for professors.
• Make folders in the module tab
• If there are features that are superior, maybe point those out to the students.
• Make sure to actually learn the program and publish the course and assignments in a timely manner. If you set a due date keep it and keep your class organized on canvas. Send emails instead of canvas messages.
• Make it consistent.
• to organize everything in an obvious way
• Make a slot for each assignment for the entire semester so all of the points possible show in the grade book. It makes it easier to calculate grades.
• USE IT! It is better if the instructors actually utilize Canvas, instead of just having a few files and grades on the site.
• Have one place where you put your assignments and one place where you put your readings and so on and so forth.
• Remember to make files public... And in the correct locations.
• Please organize the modules. I like being able to navigate those easily and not having to search through and find where certain files are.
• Be sure of exactly where things are being put.
• Add all due dates to the calendar so students can refer to that instead of the syllabus.
• If the files are all conjoined together it makes it hard to find information. It's easier when modules are set up to navigate easily.
• I really enjoy when they have it set up with the calendar. Most of my professors don't have that set up, but I like being able to see what is due in each class all in one place.
• Put assignments in the Syllabus, not the Calendar
• If possible, open the course EARLY so that students can figure out where things are in canvas. Sometimes things are not where you might expect and it is much easier to find things later on if you're able to take some time (before the semester starts and your schedule gets hectic) to locate things and ask any questions you may have about the system. Also, keep up with your e-mails so when students have questions about canvas they get a quick response!
• Make sure you publish things so students can see them. We had a lot of trouble at the first of the year with instructors thinking something was posted but students couldn't see it.
• Have things organized
• Try to make the schedule and syllabus as clear as possible.
• TO USE THE GRACE PERIOD
• get the entire page set up before the class starts (grade book, files, design). It has been frustrating being in classes that only create assignments right before the due date. Students are often in online classes because they needed to take it to fit better with work/life and need to be able to do assignments on their schedule.
• to put in all the dates of assignments early
• Get the notes in the right section
• I would make sure that my instructors have the files grouped in folders and the modules to be organized by Unit and by date.
• Group things that are related together or organize by date/week
• Utilize all the features that are available!
• Put all the due dates for assignments on the class calendar!
• I guess be more specific in where certain materials are posted and how they are posted. Sometimes it can be confusing to find or understand instruction-wise.
• Publish the course sooner rather than later so that the class can become familiar with the setup.
• Try an organize files and name them well so it is easy for students to find what they need.
• I wish there was a standard of what to use each "page" on the class page for
• Use the grace period!
• Nothing, I thought all of my professor set up their courses neatly.
• place as many assignments on it as possible for students to get ahead.
• do no be afraid to upload files or experiment with what canvas has to offer-be careful with online quizzes-short answers are risky
• Put as much information as possible
• Don't use the inbox! Just email students
• publish the course quickly
• The "module" tab for Canvas is super useful in organizing which lectures would be under which exam, therefore, I hope instructors would use module to organize the class materials.
• make sure that the work can be accessed from a different source if canvas goes down
• Keep things organized and file documents the same all year. It is confusing when one lecture is in files and one is in modules, etc. just be consistent.
• I really appreciate when my professors put a lot of information on Canvas. Having the syllabus as well as assignments, notes, and dates on Canvas makes it easier to keep track of everything and keep up with my work.
• Please put your assignement so they can be viewed in the calendar
• To be organized with folders and calendar
• Use the message tool more to let students know about deadlines.
• Learn as much about the possible features because the more the instructor knows they can provide a student access to, the friendlier interface a student is able to interact with
• Hide/delete the widgets on the left-hand course toolbar that aren't going to be used in class ("conferences, collaborations, files," whatever), just to make it that much easier to navigate.

What advice would you give to STUDENTS who are using Canvas?

• Try to understand how your professor laid out their class page and talk to your professor if you have any questions about where to find assignments, documents, or where to turn in material.
• Just good luck. It is going to suck. You won't be able to contact anyone. It will be redundant and hard to navigate. Just try your best.
• Please put your emails in your profiles, it makes it easier to contact you if I have a question about the assignment.
• PRACTICE! Go through every tab and see what you can do with it.
• Use the calendar to keep track of upcoming due dates
• I would suggest getting to know how to navigate the site early on. Without these navigation skills, it makes it harder to find your assignments and can cause problems.
• Get your bearings on the platform early on before you start doing work with it; covering your basis on email notifications and what link leads where will save you headaches.
• Check the messages
• make sure you are simultaneously adding your assignments on canvas
• Just play around with it. You'll get it eventually.
• Do not get the daily email notifications because they are extremely excessive.
• Probably get the app! I haven't gotten it yet, but my friends have said it is helpful.
• Make use of the grade changer so you can see what you need to make to get the grade you want.
• play around on Canvas until you are comfortable with the technology.
• Learn the program as quickly as possible- but it is not that hard and it is really similar to D2L. Make sure you utilize the gradebook to see where you stand.
• It can be confusing when you first start with Canvas, but you will get used to it.
• Know how to navigate
• explore before your classes start so you are familiar with the layout
• Make use of the grade book to track your progress
• Make sure to check the announcements pages for your classes and pay attention to due dates if they are set on Canvas.
• Get familiar with the layout.
• Set up the app on their phone.
• It takes time to get used to, but once you understand it things will go smoothly.
• Use the grade calculator to keep track of how you're doing.
• Check everywhere for assignments- profs don't know what they're doing.
• Make sure and check the deadlines ahead of time and set up the notification system so that you can get emails or texts about your deadlines.
• Check your emails and announcements every day.
• Get ready for a drastic change from D2L.
• Check the Calendar just in case!
• Familiarize yourself with it as early on as you can. Go through and figure out where things are and how to find what you're going to need throughout the semester. The way canvas is set up is a bit weird and has a small learning curve.
• Just play around with it. It really isn't hard to use.
• Play around with it so you know where everything is.
• Be patient. You'll the get the hang of Canvas sooner or later.
• To have your app send you notifications!
• take advantage of all of its cool features!
• pay attention and explore course information at the beginning
• use the notification
• I would tell students to "play" with program. At first, all of the tabs and expandable tabs can be overwhelming, but you will get used to it.
• Just learn it.
• Check your emails and announcements every day!
• Just click around and play with the site, because you'll figure it out if you utilize the tools that are given. It's fairly basic and to the point, the only issue is how each class is setup and organized.
• embrace it
• Always check the upcoming assignments area!!
• Get the app
• Install the app
• Use the calendar more. It is extremely helpful.
• get email updates
• use it, do not just get files off of it, it has many other uses like grade tracking, working ahead on assignments
• Take advantage of the notifications
• Make sure to have your notifications turned on!
• check messages everyday
• Sync the calendar and turn on email notification for Canvas!
• explore the different pages and options that canvas gives
• Use the calendar and put your own personal calendar in it.
• Utilize all the tools Canvas offers. It's a very comprehensive portal, and you can use it to do a number of tasks related to your classes.
• Set up the notifications
• You can change the name of your courses, color code them, and hide some if you want.
• Check your calendar on there every week to see what you have going on. You don't have to have a daily planner if you check the canvas calendar periodically to see when assignments are due or when exams are.
• The more you use it, the more familiar and easier it gets!
• Use the app.
• Don't hesitate to reach out to a professor and letting them know about your needs and see if there's a feature that may be better able to adhere to it. If one student has a concern, there must be more who feel the same way.
• Take advantage of the Calendar option, and the way the grade book lets you plug in theoretical assignment scores to see how they would impact your class average.
• It is a new system, and if they are used to D2L it will take time to get acquainted. However, it is far better in my opinion.
• That times are changing and Canvas can be a good thing if you give it a chance.

