I believe the switch from Moodle to Canvas is one of Pierce’s best improvements in a long time.
Anyone who has ever used Moodle in the past knows how frustrating it was when the system would constantly crash and cause students to miss a due date or prevent them from completing an online test.
Canvas is the younger and more fresh-looking system, compared to Moodle’s outdated ways. Canvas definitely improved the way courses are listed when you log in and makes it much easier to navigate when looking for assignments.
Not only is the navigation easier on Canvas, it has also enhanced the way you can communicate with your classmates and teachers. You can now see who’s in your class and if you would like to contact either your professor or classmate, they are able to list different types of contact options on their bio. The information they provide can be anything from their social media profiles to their email address.
Also, Moodle only gave students two options for assignment submissions: textbox entry or file upload. Canvas, on the other hand, expanded to include a range of selections such as Dropbox and Google docs links.
Canvas has made it easier for students by providing a user-friendly app in which you’re able to check your assignments. It includes a calendar that automatically syncs each upcoming assignment and separates each course by color making it a whole lot easier to keep up with due dates.
You can also get notifications sent directly to your phone.The mobility factor will undoubtedly come as a huge advantage to students who aren’t home a lot and might need to do their schoolwork on the go in between work shifts.
As for reliability, Canvas uses a hosting platform known as AWS, which is used by companies like Netflix. Their webhost provides the speed that each and every student needs. There are no more worries about taking a test and having Moodle randomly crash in the middle of it, then having to wait to retake it.
Given all the features that Canvas provides for students that Moodle didn’t, I believe Canvas is definitely the better choice for Pierce.
