If you’re going back into the classroom this fall after several terms of remote-only instruction, don’t abandon the LMS (i.e., the Learning Management System) just yet! LMSs like Canvas have a lot to offer for your face-to-face classes. Here are some ideas for how to enhance your F2F course using the LMS and some related online learning tools and strategies.
1. Store, organize, and share learning materials and activities.
The LMS is a great place to post not only your Syllabus, but also readings (PDF), library and web links, slides or notes from your lectures, or other files and documents. Through the LMS, it becomes much easier to connect almost anything from the web into the learning activities of your in-person course – including web sites, games, simulations, and videos. Using the Modules feature also allows you to organize and structure these materials in way that’s easy for students to find what they need, and catch up quickly after absences.
2. Support student collaboration.
The Groups and Discussions tools can be used to facilitate student group work and give students easy avenues to connect and collaborate with each other. Use the Collaborations tool to create Word, Excel, or Powerpoint files that students in your classroom can build together in real-time, and that will be stored in the cloud on OneDrive for them to access later. Or, use the Peer Review tool within Canvas to easily mix-and-match your students to share feedback on each others’ work.
3. Go paperless with your assessments.
Use the Canvas Assignments, Quizzes, and Grades tools to collect evidence of student learning, share feedback on their work, and submit grades via the Gradebook. By collecting student Assignments through Canvas, you also have access to the SpeedGrader tool and easy-to-use digital Rubrics that can be built right into Canvas.
4. Support pre- and post-lecture learning activities.
Use the LMS to design and build learning activities or formative assessments that either let students learn about a concept before they enter the classroom, or practice it for further mastery after the class is finished.
5. Gather feedback from your students.
The Quizzes tool in Canvas can also be used to administer quick surveys that collect student feedback, allowing you to make adjustments in your course as needed.
6. Take care of classroom management and ‘housekeeping’ items.
Use the Announcements and Inbox features of Canvas to communicate with your students in a timely manner, and post reminders or important news.
And more!
These are just a few ideas for how Canvas can make your F2F class better! Think of how many of your students come to class with a laptop or phone in their hand. How can you leverage those tools in the classroom, and how can the LMS facilitate?
What other ideas do you have? Contact deu.support@usask.ca for help with using online learning technologies to support your in-class students.
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