Information Technology Services recruited a diverse pool of 40 instructors across eight colleges who use a variety of learning management system (LMS) tools. ITS sought courses of various sizes and delivery modes to ensure that a wide range of students are exposed to the system. In all, roughly 2,500 students will use Canvas as their LMS in a course next semester.
The pilot is designed to explore the best possible teaching and learning environment for the UNL community. Canvas (by Instructure) is a cloud based learning management system that is currently used by more than 700 colleges and universities. It provides a set of tools focused on improving teaching and learning, a modern interface, and the ability to extend the platform to outside tools and systems. Some of its most notable features as identified by UNL and our Big Ten peers are:
• Speed grader for mobile grading
• Integrated peer evaluation
• Intuitive grading and assignments
• Customizable notification settings, including text messaging and social network integration
• Mobile-ready design
View a brief video of the various features of Canvas: http://go.unl.edu/ws33
If you have additional questions, please contact Jeremy Van Hof (jvanhof@unl.edu) or Sydney Brown (sbrown3@unl.edu)