What is your overall impression of Canvas?

• I had a lot of hope and expectations for Canvas because it looked modern, but I was highly disappointed after using it. It needs a lot of work, and it definitely needs to simplify.
• It is the worst thing, and I'm so glad I'm graduating so that I never have to use it again.
• Canvas is fancy, but I like D2L better simply because it was easier to use.
• It's not horrible, however I do miss D2L. I can get used to canvas though, as it is not a huge change.
• I am not a big fan. I miss D2L.
• It is ok and I will get used to it, but overall it is my least favorite LMS out of the several I have used over the last decade and 3 colleges I have attended.
• not for me
• As you can probably tell from my evaluations above, I don't really like Canvas at all. It gets the job done, I suppose, but it could be much better. I heard that we had to switch to Canvas because D2L was getting too pricy to keep. What a shame. Although Canvas has a more "modern" layout, D2L was where it was at.
• It's something that works for my class purposes, and that's fine in the long run, but I prefer D2L's layout, as it feels easier to navigate and is more attractive.
• I like it how it is easy to use
• good
• It's ok. I wish we could just stay with one website and not change. Especially if we're seniors.
• Overall, I like it just fine and do not have a particularly strong opinion of it!
• I like it so far! I am indifferent as to D2L versus Canvas though.
• Seems relatively simple, but I don't see the need to change over from D2L.
• It seems to get everything I need to get accomplished handled.
• I like it a lot. It has its drawbacks but I haven't had many problems with it and I love the gradebook.
• very good
• It needs some work.
• it's not terrible but it's better than D2L
• I like it. It is well organized and fairly easy to use.
• I like it more than D2L. It has a lot more features, but I think I will like it more when I get better acquainted with it.
• Overall, I like it and I'd use it how it is now as opposed to D2L.
• I don't mind it.
• Great so far. Had a few times where it didn't work, but better than D2L.
• many similar features to d2l, but prettier and easier to navigate
• Very cute and functional overall. Like D2L but nicer UI.
• Great!
• its good
• I'm getting used to it and it's getting more easy to use.
• I think it's a good switch from D2L.
• I really enjoy it now that I have gotten used to it. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if I would like it, but it has gotten better with time.
• it's good
• It's pretty good.
• good
• I like canvas. There are things I like about it and things I don't care for. For the most part, I don't feel that it is much different than D2L but I'm very slightly partial to canvas.
• It was easier to understand than D2L.
• I like Canvas
• I like it.
• I like the design and how easy it is to maneuver.
• Overall, I like Canvas. It is an adjustment, but I believe it is going to benefit students more as they adapt.
• i like it!! I wish more professors took advantage of all of its features!
• i like it
• it is good, just needs time
• Canvas has a cleaner format than D2L. I like how Canvas is versatile and able to be manipulated to fit the needs of the student.
• Not bad
• I like it!
• I'm getting a hang of it.
• It isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be in the beginning, but I will say that it is better than D2L in the way that it is setup and functioning.
• positive one
• I really like it!
• Great step in the right direction
• Love it! Very user friendly
• I really like it and I hope that it continues to become the primary source for OU.
• I like it better than D2L and moodle
• Excellent, I love it- cant wait to use it again next semester
• I love it
• Love it!
• very good
• Much better than D2L, but still needs work. The calendar in particular is something I want to improve. And the layout needs a little more adjustment. It is very user friendly, but sometimes a little confusing.
• I like how it doesn't log off on it own even when I have it open and not using it for a long time. In D2L, there is a time limitation when you log in and is not active on the website, it log you out, and I did not really like that.
• I like it a lot!
• I like Canvas a lot. It has helped me keep organized so much better than D2L did. I use to have to write out all of my assignments in my own calendar/planner but now I can simply look at the calendar on Canvas and it even tells me what I've completed.
• I'm a big fan of Canvas. I hope we continue to use it.
• Love it
• love!
• It is a good resource that OU invested in and I'm happy with the result. (Not sure if canvas is a ou only thing or if canvas is a company that other schools are on too)
• Love it!
• Much easier to use than D2L
• I love it!
• I love it, and just wish I'd gotten to spend more time with it.
• Organized, Easy to use.
• I really like it. I am someone who truly cares about my grades so I like the option "what if" so I can figure out what grades I will make to make a certain grade.

Canvas Survey: Week 8, Fall 2016

Here are the results of my Canvas survey available during Week 8 of the Fall 2016 semester. You can see the survey here: Canvas Survey. These are from my students in two different classes, both fully online classes. Total number of students: 78. Number of responses: 75.

My use of Canvas is very minimal; they are both open (no log-in required), so you can see: Myth.MythFolklore.net and India.MythFolklore.net. I didn't offer any special instructions in how to use Canvas, although I can see I should write up notes about how to configure the notifications.

Below I have summarized the ratings in chart form, and I have listed the free responses below; see especially the advice to instructors and to students — that is very useful I think! In a separate post later this week, I'll write up my thoughts about this; I just wanted to get the raw data out for now.

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I asked the students how many of their classes were using Canvas (every student had at least one because they are in one of my classes):

I asked them to compare Canvas to D2L:

I asked them to rate the Gradebook on a scale of 1 to 4:

I asked them to rate the Calendar on a scale of 1 to 4:

I asked them to rate the Inbox/Messages on a scale of 1 to 4:

I asked them to rate the Mobile App on a scale of 1 to 4:

Here are the free response questions:

What are your favorite things about Canvas based on how it is being used in this class?

