丁香园AV

Ever wondered how to (re)design your course鈥檚 Canvas shell so that it enhances learning and reduces confusion? Senior math lecturer Petra Menz did.

To find the answer, she launched a Canvas redesign project for the blended and online offerings of her Math 190 course in collaboration with the people who had the most experience navigating them: her students.

鈥淪tudents may not be experts in the course material, but they are experts in what they need. Involving them in identifying problems and developing solutions was eye-opening. And we are already seeing the impacts. Now when they come to the Help Centre, their questions are about content instead of where to find things. Seeing that change has been really satisfying,鈥� says math lecturer Joanna Niezen, who was also involved with the project.

The project engaged student feedback prior, throughout and following the redesign via surveys, roundtables and interviews. In addition to Menz and Niezen, the project team included lecturer Sophie Burrill, research assistants Sheena Tan and Kailyn Pritchard and a staff member, Adam Dyck. It was funded by the Department of Math.

Menz selected Math 190 for redesign because it typically draws students from non-mathematical backgrounds who may already be struggling with math anxiety. She felt this group could most benefit from an improved online Canvas design.

What did the students have to say?

For Niezen, one of the simplest but most impactful insights was understanding how students interact with Canvas.

鈥淪tudents were complaining they couldn鈥檛 find important content, like problem solutions, and I couldn鈥檛 understand why, until they pulled out their phones. I didn鈥檛 realize that so many of them are viewing our course on their phones and when they do that, they can鈥檛 see the homepage. Like it or not, students are engaging with our courses on smaller and smaller screens, and we have to cater to that.鈥�

One of Menz鈥檚 key insights was the importance of keeping Canvas design consistent across the university.

鈥淵ou might have an idea of a different way to lay things out in your course but that can cause unnecessary challenges for students who are taking multiple courses. It鈥檚 important that instructors follow some standardized layouts so that students find what they need more easily and focus on learning the material rather than spending time searching for it. For example, by putting all the content in modules that step students through their various learning material as the term progresses, an instructor not only helps students navigate through Canvas but also to create familiarity and routines.鈥�

Menz adds that the process also revealed ways to design her Canvas shell that can better support students with learning disabilities.

鈥淥ne of the students who has autism and struggles with time management said putting a table on the homepage outlining the course timeline really helped them keep up with assignments.鈥�  

The power of student voice

For Niezen, the project was a powerful demonstration of what can be accomplished when students are invited to share their input on their learning experiences.

鈥淪tudents can really be empowered by being asked to bring their voices and perspectives into the conversation. Having the students participate in the entire process allowed them to really engage with what we were trying to do. They gave thoughtful feedback and shared great ideas. By including them in the project, I believe we made impactful changes that address student needs and create a more inclusive and effective learning environment.鈥�

If you are interested in redesigning your online or blended course, submissions to the  intake close April 3, 2023.

If you are interested in conducting an inquiry project to examine the impact of teaching interventions, such as a course redesign, contact Transforming Inquiry into Learning and Teaching at tilt@sfu.ca to book a consultation.