Move over Moodle; there is a new learning platform in town. By now, most students at CHS should be familiar with the arrival of another education program quite similar to the familiar Google Classroom and Moodle. However, unlike the latter, Canvas’s future looks promising. After eight years of using Moodle, CUSD is switching from Moodle to Canvas because Moodle did not meet all of CHS’s educational and technological requirements. Despite being adopted by the school district only this year, Canvas is already being used CHS classrooms. CHS principal Brett O’Connor considers both views regarding the change.

“Cons of going to any new learning management system is that training must be provided to all staff members. This takes time and money,” Dr. O’Connor said.  “[The pros?] All the users will only have to learn this system. So year after year the staff and students will be familiar with Canvas and this will reduce the learning curve for the users.”

Many students may be aware of the transitioning between the two platforms, but possibly not the reason why. First, according to CHS principal Brett O’Connor, Moodle was not “iPad-compatible” because assignments could only be turned in through Moodle on a PC. This places CHS at a disadvantage because the high school has begun incorporating more iPads into classrooms. Second, Moodle was also only useful for secondary grades (grades 9-12) rather than grades K-12 since it was too advanced for elementary school students. Lastly, Moodle was an “opened-source software”. It did not provide its own private servers, and as a result, CUSD was forced to install its own servers in order to save information, a process that required additional assistance from the CUSD technical support team.

Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) built by Instructure, a modern education company that seeks to change the world with its innovative software. Canvas was created because Instructure wanted a program that was both engaging and simple to use with a layout and system that would appeal to both teachers and students. Canvas emphasizes its “openness”, which means that teachers can easily add more tools to the app to enable a wider range of learning for their students. There are more than 200 tools that are available from big learning platforms like KhanAcadamy and WordPress. Another benefit of Canvas is its reliability. Canvas is hosted by Amazon Web Services, an internet service provider that also hosts Netflix, which means better and quicker internet speed. Assignments can be turned in and processed in less than a second. The program is also entirely cloud-based which means that any information entered and turned in on Canvas will automatically be saved in the internet rather than just on the local computer. Assignments turned in through Canvas can be accessed anywhere as long as there is wifi. Moodle, on the other hand, is backed up by its own MoodleCloud.

Canvas wanted to create something more engaging and simpler to use with a layout and system that would appeal to both teachers and students. However, some individuals at CHS do not share the same enthusiasm.

“I don’t like Canvas. Yes, it’s organized but I don’t like the fact that it’s all digital. I like physically being handed assignments and having to turn it in because I’m so forgetful; it’s so important for me to be handed things,” first-time Canvas user senior Maissoun Hussein said.

The tedious process that comes with combining schoolwork and technology is the same collective reason why students wanted to avoid MyBigCampus and Moodle in the first place. Contrary to student opinions, some teachers do approve of the switch.

“It’s more robust than Moodle. You can post things like assignments, quizzes, calendars, or just posting of files,” IB teacher Robert Hoyle said. “You’re able to share lessons with other Canvas users at your school, within, or outside the district.  It allows teachers to give online assignments and tests.”

Currently at CHS, the shared hope is that Canvas will continue to better and improve  content so that it may rise above the expectations of students and faculty. There is only one thing that is certain: the contract has been signed, and the change from Moodle to Canvas as CHS’s platform is here.