• The grade tab is really easy to use
• I really don't like it and wouldn't want to use it in the future.
• I like the calendar application because it gives me a clear view of everything that is due and when.
• I like that you can email directly from canvas. This has really come in handy. I also think the calendar is cool...it doesn't do much good for me now because I am only using one Canvas class, but I'm sure it is super helpful when you're balancing a bunch of classes all in one place. 
• I enjoy entering my own grades.
• The gradebook is always updated and very easy to view
• I like how easy it is to view my grades.
• I like the grade book feature and the simplicity of everything.
• I really like that it's easy to access on my phone. 
• Everything is readily accessible
• I think the daily announcements are very helpful, and they are good for reminding me about upcoming due dates. I also like the grades section because it lets me see the percentage of assignments I complete for each week. 
• I love that I can use it in a faster manner than d2l but I would have to see it being utilized as a supplement instead of an entire class to get the full experience. 
• I like being able to see my grades very clearly. 
• Much easier to find what you are looking for. Easy to navigate. 
• I like the new calander.
• I really enjoy the to-do list and calendar
• I like that all information can be found on Canvas!
• dashboard, customize class's widget
• I absolutely love the assignment calendar D2L's never showed up!
• The calendar of events
• the Grades portion is easy to navigate
• I really enjoy the calendar and that I can click on an assignment from the gradebook.
• Truly only the grades are being used in canvas. It's pretty simple tho. 
• I like how there is a turn-in time frame, and I like the design. 
• I like that we can get messages through Canvas 
• Easy to get notifications.
• I really like the gradebook features- checking theoretical grades
• I like that all the pages are available at any time, no tabs needed
• I like the simple interface of Canvas. I also like how the course announcements are displayed on the front page for the course. The modules are easy to use.
• I love having the checklist for what homework is due that week. I also like having the gradebook because it has your current average for the class based on percentages so you don't have to continuously keep going into an excel spreadsheet and calculating your grade that way. 
• All of your resources are found in one area (inbox, files, grades, etc.). 
• I can see my grade throughout the entire class on my own without having to contact my professor.
• I like the gradebook.
• using the calendar and the mobile app
• grades, announcements, assignment info
• The Calendar
• At the bottom, AND as a sidebar, are the upcoming assignments that are due. I just have to click on them and get to take the quiz/submit them. 
• I love the grade book and calendar.  It is extremely useful and easy to navigate.
• I think it is much easier to navigate and use. Especially with this class, I am able to see my announcements and what I need to do easily on the first page. My favorite thing is the calendar! I was able to upload it to my google calendar to help me keep track of assignments.
• I like that they are able to send you announcements that you can easily see and they give you an alert for them. I also extremely love how the grade book is and that it gives you an exact percentage of what your grade is. 
• The automatic grade totals in the grades section. 
• The modules are very easy to quickly turn in 
• I like that all of the grades a re right there and you only exactly how you are doing in the class. 
• Ease of access for the entire course at once
• I really like the calendar. It gives me an overall look at what assignments are coming up and when they are due. 
• I like that I can see all of my grade as well as project my class average based on future grades. I also love how all of the assignments are in the calendar. 
• It feels more organized when it comes to shared files.
• I like that you can have the Canvas announcements sent to your email. I also like how the layout of the different tabs; they are easy to navigate and have made it an easier transition. I also like that the grades tab shows when new grades have been posted. I know D2L had something similar, but it wasn't as defined or prominent. On Canvas it is a lot easier to tell when a grade has been posted and you don't have to constantly check it.
• It's easy to do the modules and see the grades
• I like how I can easily access that quizzes and how my grade automatically updates so quickly 
• The layout is just super nice and easy to navigate.
• Switching between classes
• User Friendly
• The Mobile app is very nice, as well how everything is organized. It makes life a lot smoother. everything has a place. Not like D2L everything had like four or five different folders you had to go through.  
• I think canvas is a lot better for online classes. Especially with the way that you use modules to mark what we have done. The app is 1000 times better than D2Ls and it is a lot more interactive. 
• I love that the modules are easy to find and don't take long to access, and that there's a "grace period" feature for turning in assignments, which this class uses.
• I like that it lists what quizzes I still need to take off to the right hand side.
• The ability to leave a comment when you submit something for grading. 
• Honestly, I like most how the class link on the Dashboard has an image compared to my other classes that are sect colors...
• The homepage
• The page dedicated to the Syllabus, which makes for quicker access, since you don't have to open a file through a system viewer.
• Since we only use canvas to complete the modules, I like how the grade book is. 
• I really enjoy how easy the grades are to navigate!
• Canvas is very easy to navigate for taking an online course. Previous online courses were sometimes difficult to find assignments and what to do. 
• The gradebook and how I can keep track of my grade easily. 
• It is so convenient to access grades and quizzes because of the To-do feature on the side bar.
• I like how quiz grades automatically update so that I can see how I am doing in the course.
• Can take quizzes from the grade page, no need to switch back and forth. Much faster
• The calendar organizing the due dates of the assignments.
• It is well organized and visually appealing 
• I like how this class has it set up! 
• I love the calendar and I love how it marks out what you have done 

If you are using Canvas in another class: what other feature(s) of Canvas are you using different from this class (discussions, chat, etc.), and what do you think of those features?

