Students trying to access course webpages this fall may find themselves being redirected to an ?unfamiliar website called Canvas.
In April, IU chose Canvas to replace OnCourse as the online component of courses, and this semester faculty members have the option to teach their courses through either Canvas or OnCourse.
So far, faculty and students using Canvas said they appreciate the features the new technology affords but acknowledge the challenges in ?making the switch.
Gosney said migration tools are being developed and will come online in the next several months to aid in the switch from OnCourse to Canvas. The transition is expected to be complete by summer 2016.
“We wanted to give people plenty of time to transition,” he said.
Gosney said the adoption of Canvas was a result of wanting to explore new learning management system technologies.
“OnCourse and the code that runs OnCourse have been in production for over a decade, which is an eternity in terms of technology,” he said.
Gosney said Canvas is more student-centric than OnCourse and presents a wider array of ?communication tools.
The IT@IU website lists about 90 features of Canvas that are not found in OnCourse, including enhanced mobile and tablet capabilities and the ability to receive notifications via social media.
Gosney said the number of courses that made the switch to OnCourse support the generally positive feedback he has received from faculty.
“The move is being received well and, just from a larger perspective, the number of schools that are utilizing Canvas is a sign of its growing popularity,” he said.
As a professor using Canvas this semester, Gosney said he is having a good experience so far.
“I’m always cautious to say it’s a better experience (than OnCourse), because OnCourse is a pretty good system,” he said. “But, I really like some of the additional notification and communication features in Canvas.”
Gosney said he is aware there will be a learning curve with the new system.
“For many faculty and students, OnCourse is the only learning management system that they have ever used,” he said. “You develop a level of familiarity and comfort.”
One faculty member having teething troubles with Canvas is long-time fine arts visiting professor Kevin Mooney, who switched over to Canvas to teach both of his courses this semester.
“There are kinks in it,” he said.
Mooney said he attempted to set up an online meeting with students through Canvas but was not able to do so even after seeking help from the University’s Canvas support team.
“I went over to Canvas support and they said I set everything up correctly, but it’s still not working,” he said. “That’s frustrating.”
Mooney added that he likes the calendar and scheduling features in Canvas and said he is sure he will adjust soon.
“Canvas does everything that OnCourse does, and it is really nice, but it takes some time to figure out,” he said.
Mooney said his students seem fine with Canvas but added that they might find it confusing to have some instructors use OnCourse and some use Canvas.
He said half of the Fundamental Photography course assistant instructors he supervises are using Canvas and the other half are using OnCourse.
“The third-year graduate students see no point switching because they won’t be here when OnCourse is no longer used,” he said.
Chris Aragon, a senior studying speech and ?hearing sciences, is one of several students who said they do not like having some courses taught on Canvas while others are still taught on OnCourse.
“It throws me off because all but one of my classes are on OnCourse, so it’s a hassle to go back and forth,” said Aragon, who is currently taking a Spanish class taught with Canvas.
Aragon conceded that Canvas is easy for him to use and said he can see the new system growing on him.
“I only have one class on Canvas, so I don’t like it so far,” he said. “But I think if all of them were switched to Canvas, then I would possibly like it better.”
