Canvas LMS

PROS & CONS

What are the best aspects of this product?

I think Canvas is the greatest system for handling LMS projects, because it can handle all sorts of uploaded information-documents in different formats (multimedia too!). I like the fact that students qualify it as a good program, and they say it is an easy way to access and use information. As I already said, the same counts for teachers and institutions in general. The overall quality is improved by the presence of GUI drag-and-drop options for adding files, or copying contents from stored Canvas content and third sources, which means that API integrations are pretty admirable.

What aspects are problematic or could work better?

The setup is not simple at all, and the best chance you have is to hire an expert to help you go through it properly (preferably a developer familiar with CMS, ruby, html, python, and bash). Have in mind that you will need a least 32 GB available RAM and a quardcore processor (i5, i7, or Xeon), because proper installation for 50 users will drain all of your resources.

What specific problems in your company were solved by this product?

Canvas cuts the time spent on regular learning, I've never invested fewer hours in organizing great courses.The quality of our content is improved, and we're benefiting from an easy and organized UI.

Are you a current user of this product?

Yes

PROS & CONS

What are the best aspects of this product?

I work for Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN), one of the pioneer users of this cloud-based LMS system. We used to host it ourselves, but running it on cloud makes almost no difference. I can't think of a single failure, or even a bug worth to remember. We are very pleased with the quality and cost of interconnectivity and enhancements, and our users approve it too. At the beginning, I thought it was our BlackBoard disappointment that influenced this attitude, but I know other companies that are using it, and they are overwhelmed too.

What aspects are problematic or could work better?

Canvas is just perfect, I don't have anything to complain about. I admire their dev team, those guys did an excellent job.

What specific problems in your company were solved by this product?

I'm not the one to elaborate on functionality, the only thing I can say is that our clients are satisfied. We use Canvas to provide centrally-ran services, rated as the best ones by Utah's high schools and K-12. Our company is the only Internet2 connector in the area (we purchase it via I2 NET + Services/Platforms).

Are you a current user of this product?

Yes

PROS & CONS

What are the best aspects of this product?

Canvas is an entirely new level of flexibility and efficiency! Being hosted in cloud, it offers maximal reliability and minimal risk of systematic failure. I like it because of the surprisingly simple structure that allows even older teachers to become proficient in online learning. Overall, the system is lightyears ahead of all other LMSs that I know.

What aspects are problematic or could work better?

I expected more from their inbox, but it seems that nothing has changed, and we're still communicating with email accounts. Other times, transfering content from one course to another becomes so bad that I can't even change dates properly. But that's all!

What specific problems in your company were solved by this product?

I think that the biggest problem is the same as the one of conventional teaching: The teacher should discover the specific needs of the student, and tailor the program accordingly. While real-time attention in class is not always possible, Canvas leaves a lot of room to customize an approach. The other problem we solved is distant learning, we are offering it now. There is a completelty different, personalized platform for these students, and I am proud to say it is working perfectly.

Are you a current user of this product?

Yes

PROS & CONS

What are the best aspects of this product?

Former LMS users will appreciate its features, I think it really covers every aspect a good LMS should cover. The platform is flawlessly integrated with every teaching app, Digital Badges, for instance. Being a teacher, you'll appreciate the multiple courses you can create and the instruction roles you could assume, but there is an entertaining side to the process too: you'll be able to organize interesting quizzes, and to grade in an interactive way.

What aspects are problematic or could work better?

The features are there, the problem is how to find them. The workflow for creating courses is not intuitive at all, and it will happen to you too to neglect important features Canvas has to offer. What annoys me the most is that simple things are made complicated, inserting tables, for instance. The Help team doesn't seem to understand this, they are always surprised by my 'simple' questions.

What specific problems in your company were solved by this product?

We were looking for an LMS that can deal with all education processes, at least to substitute the multiple platforms we were using at the time. I agree that Canvas was a smart choice, we managed to integrate it with every platform we had. The good news is that allows parent engagement, that was not possible before.

Are you a current user of this product?

Yes

PROS & CONS

What are the best aspects of this product?

When it comes to new software, my decisions usually depend on diversity. Saying this is somehow enough to explain why I'm recommending Canvas, at least for those with a similar mindset. See, the magic of Canvas is that it provides new ways to perform old tasks, due to unlimited customization that takes part in every process. I loved being able to customize interaction, for instance, or to set up working groups. It surpassed my integration expectations, and I was pleased to discover I could use it with Turnitin (plagiarism will not be an issue even this time). Finally, I love the software my students love, and this one rates quite well in that aspect! I've seen my students collaborate productively even when they are miles away, and I wouldn't change it even if it had failed to meet my administrative needs.

What aspects are problematic or could work better?

It is hard to imagine flexibility as a bad thing, but that's not impossible. I take this school as an example: I adjust navigation to make it simpler for students, but this becomes a problem as soon as I try communicating colleagues whose approach is different. The mismatch is too time-consuming, but I am still not sure whether I'd give up on my customization freedom in order to avoid it.

What specific problems in your company were solved by this product?

Involving more students than we did in our conventional classes! I was really considering whether to use it for master programs only, but it turned out to be precious for all of my classes. To be completely honest, this was a suggestion made by my students who weren't able to travel to Logan all the time, and I feel proud to have eased their studuying.

Are you a current user of this product?

Yes