Opinion: There is no teach without tech, a plea to professors
Canvas, the learning management system, was launched by Instructure in 2011. The program quickly took off and excelled during the coronavirus, meaning the current college student most likely came into contact with the program well before their time at university.
It appears for professors, that scenario may not be the case. The average college professor is in their mid-40s to 50s, meaning they didn’t know a Canvas-centered curriculum until a little over a decade ago. The challenges that come with the fast-paced, ever-changing technology are completely acknowledgeable and understandable. Professors and students are seeing that today with the use of AI in classrooms.
In turn, what is arguably not understandable is when an instructor, whose job is to teach, refuses to learn. Canvas has become an essential part of the college curriculum, and it is frustrating as a student when a professor does not take time to make their Canvas course digestible and usable for students.
If professors are not sure what parts of Canvas are essential for student success, let this article be the guide. Due dates and the times of due dates are essential for student success. Canvas displays everything to students in the form of dates. This is where the standard due at 11:59 p.m. came from.
When professors deviate from this traditional time, it is essential to communicate that to students, especially when the time an assignment is due is in the morning. If students have habitually come to expect things due at 11:59 p.m., sometimes seeing an assignment paired with a date is enough for them to assume it’s due that night instead of the morning.
Following when assignments are due, it is easily frustrating when professors refuse to use Canvas to turn in digital assignments. There are plenty of classes that rely on physical materials this does not apply to, but many Aggies have at least one story of having to turn in an assignment to a professor unconventionally and frustratingly, such as emailing their assignment to a non-USU email — although even a USU email is frustrating enough — through Canvas announcements or links in discussion posts.
The inconsistency of Canvas pages from professor to professor — which is surprising, considering one would expect at least departments to be uniform — also creates a constant whiplash for students. Having to memorize 4–7 different ways to use Canvas each semester is a waste of energy and easily solvable.
Not to mention, each professor has a very specific communication method dictating whether to utilize Canvas’ email function, to come to their office hours only or even to text them. Heaven forbid a student gets one of these mixed up from professor to professor and accidentally causes unnecessary frustration or worse, damage to their grade.
It is also important to think about students who need accommodations. All the aforementioned issues may only frustrate the neurotypical, able-bodied student but could be detrimental to the education of students who require academic accommodations, whether through the Disability Resource Center or the Connect, Assist, Refer, Empower, or CARE, Office.
What is astonishing to discover about this issue is USU has an office called the Center for Instructional Design and Information. One facet of this office is dedicated entirely to teaching professors how to use Canvas, so not only are they refusing to learn, they are refusing to learn even when there is a clear and direct resource for them to take the time to learn.
As students, it is increasingly difficult to respect those who teach when they refuse to learn themselves.
For students who share a similar sentiment about professors and Canvas, please share those frustrations through MyVoice, located in the MyUSU App. MyVoices go straight to USUSA, which relies heavily on the data from MyVoice to make real change.
For professors who have struggled with Canvas and seek to do better, please visit usu.edu/cidi.