• I'm a TA for a class that uses the message feature of Canvas quite often, and I think it's a helpful way to communicate.
• This is my only class using canvas; but as a student employee I do have TA access to some other courses and I believe it is all about how the professor utilizes canvas. It can become very, very confusing for the student if the professor does not know how to organize their canvas page. Canvas gives a lot of freedom to the professor and how s/he sets it up for their students. 
• quizzes, assignment, file, conferences, discussions, people
• In my other course we have to click Next, Next and Next to get to each section. It is way to time consuming and makes what few hour assignment into three.
• We aren't using any features other than posting documents on the modules page.
• I really don't use Canvas for my Spanish class much. Only to view grades and the class calendar which is just on a file in Canvas. So we don't really use the class calendar.
• I have used discussions and it works well. 
• Not using any different features than this class
• Quizzes
• Discussion in my capstone class- good feature
• I'm using it for human anatomy and I like how organized canvas keeps all the files. 
• For my other class, the only thing that I have to do differently is upload files to Canvas, which is a pretty easy process. I really like the document preview feature. 
• My other class is Modern Physics, and our professor uses it to post the lecture slides and announcements. The announcements are nice because they get sent to my e-mail so it's easy to stay in the loop as far as office hour changes. 
• I like that I can organize the layout of my gradebook and contact people via the inbox rather than going to a separate page. 
• My professor only emails us through it and posts handouts. It isn't used near to the extent as this class. 
• All of the assignments are on canvas as opposed to another website.
• nothing really different
• dropbox
• I'm using discussions in my LIS class. They're good. It would be nice if replies were a little more indented though.
• In and IAS class we are using the discussion feature a lot more, and it is difficult to navigate. All the students post, and then we reply to any student's post that we want. The page gets incredibly long and difficult to navigate, or go back up or down to reference where I've commented on another student above or below where I am currently trying to navigate. It's overwhelming.
• The only thing that is different is that we turn out papers in through canvas. 
• I am a TA for another class, so I am on their canva account! We use it to monitor discussion posts. I think it is easy to use and to view others posts
• It is easy to manover around in Canvas. The grade book is awesome. And I like you it shows you what you have due on the side of the page. 
• The other class that I'm in that uses Canvas is strictly for discussion posts and grades for those discussion posts. 
• we're using dropbox in my other classes, and it's pretty simple.
• We are using the discussion section and I like it. 
• All of the same features are being used in my class at the moment. 
• The three classes of mine that are utilizing Canvas are all using the features pretty similarly. 
• Uh, I have used the assignment submissions and the pages/files sections.  It's a little difficult to find certain things since you never know which heading it will be under.
• I enjoy being able to email my professor through canvas
• Online homework submissions (which are easy and good) and group work.  The group work seems like it's a good system, but we haven't used it heavily yet.
• I like that you can upload from Google Drive. Uploading files in Canvas is generally easier, I ran into a ton of problems uploading to D2L in the past.
• All of the lecture power points are posted in a section separate for different assignments. 
• The only other feature of canvas that another teacher is using is the pages which links to our blog site for the class. Although it is nice to have it there, it doesn't open to the actual site so I can't post from canvas. 
• My other classes are classroom-based and don't use Canvas as much, but again, it's easy to find uploaded docs and slides in the Modules area, which is nice.
• We use the modules and file folders for reading materials.
• I really like that, in my other courses, I'm able to view "all files" that have been uploaded to the course page.  That comes in handy often. 
• There are a lot less external links, but I think that is because none of my other classes are online.
• In general, I like the integrated file viewers and the mobile app. Features like the Calendar and Collaborations sections seem useful, but most of my instructors have yet to take advantage of them.
• All of my homework for my other classes is on canvas so we have quizzes, drop box, discussion.
• Coming back to the gradebook, it allows for easier grade calculation because students can put their expected grade in to see how low or high it can be to achieve the grade they want.  My other classes mostly use the quiz and discussion board features and I haven't really noticed anything special about them; they're fine.
• I do not have any classes using the discussions. This class uses Canvas the most. 
• I have discussions in my other class. It seems somewhat easier than d2l.
• I use the discussions and messages more in my other classes.  I really like the messaging system because it's so convenient to email the professor.
• I do not like how that chat and notification icons do not go away after they are read.
• Discussions seem to be same as d2l so I'm indifferent about its other features.
• My other classes aren't using any additional features. 
• I have just used canvas for basically looking at files, and taking quizzes and both features are nice

Have you had any problems using Canvas? Please describe. How did you solve the problem?

• It is so hard to maneuver through Canvas. It's not as integrated as D2L.
• The beginning of the semester was really hard for me because I have never used it, but I am a lot more used to it now so I do not really experience any problems
• I haven't had any major issues so far. At first the layout was confusing, but after a while I got used to it. 
• No. Sometimes it is slow. 
• Yes, discussions froze for quite a while and I had to forfeit making comments for that week. Also, it messed up due dates for my other course to were for the first 2 months of class I didn't know when anything was due.
• the app didn't work. I had to delete and reinstall
• When you comment in the gradebook it doesn't notify your professor although it states that they will be notified.
• mobile app functionality
• I only had trouble figuring it out at first. 
• It was hard at first to get the hang of it! Once you learn it is easy, but at the beginning it can be kind of hard. 
• I can't read files uploaded to canvas from my ipad. I have to download them to a separate software or it will just continually reset my reading progress back to the top of the screen. It's aggravating, the only way around it is to download the paper to my note taking software or use the iBooks app
• Yeah, I did not know that you could send notifications on Canvas and missed 2 quizzes because of it. Had it been like d2l, I would have known because of the way that it is set up as well. D2L shows all of the deadlines on the main page, canvas does not. 
• Yes! It was difficult to navigate at first, but I got used to it as time went on. 
• I can never find the files i'm looking for! I just hit enough tabs until I find it, but then i have to repeat that process the next time around.
• No, it's been good.
• The only problems I've had are from the teacher's side. They might need an extra lesson or two and it wasn't in this class. 
• I get easily confused where the instructor has posted readings or documents we need to print for class on Canvas.
• No problems that I can think of... sometimes it runs a little slow, but that's it. 
• I still have NO clue how to submit a paper. Where on earth is the Canvas analogue to D2L's dropbox? None of my instructors seem to know either. Additionally, I can't get TA access to the courses I'm assigned to as tutor, which was never a problem on D2L. Could be a user error, but IT should probably send out a "how-to" to instructors before next semester, because not having full access to the course materials can really make it harder on tutors and TAs.
• I have not had any problems using Canvas, it just took me a little while to adapt to the new locations of everything. 
• Sometimes things get a little lost and I can't find them. Like a certain announcement or assignment. 
• It was confusing at first, but I have gotten the hang of it!
• Not all teachers use the same layout when uploading items so finding items is difficult sometimes. 

Are there things you do NOT like about Canvas? Is there something you miss in Canvas that was possible in D2L?

