Understanding Canvas

For those of you who are coming to Canvas from another learning management system (LMS; such as Moodle or Blackboard), what you might notice most is the simplicity of Canvas's design. While this sometimes frustrates and limits instructors, students love it.  This, of course, is not by accident. Canvas, unlike most other LMS's, was designed from a student's perspective.

The limited customization allowed in Canvas, allows for a significant level of visual continuity from class to class. When a student logs into your Canvas course, she or he already knows where to find most of the material because the organization is similar to the other courses she or he has taken.

A good analogy is Facebook. While the specific content may vary wildly, every Facebook page looks fairly close to every other page. Take a look below at two very different Facebook pages:

 

If you've ever been on Facebook before, you know instantly where to find things. There are small variations between the two pages but, for the most part, the keyword here is continuity and that's what you want for your students: a no-fuss, easily navigable experience.