UF is considering replacing e-Learning, leaving a blank canvas for the university’s new course management system.
Canvas, the proposed replacement, is already in use for some UF business and online classes, but the school is determining whether it wants to transition all classes to the platform.
Randy Graff, a director of educational technology for UF Health, said Canvas’ simplicity and usability are its most attractive characteristics, particularly for students.
“From what I understand, [Canvas] was actually built from a student perspective,” Graff said. “With that in mind, Canvas has a leg up on Sakai.”
The system is built to work with tools like Google Docs and can notify students of class updates and announcements by text or email.
“It empowers you to receive communication the way that you want to consume it,” Graff said.
According to student and faculty feedback, the layout of Canvas is much easier to navigate, he said.
Warner Olson, a UF industrial engineering student, said he has experienced issues with e-Learning.
“I have no clue where I’m supposed to be going for certain things,” he said. “Everything is there; it’s just not easily accessible.”
Although the student feedback for Canvas has been positive, other students have differing opinions about whether a new course management system is needed.
Other students like Mel Tutar, a UF industrial engineering student, said other than e-Learning freezing sometimes, she thinks the system works fine.
If UF decides to switch to Canvas, it would take some time. Graff said in the past, transitions like this have taken about a year.
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 4/1/2014 under the headline "University mulls moving all online classes to Canvas system"]
