What gaps still remain?"
During the 13 - 14 school year, our districted implemented the use of a LMS (learning management system) with students in grades 9-12. The product we are using is Canvas. Prior to Canvas, we had many teachers (including myself) who had a classroom website where we would post information, assignments, dates, etc. Because of the way the websites were created, it was not interactive, only used for information gathering. I believe my website was okay...It was probably the best I could do with what I had at the time.
Canvas, or many LMS products for that matter, allow two way communication. Teachers can post assignments, discusses, quizzes, podcasts, virtual meetings, etc. Students can access the course information they need to be successful in most classes.
Parents in our district have a parent portal account that links to their child's Canvas account. Parents have view only rights to their child's account... meaning they can see everything their child sees, however they do not have rights to make changes, complete assignments, test, etc. Our parents have been very pleased (once the bugs were worked out) with their capabilities in Canvas.
In addition to the student and parent availability, teachers can also grant access to other teachers to be able to view their information in Canvas. Because of this, many of our teachers are able to (very easily) share their curriculum.
I am not familiar with Canvas, but it sounds like a great tool for your district. I like how the parents can view everything that is going on in the classroom. Is it similar to Blackboard or Moodle? I'm sure that Canvas helps high school students transition into college because they will encounter programs just like it in their courses. I would have felt more comfortable in college if I had used a program just like this in high school. Do teachers use Canvas to have students complete assignments and assessments?
ReplyDeleteCanvas has a lot to offer. I checked out the link you included in your post. It definitely is a better choice than some others out there. I like that it is interactive plus allows the communication with students, parents, and other teachers. With all that Canvas has to offer, much can be accomplished with the Middle School and High School students having their own laptops throughout the year. I like that you can share your curriculum with other staff. I've shared tons on my Google Drive this past year, but I need to do more on my website. I learned alot from this post. Thanks Victoria!
ReplyDeleteI am so envious of your district using Canvas. I've watched a few YouTube videos about it, and it looks a million times better than any other LMS I've seen. I like the organization of it better than Blackboard. Have you had any teachers go completely paperless with their assignments?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the elementary will ever switch to canvas? I think that elementary parents and teachers would like as well.
ReplyDeleteI also commented on Nikki's blog about how I am interested in trying a LMS with our fourth graders. Like you said, I can only do so much with my website and while I have added a few features to make it a more collaborative space, I wish I could do much more! Do you know if Canvas can be used with younger students? And I know it cost money so I don't know how that would work. But maybe we could look in to a free LMS.
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