Tuesday, the MCCSC board discussed the new learning management system, the online software that delivers educational technology to students and faculty.
“If we can make teachers’ jobs easier, that’s what we must do,” said MCCSC Superintendent Judy DeMuth.
Each Canvas user (whether that’s a teacher or student) accesses a “dashboard” on a Web browser from a phone, tablet or computer.
From there, it’s a one-stop shop for things such as announcements, assignments, readings and grades.
Mike Watson, MCCSC’s director of eLearning Strategies, said the new system will save teachers and students time and bring the district closer to being cutting-edge with its technology.
“A system like the one you’re going to see today will help lead our kids through that depth of understanding instead of always going horizontal,” Watson said.
The Canvas integration plan follows the district’s approval to replace iPads with new HP Windows tablets with detachable keyboards in the fall.
“Eventually, these are going to be the textbooks for the kids,” Watson said.
Canvas representative Kurt Beer said close to 1,300 educational institutions use Canvas, including every Ivy League school except Princeton. Most users, he said, are in grades K-12. Indiana University recently switched their learning management system to Canvas from Oncourse.
Most MCCSC schools do not currently use a learning management system.
If the plan is accepted, DeMuth said the tablets and Canvas software would begin phasing into the hands of faculty at Bloomington high schools North and South and the Bloomington Graduation School by April and become accessible to students in the fall.
While pricing is still being negotiated, DeMuth said current estimates put the software at $7 per student.
Canvas will officially be recommended for adoption at the next board meeting on March 24.
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