• I do not like the assignments tab. It not as clear as D2L in what is due and when.
• I don't like anything about Canvas. It's not as integrated as D2L, and it's hard to find everything in Canvas.
• Canvas is new and therefore I don't particularly like it. I was used to D2L and when I have one class using D2L, one class using Canvas, and another class using another site, it all gets very confusing and frustrating. If I could spend more time with canvas and had more classes with it, I think I would like it more.
• I like the layout of D2L's grade book better. It is much easier to see all of the grades and I like that they are separated by topic on D2L. 
• I was very used to using D2L, so I think I just need to get adjusted and I will like them about the same.
• I'm not sure if you can add pics to Canvas but I like that about d2l
• I miss the easy way that D2L was set up, discussion and notifications were instant and nothing was overly complex. Canvas seems to make things more difficult for no reason.
• just because there is a syllabus tab does not mean the professor put the syllabus there. Canvas will only be better than D2L if the professors take advantage of it.
• I feel like Canvas is a little less organized aesthetically than D2L is. On D2L, I always knew where everything was, and on Canvas it gets kind of jumbled.
• The navigation could be better. Also, it appears differently depending on how the course is set up by the professor.
• D2L send reminders when things are due. So far, I haven't be able to figure out how to do that on Canvas.
• Don't like that grades show up and you can't hide them from your homescreen.
• comfortable with D2L
• D2L has really organized categories for professors to put homework solutions, test solutions, notes, etc. whereas on canvas it's difficult to find everything sometimes.
• Nothing I can think of! I don't like how half of my classes are on D2L and the others are on Canvas it makes it hard and time consuming to check grades and assignments. 
• I would like there to be a button so that once you have scrolled all the way down in a tab that will bring you back to the top. So that if I want to save time by going to announcements to Models or something I don't have to scroll all the way of or leave the particular tab just to go right back into it again. 
• I don't like how there isn't a general "content" tab for Canvas like there was for D2L. There are so much folders and files within the modules of Canvas and it isn't as simple to navigate as D2L for me. 
• I had all my settings perfect, where when the teacher updated a grade I would get a text message and such. To be honest I havent looked to see if canvas has this option but I miss it.
• the way that all of the deadlines are posted on the main page in d2l
• D2L is more linear, which I appreciated
• The quizzes need to show how many attempts have been made on them on the quiz list.
• D2L was really easy and straightforward to use.  Canvas has a lot of features that are always available but not always necessary to the class. 
• To be able to see the class average
• I wish there was a dropbox section. Also that you can upload multiple papers. and the most recent one can cover up the first one you uploaded. 
• I'm not sure if the Files section works the way the old personal Dropbox did back with D2L, so I haven't used it much. That's the only thing I genuinely liked about D2L. I don't have any complaints about Canvas.
• I don't like the confusing structure of where documents are uploaded onto the site.
• The two platforms are very different so it is hard to compare. In my opinion, D2L was simpler to navigate and more user friendly from the student perspective. I also would like to receive confirmation emails whenever I submit an assignment or finish a quiz.
• I don't like that it constantly shows my calculated grade in a class. Due to a constant upload and continual adding of points my grade can vary greatly. I think it's fine to have the calculated option, but please don't have it glaring at me 24/7.
• See above. I don't know if anything is missing, but I don't know where to find some things!
• D2l was a little easier to navigate.
• I do not like how the emails link in with canvas. I found this to be a confusing addition and just another thing to check.
• How it sends me messages about an hour after assignments are graded, I prefer to know instantly
• I don't like that you can't batch download all the files from a course.
• In D2L it was possible to set up text alerts when my grades were updated. I REALLY miss this feature!
• I wish there was a set place each teacher had to place certain items
• There is dropbox, but none of my classes require it so I don't need it 

What advice would you give to INSTRUCTORS who are setting up a Canvas course?

• Make the assignments portion easier to navagate
• Just don't use it.
• I don't really know, since this is my first and only class with it.
• I am someone who hates change and is bad with technology so I was super stressed at the beginning of the semester when I was trying to figure it out. I would suggest having the instructor give a detailed explanation of how to find things and submit things since most students are very used to how D2L works.
• Having all the assignments available to work ahead is a nice luxury.
• Learn from Laura Gibbs! She has this Canvas thing down.
• I would just make sure you know how to use Canvas so that you can better help your students understand.
• Go all out and use the inbox systems.
• Use the Notification feature
• Keep the course as organized as possible, and try to send daily announcements if you can. Also keep the grades updated. 
• Everything Dr. Gibbs has done thus far I have enjoyed and preferred over d2l. 
• Make it as easy on the students as possible. The transition for most upper classmen has not been easy. Tell the students the cool new features they might not be aware of. The students have not had the training the professors should of had. 
• Updates can get lost easily, I like when teachers send messages to your inbox. 
• Put assignments on the calendar as soon as possible.
• Input all class events at the beginning of the semester so it's easy to see what students have coming up
• There are a lot of opportunities on Canvas and they should fully take advantage of them.
• only set up certain features that needed, don't need too many categories
• Be mindful, it's the glitch-iest thing in the world. Make it as simple as you can.
• Use every aspect of Canvas in order to really help out students. 
• Try to simplify things as much as possible. Having a lot of different moving parts in your class on Canvas can get wildly confusing and sometimes students can't find certain things.
• Use the modules page for documents so that students can see a preview before downloading.
• I haven't had any issues understanding Canvas so nothing really. Seems pretty simple.
• Use the grade book feature, it really helps see where we are at in the course. 
• Just update it regularly when there's new material.
• set a picture on the main page
• To make sure you know what you're doing before you open it up to your class because if you don't know and I don't know, its going to be a rough semester.
• Keep it simple, but don't be afraid to make it your own as well. It seems like there's a lot of freedom within Canvas setup for teachers to customize their online environment for students.
• Posting things to "Modules" and "files" gets confusing so I would only choose one to use. 
• Make sure there feedback responses (grades, announcements, files) are categorized and organized efficiently; don't split up stuff and make it hard for students to find. 
• Help the students learn it. Laura was really great at helping us learn. 
• make sure you get people to get the automatic emails sent everytime something happens on canvas
• use it rather than D2L
• Make the calendar as filled out as possible.
• Please adjust the settings of the modules to load the current week at the top. My instructor did this a few weeks into the semester for this course (MLLL-4993) and it has made a great deal of difference in getting to the modules I need quickly and efficiently. We're covering a lot of material, and I like that the material we are finished with is at the bottom of the page. 
• Make it as organized as possible! My other class is not completely organized so some readings are in random spots under the files tab.
• Show your class what areas of canvas they need to be familiar with and show them how to use it. 
• Post on the announcements often.
• Keep in mind that students are still learning and getting used to this new platform so try to make your content and assignments as easily accessible as possible. 
• make sure you have the files that you need published so that the class can actually access them.
• Include a tutorial for how you yourself set up the class, as I feel that it can be varied.
• Please have clear instructions in the assignment tab if you won't be making an announcement about the assignment.
• I think the main issue I've noticed in my classes is making sure content is being published for students to see. I don't know how it looks on the instructor's end, but I just got the impression that some seemed to think they had published something but they really hadn't. So maybe just making sure that when you publish something, check to see that it is marked published. Or you could make an announcement that something was published and if it cannot be seen to notify you. 
• Knowledge of where the assignments or pages that we need are. 
• Learn how to use it... 
• To make sure everything is nicely organized. Cause canvas already has that set up for you. 
• Utilize the calendar, make sure everything opens once you upload it, delete the sections you are not using so that we know where to find things and so we don't have to click through 20 options to find the syllabus. 
• My instructor for this class is much more familiar with various tips and tricks for Canvas than my other instructors are, and it shows. If all instructors would take the time to get to know all the features and how to apply them to their classes, I think it would be a more efficient experience for everyone.
• I'd suggest specifying in the syllabus WHERE on canvas you will post certain documents (i.e., readings, things to print, assignments etc).
• Try not to use too many folders - sometimes I can't find a file because it's filed away in multiple folders or in a different tab, etc. Also, I don't like when instructors send messages through canvass; I prefer an email or an announcement. 
• Use the modules as a week by week guide for what's going on in the class. Files can be separated by lecture, exam study guide, etc. 
• Make use of the calendar and syllabus sections. Make sure your TAs have access and your students know how to submit files.
• Do not use canvas as the sole way of contacting students. Use email for important things that need to be seen ASAP
• Please utilize the module tool for grouping content.  It makes the canvas page so much easier to navigate.
• I would say to use the calendar as much as possible so students know what is coming and what to expect. 
• Please have instructions for each individual assignment on the assignment's page itself so that it's easier to find and I don't have to search for them elsewhere.
• Try to make things simple. It would be nice if all the tabs led to the same type material.
• Organization of course material is key, and I wish it was clearer what was under each tab
• Don't set up to many side tabs to separate out the class.
• Keep it as simple as possible.
• Get together and choose where you want to put your handouts, lectures, etc 
• Try to make tabs to separate things such as assignments, powerpoint, syllabus, action center etc. 

