Why I’m Switching to Canvas This Summer

Introduction

It’s not often that professors get to choose which LMS to use during a semester or summer. Sure, we may get to customize how we use our university’s or college’s LMS, but to select which one is rare indeed. In this post, I’ll explain my unique circumstances and why I’m switching to Canvas.

Background

Not too long ago, ASU announced that, after an extensive RFP process, it decided to abandon Blackboard for Canvas. ASU’s internal IT folks will support both LMSs for the time being. We have one hear to wean ourselves from Blackboard and adopt Canvas.

When I saw that e-mail, I had one thought: Where do I sign up?

In no particular order, here’s a list of reasons that I’m all in.

A Desire to Learn a New Learning Management System

From day one, Blackboard hasn’t exactly impressed me—and I’m hardly alone here. Specific points of frustration for me include:

its dated user interface
its lack of contemporary features
its overall clunkiness
absence of anything resembling true analytics

These are some of the cardinal reasons that I use Phil Simon.