BY JULIA SAFRIN
As the world evolves and technology progresses, society’s surroundings are constantly changing. The classroom is no exception. Classrooms have been evolving since schools first started and their latest edition is the learning management system, Canvas.
Cooper City public schools such as Embassy Creek Elementary, Pioneer Middle and Cooper City High have recently started utilizing Canvas. Teachers and students have been completing assignments through online school-purposed programs such as Google Classroom, which was in place before the transition to the much more efficient and beneficial Canvas.
Canvas is a convenient way for students to stay informed of class assignments and keep updated on upcoming tests, quizzes and projects. If a student ever forgets to write an assignment test date down, there is no need to panic. Any information can be easily posted by teachers and accessed by students on Canvas.
“[Canvas] is more efficient than when the teachers had to verbally tell us what our homework was,” junior Carla Luna said. “We never had a place to double-check what they were assigning to us [before].”
Over 200 colleges and universities utilize Canvas from areas in the U.S. all the way to Singapore.
As a precautionary method, students can set Canvas reminders, which will update students every time a teacher makes a post or comment. These reminders can be sent through text or email and depending on the student’s account preferences, the notifications can be sent daily, weekly or monthly. Parents can also get notifications to stay informed on their child’s assignments and education.
Not only does Canvas keep students in check with their classes, but also allows for communication with their teachers. Modern teens are mostly disconnected from email and Canvas serves as an alternative to students constantly checking their inboxes.
Sending messages through Canvas is an easier way to get in contact with teachers than sending an email. Canvas messages are almost as convenient as text messages and appeal more to the modern teen audience. Today’s teens and future generations will benefit down the road from learning to use Canvas in high school and before.
By learning to use Canvas before enrolling into a college, students will have an advantage and will not have to learn how to use the program during their college years.
Over 200 colleges and universities utilize Canvas from areas in the U.S. all the way to Singapore. By learning to use Canvas before enrolling into a college, students will have an advantage and will not have to learn how to use the program during their college years. The use of Canvas in elementary and secondary schools will prepare students for the future and benefit them in years to come.
Although Canvas has its many benefits, it also has its downsides. Technology can be unpredictable and unreliable at times. Canvas can have its own technical problems that can affect students in various ways. For some students, turning assignments in on paper is a better route to take than turning them in on Canvas.
“For me, the switch to Canvas came with lots of technical difficulties and made turning in assignments more stressful and confusing [until] I got the hang of it,” said junior Cassidy Sutton. “I prefer to turn in paper assignments because there have been many times where a teacher will say they didn’t receive an email or assignment from me and it creates extra stress.”
Making the transition to Canvas is beneficial for students in the long run. The program is easy to navigate and to handle.
However, an encounter with technical difficulties at some point should be expected when using any form of technology. Canvas is creates a more environmentally-friendly alternative to the traditional paper assignments.
With Canvas, teachers can assign work through the program and students can complete it there as well, just by typing and submitting- no writing on paper necessary. Typing an assignment on Canvas is not the only option one has when it comes to submitting work. Students can also write the assignment out on paper and either take a picture of their work and upload it to Canvas or, if they have the means to, they can scan their work and submit it as a PDF.
Making the transition to Canvas is beneficial for students in the long run. The program is easy to navigate and to handle. It provides a convenient way to submit assignments, contact teachers and receive notifications about most school-related events. Canvas has been a great addition to the ever-changing world of technology and it can only improve from here.
Photo by Carly Cuoco