What advice would you give to STUDENTS who are using Canvas?

• Just check it everyday 
• It's hard to learn how to use it.
• Just be patient and take time to go through and look at and learn everything.
• Don't stress too much because it really is not that bad. Take a day to just click on everything and see what all the links do/how to find your assignments. Don't wait until you need to submit something because that will make it a lot more stressful.
• Make sure to keep up with your assignments using the calendar. 
• Give it time, it will grow on you.
• Take some time to navigate it and learn all the features.
• Look at it and play around with the tools.
• Download the app.
• Explore it before the class starts so you know how to use it
• Make sure that you keep up with the assignments and check the calendar frequently. 
• Explore and mess around with it for a couple of days to get familiar with it all before classes start and you arrive confused. 
• Just have to play with it to understand it better.... but who has time to learn an entirely new system???
• Check grades frequently and always check deadlines.
• Make sure you check the calendar everyday for your assignments and due dates.
• Utilize the calendar and to-do list
• It's easy to navigate, there's multiple ways to get to the different sections.
• play around with it at first and become familiar with it in the first few week of class
• Prepare yourself, it's going to take a while to complete an assignment.
• Click everything. Find out how it works. Download the app
• Mess around with it for a while before you have to start using it in class. It's a really great tool, but can take a while to get used to.
• Contact professors directly through your email instead of the inbox on Canvas.
• Just look around and get familiar with it and it's truly not complicated. 
• Download the app and turn notifications on. It'll tell you if your teacher has sent any messages. 
• Learn to use it or get left behind.
• use the calendar
• Spend time figuring everything out
• Check your notification settings to set your preferences. You can get notified about almost anything on Canvas. Also, the grade estimation feature is pretty cool.
• Take advantage of the To Do list that pop up if you want to remember to turn in homework. 
• Keep playing with it .
• utilize the calendar
• check calendar
• Make it your homepage
• There is a total number of points feature at the bottom of the gradebook that automatically calculates your grade as you progress. It's helpful, take note of it early. (It actually took me a while to scroll to the very bottom and notice it)
• Utilize the calendar!
• Don't be afraid of changes! 
• Turn on the alerts for canvas and reminders. 
• Take advantage of the calendar. 
• Don't use it on your phone or tablet. 
• Make sure to check it frequently or set up the notifications options so that you would know. 
• Be willing to look and explore.
• Be sure to constantly be checking your announcements! They are usually full of reminders and assignment information that can be helpful. 
• You should still check it frequently as you did in D2L. It may seem like a lot of new information to learn how to navigate, but it really is quite simple so don't let it intimidate you. 
• Good luck. Don't get angry with the computer
• Use the calendar to your advantage 
• Make use of all of the features.
• Make sure you check the announcement section. Also don't mute OU Canvas emails. This is where all the teachers announcements come from. 
• It is pretty user friendly... just ask if you have a problem. 
• I didn't pay attention to the calendar feature until late in the game, so I missed out on how handy it is for quite a while. It's a good idea to take a little bit of time at the beginning of the year, before homework gets crazy, just to get familiar with all Canvas has to offer.
• Really communicate with your instructor and your classmates about how to navigate the class on Canvas. 
• Download the app, too!
• Explore a lot because professors don't know how to use it yet and are still figuring it out and may have files/documents in odd places.
• I mean, just do your thing. You're digital natives, right?
• set up the mobile alerts. 
• You can connect the canvas calendar to google calendar or the iphone/android calendar by importing the .ics file.  It's super easy and you won't forget about deadlines that way.
• Pay attention to the calendar and use what is provided to help you learn
• UI is really easy to navigate.  It's basically D2L with a different look.
• Get use to it.
• Spend a few minutes clicking around each of your classes to see what is where
• Do the tutorials
• Give it time. Sit down and find out where everything is at the beginning of the course so that you don't miss something important. 
• try playing around with it at first, and add all you stuff to the calendar

What is your overall impression of Canvas?

