Introduction
Imagining a new Canvas (LMS)
This futurecast will present some conceptual design for parts of the current LMS, Canvas to form a new Canvas, one that is capable of embracing students as co-creators of the course content while still giving the instructors more control over the learning environment.
About the author
I'm a learning designer and educational technologist. I have extensive experience working with learning management systems for over 18 years, including 15 years with an IT team that built and maintain our in-house LMS for an university. I've also supported the university's implementation and transition to a commercial LMS, also happened to be Canvas. Then we began the journey of bending Canvas to suit our needs.
In short, I like using technology (where appropriate) to solve educational problems. This is important, as this problem solving tendency along with the current challenge for ETEC 523 lead to this futurecast.
Image: ETEC 523 homepage on my mobile phone
The story began in January 2019...
When I started this ETEC 523 course, I've noticed the way it is designed as an open educational resource that uses largely student generated content as the course content. It allows self-directed learning and for the students to interact with content created from past students, and interact with one another as a professional community of learning. The course also promotes mobility and accessibility from mobile devices as the focus, not as an afterthought.
These ideas are grounded in theories like the participatory culture (Jenkins), situated learning, community of practice as a professional network , constructionist and social constructivist. This is a very different way of teaching that should be encouraged.
But I noted that there doesn't seem to be a better solution (other than a Wordpress site) available for courses designed like ours. I went looking for solutions, of course couldn't find any, otherwise it would have been used already!
Imagining a new Canvas
So I looked at Canvas and started imagine what needs to be changed to support our course?
I am using Canvas and its mobile app as the base of the design with tweaks for 2 reasons:
- It is likely an LMS that UBC will be using for many years to come,
- I can share this futurecast with Canvas user community and eventually extract a list of "feature requests" with the hope that maybe these features will be made available n the future.
Coming up next...
The next section, we will cover some theoretical framework that inspired the new LMS.