• It's not bad, but I preferred D2L
• It's a piece of junk.
• I'd prefer to stick with D2L or have all of my classes go to canvas at the same time. Not all of this some classes on one site some classes on another crap. It's aggravating and unnecessarily stressful. 
• I like canvas and am getting more used to it. I am thankful this is the class that I started out Canvas with because Laura is so helpful and detailed in her descriptions of where things are located. I wish we still used D2L just because I am more used to it, but I am sure next semester will go smoothly as well.
• I enjoy it!
• I like it so far, haven't had any problems with it.
• I like it. I think it's a good, useful platform.
• I have liked it.
• I enjoy using it!
• I really like it and I find it easier to use than D2L
• I think it's a step up from D2L. I feel like it's more organized and nicer to look at. 
• Great, I love it! 
• It is okay. 
• I like Canvas far more than D2L. It feels more current. I feel like I can communicate with teachers easier.
• I really like Canvas! 
• I really like it. It's very clean and good looking, plus it's easy to use
• I like it better than D2L! It seems to have more things for profs to use!
• like the appearance and the reminders on the side bar and though email
• I'm partial to certain things in Canvas (Calendar and the grading) the rest is horrifying.
• Meh. 5/7 would recommend
• Good
• I definitely understand the need for a change from D2L, but I feel like this is a lateral move rather than a great improvement.
• Maybe once the professors learn how to use it, it could be better than D2L, but currently there is not much difference.
• It works well. I don't think I've really experienced all the features yet though. 
• I like Canvas. It looks better and more modern than D2L.
• I like it a lot. Just would like the reminders of due dates. 
• It's a pretty good online education portal. One of the better one's I've used.
• good!
• I like it!
• It's good.
• It looks nice but everyone who isn't a freshman is so used to D2L that it's annoying having to go to two different websites for classes since some professors don't  use canvas. 
• It is simple and clean, which I like. However, why the panda in the loading bar? Is a panda the mascot for Canvas? 
• Pleasantly surprised
• It's pretty good.
• I like it a lot
• good
• Very good
• Love it!
• Amazing! I love Canvas and wish all of my teachers switched over this year!
• I enjoy it! I will like it even more once we fully transition to canvas! 
• Really enjoy it. Better than D2L
• I like it, but I feel like D2L was a little more simplified. But that very well could just be my impression and other students might feel differently. I'm not sure if it's the way my professors have uploaded their content or if that's just the way Canvas presents that content. 
• I wish we would have stayed with D2L because I knew everything i needed to know about D2L. I don't like having to learn a completely new software with no outstanding points that make it noticeably better than the previous software. 
• It takes some getting used to but its alright. 
• It is neither worse nor better than D2L.
• I think it is better and way more organized than D2L.
• I think it is good. 
• It feels more organized, but I can't say it's far superior than D2L.
• Overall I think Canvas works well. I don't have any complaints.
• I prefer D2L
• It is a very good one. I love the colorful layout 
• It's well laid out and effective.  I like it.
• Much better interface than D2L
• Enjoy it, frustrated that half of my classes are on canvas and the other half is on D2L though. Everyone needs to make the switch or no one should.
• I was worry about it at first, cause change scares everyone but I love canvas. I keeps me way more organized then D2L ever did. I also feel like I know where everything is. And the courses are separated from each other. Rather then in D2L they felt like they were on top of each other. 
• Great program. Just wish it was all of my classes and not half of them here and half of them on D2L... Maybe it was easy for the teachers to decide but it is very disorganized for students. 
• I genuinely love it. It's so visually clean and easy to navigate compared to D2L, packed with useful tools, and everything is easy to find. I wish all my classes this semester had switched to it.
• Way too many details and fairly confusing to navigate. 
• It's a fine replacement for D2L, I haven't had any problems with it so far, and it was very easy to figure out how to use.  
• There is a lot that you can do with Canvas which is a good feature. I also like that I, as a student, can create a course. I created a course for my Thesis research and invited my mentor and advisors. They can see my progress, add files, offer suggestions, etc. It is very convenient.
• It's good, but I was so used to D2L I'm not sure it's that much better. 
• It's nice. It would be nicer if profs made better use of it.
• it is okay... I used d2l for 4 years so the transition for my last semester to a new platform was annoying. 
• It's a nice system and I enjoy using it.
• Overall, I like the organization of Canvas and now that I am used to it, I like it much more than d2l. 
• Very sleek and pretty and convenient.
• Its okay! Neither here nor there on canvas over d2l
• Good
• Better than d2l and probably more powerful than I know how to use.
• I like it, I just miss the text alerts from D2L.
• I like the modern take!
• I love it 

Chiming in with Lisa Lane on Canvas Pedagogy

I really hope people will take a chance to read Lisa Lane's thought-provoking post about just what Canvas does and does not let you do as you build a course in there. So... #BeforeYouLMS it's important to think about your own goals as an instructor, and then see what other tools you might need to make your class really work well. Here's Lisa's post, and below is the (long) comment I left there:
The Pedagogy of Canvas.

========

Thanks for this post, Lisa! When I realized that I could not rename things inside the system, I knew this was not going to be an LMS that I would feel comfortable with. Students are already bored to death (just ask them!)... so I really disagree with a strategy that wants to make all classes look EXACTLY the same. The module page is the best example of that (like in your screenshot): every single Canvas course I have looked at is mind-numbing because there is nothing, literally nothing, you can do to a module page to make it your own. Just this week I started working on the module pages I build for my students, a different page for each week. I've redesigned the weekly module to add a randomized image, along with a new way of arranging the assignments to try to make it more streamlined and help students grasp the logic of the workflow in the class. I wrote up a blog post about that.

My goal is something very simple (a value I share with Canvas)... but also CREATIVE (as opposed to the sameness that governs Canvas's basic design and deployment). The whole purpose of my class is to help students to see themselves as writers and to see writing, any kind of writing, as being a creative form of self-expression, with words being one of the tools they can use to "be themselves" in the world. Every semester, there are students who worry about taking the class because, they say, "I am not creative." Or "I hate to write." Or even "I hate to read." Yep. And that is the result of years of schooling in which people have to set aside their creativity, not being allowed to read or write things that matter to them. When they do that long enough, they start to doubt their own creative powers. No wonder they hate to write: why write if you think you have no creative powers? And why read if everything you are told to read is boring?

But even if they have doubts about themselves as writers (at least at first), the students know that they are NOT the same as everybody else, and when they set up their blogs on the first day of class, they immediately start to customize the space: choose the colors, move things around, make their blog look "different" ... and they do that not for a grade or for points; they do it because they want the space to be their space, to reflect who they are. So, the first time I "see" the students in my online class, it is by visiting their very first blog post... and already I can see how they are building their own space online, a space that reflects their choices. Just the opposite of the total sameness that pervades Canvas. I can't imagine how it would be possible for the students to really get to know me or for me to get to know them in this monotonous space.

But then, I don't expect to use the LMS for anything other than the Gradebook. And you already read about my trials and tribulations with the Canvas Gradebook yesterday! Today I will be spending probably about 7 hours manually changing the dates in the 210 declarations that make up one of my courses; thank goodness both courses have identical declarations so I only have to do this once and can then copy the course — and apparently Canvas does understand copying courses even though it seems to be clueless about copying quiz items. I used to have to do this with D2L also, years ago (although they finally came up with a mass edit feature that spared me this torture). Anyway, this is a familiar experience and I know what to do: the whole awful business is mindless enough that I can use my brain for something else while my fingers do the work, so I'll listen to an audiobook (I just started Abbie Farwell Brown's book of Norse myths retold; free at LibriVox!), while I go click click click click to change all those dates for Fall.

And on the subject of click click click, I cannot believe how Canvas makes students go through an extra "fear" click before they go to an outside link from the sidebar navigation. Here's the alert they get (and which I cannot suppress); they ALREADY clicked on a link that I myself chose to put in the sidebar navigation. Why on earth should they have to click again? Awful.

Yesterday I learned there is an even more severe warning they get for clicking to go outside the system. I discovered this one by accident when using the student preview; I didn't get the warning in the faculty view of the same link — only students get this warning. Faculty, apparently, can be trusted to click on a link... but students cannot. That makes me wonder how many extra protection layers are in there for students that we don't even see unless we click on everything in the student preview mode. Yet another reason why I would hesitate to put any content in Canvas myself since I have so little control over the student experience of the space, with them not experiencing the same thing I do:

And about those imgur links [commenting on Lisa's post, I used imgur links since I could not embed images in a comment]: as I learned from a Canvas training last week at my school where I was enrolled a student, students cannot upload an image to the system! I had to use imgur to get images to appear in discussion board posts. I doubt students are going to want to go through that extra step... but if you want students to put images in posts, they either have to hotlink (eeek, not a good web habit) or use a service like imgur. Sigh again. Of course, I made it a point to include images in every discussion board post I wrote for the training course, just to remind people that one of the joys of the web is being able to use images. Screenshot from one of those posts: Growth Mindset Cat says "Make things happen."

Eeek, I didn't even realize how long this comment had grown. I'll go post in my blog. Thanks again for giving me a chance to vent before I plunge into the date maelstrom this morning.

The Little Boxes of the #Elemess

I've been working this summer on a demo course in our new Canvas space, using examples of live content so that I don't edit anything in Canvas; I use real tools on the real Internet — Twitter, Diigo, Pinterest, Flickr, etc. — and the content shows up automatically inside Canvas, as well as on the real Internet where I do my work and interact with people every day. You can see that course at Canvas.MythFolklore.net.

But here's the thing: it doesn't really feel like "my" course at all. Below I've listed some of the design frustrations I am feeling as an instructor not able to control the Canvas space to make it feel like my own... and just imagine what it's like for the students: they are even more straitjacketed than the instructors in terms of being able to have any sense of ownership or agency when it comes to the design of the learning space.

I cannot control the screen real estate. I only get to make my own choices in a small part of the screen space ... in a 1200x800 browser window (my usual size), 800x600 is my space: just half of the screen. Worse, it's the bottom right of the screen, so that when people scan top to down and left to right, they see the useless space that I do not control first, and only get to "my" part of the page later. Here's my little box:

As you can see, I also have to give up 1/6 of that for a navigation bar that I build manually since Canvas offers no support for content navigation in the wiki. My users can attempt to regain some space by clicking the next-to-the-left browser bar closed, but I cannot count on them doing that... and why would they? It's so annoying: you have to do that for every single page, clicking to close the bar on page after page after page. You cannot pin it closed/open. My guess is that most students just leave it open rather than clicking ... and clicking... and clicking... to close it every time they navigate to a new page.

And that's assuming, of course, that I can get students to completely skip the homepage; on that so-called homepage, less than 40% of the space is mine. It's a very little box indeed:

My attempt at a playground is surrounded by concrete, and there seems to be nothing I can do about it. With my Canvas.MythFolklore.net URL (that a redirect URL I created in my own webspace), I can at least bypass the homepage and go straight to a course page (that awful right-hand navigation only shows up on the homepage, thank goodness), but this sad-looking homepage is where my students are going to show up, finding very little of "me" there to greet them.

I cannot be fully open to the Internet. Yes, I can make the course outward-facing, fully open for anyone to view without a log-in of any kind, and that's great. But for some bizarre reason, I cannot just create navigation links that go directly to the Internet: yes, I can add new links to the left navigation (although it's tedious: I have to install a new "tool" for every single external link and likewise for every course tool I want to rename), but if that link goes to the real Internet, students must go through an additional warning click to get out. What's up with that? Does Canvas not trust me to share a link with the students that leads them to the outside Internet? Even after you click on the "Mindset Cats" link, for example, you then have to click again in order to actually get out of the Canvas box:

If a person already clicked on the Mindset Cats link, they have already made the choice to visit the URL: so open the damn link... now. You don't have to ask again. And you especially don't have to ask over and over and over again and again every time the same person clicks on that link.

I guess I should consider myself lucky that an emergency alarm does not go off when they venture outside the Canvas space...

So, I've found ways to cope with the https requirements for live content I am displaying inside Canvas (I got my Pinterest Board widgets to work, along with other fun javascripts), but I cannot find a way to stop Canvas from insisting that students be "protected" from the links (even https links) that I myself have added to the class navigation bar. 

Finally, I cannot control the overall look and feel. Don't get me wrong: I'm not a web designer, not at all. I just use themes and templates to configure my web spaces, but I do use themes and templates enthusiastically: how things look really does make a difference to me! Plus, I know it is not just me: as soon as my students start their class blogs, they start designing them to match their own interests and personalities — choosing different fonts, layouts, background images, widgets. It's wonderful! Even better: they learn from one another as the do that, seeing something that they like at another person's blog, and then figuring out how to do that same thing or something like it at their own blog.

But in Canvas (and in every other LMS I have used), there is no such process going on: everything looks the same. And the system is designed to make everything look the same: it's not a bug... it's a feature. I've tried to add a some kind of distinctive image to my "little box" on the dashboard, but all I can do (apparently?) is pick the color. There's a purple one, and a green one... sing along!

Little Boxes

Digital diversity. I know people will advance the argument that students want or need things to all look the "same" ... but I don't think that makes sense. Aren't we supposed to be encouraging students to LEARN NEW THINGS...? To develop new digital skills? To appreciate the variety and diversity of the Internet as a space for sharing and interaction? Along with human variety and diversity too (not an unrelated problem, but that's a topic for a separate post...). It's a sad commentary indeed when students can find more variety going from one university food service location to another than they will find as they go from class to class in the LMS.

I've been teaching fully online classes since 2002, using very distinctive and unusual web spaces built with a wide variety of tools, and students have never said that that they wished I used the LMS instead. Sure, they have suggestions for how I could do a better job of building the class space (and thanks to their suggestions, the class space gets better and better every year), but not once, ever, has any student ever said in a course evaluation that they would have preferred the standard LMS instead of the shifting configuration of blogs and wikis and social networking spaces that make up my class.

Of course, no post is complete without a cat! And even though I am now using this #elemess hashtag just for fun (thanks to George Station), my point here is a serious one — really! Just take a minute to read the article that inspired this particular cat: How to Spark Curiosity in Children Through Embracing Uncertainty by Linda Flanagan.

The process of discovery

is often messy and non-linear.

So, I say: bring on the mess in the LMS! Or, even better, go wild with OUCreate (our Domain of One's Own installation) where the spaces that OU faculty and staff and students can create for themselves will look wonderfully different from one another. I just hope that faculty will spend as little time investing in Canvas as possible... and as much time as they can spare in exploring the possibilities that OUCreate (and other online playgrounds) can offer, while encouraging their students to do the same.