CANVAS @ NAU

Nau Adopts Canvas For Learning Management

Starting Summer of 2023, NAU will be switching the learning management system (o en called LMS) on campus from Blackboard Learn to Canvas. This means that a er May 12th, all NAU courses, including summer courses, will be held entirely within the Canvas environment.

The upcoming change to Canvas has been in the works for over 2 years now, with the final touches and metaphorical ribbon cu ing just around the corner from now. With the upcoming switch to Canvas, NAU has also prepared resources and materials for the NAU Community to get familiar with Canvas before the start of the new semester.

So why the change to our LMS system on campus? A er over 10 years of Blackboard Learn, the opportunity arose to assess and refresh the learning management system for NAU to be er suit the needs of instructors and students, which NAU opted to explore. A er a thorough selection process in 2021 with the NAU community, Canvas was chosen as the next learning management system for the university. The decision was driven by an overwhelming rating of Canvas, and was found to be the most effective solution for meeting NAU’s functional requirements, including usability and technological implementation and support.

NAU’s efforts to implement Canvas as the university’s new learning management system is a step towards progress and improving the academic experience offered by NAU, thus championing NAU’s vision and mission to empower student success and excellence. The new LMS will provide an enhanced and more efficient learning experience for students, while also improving workflows and workload for instructors.

The Lumberjack community is excited for the change, as well. It’s no secret that an institutions learning environment and approach have a profound impact on the overall student experience, with many students taking into consideration the modality of instruction and course materials as an important factor when it comes to choosing a university. On a recent Instagram post from ITS announcing the move to Canvas, one student commented “Wondering if I should transfer to NAU now that there is Canvas, Lol” this sentiment was echoed by others who le comments such as “Bless”, and “W”—Internet slang for a “win”.

Students at NAU can expect a fresh and innovative approach to their academic experience with the platform’s intuitive design, collaborative features, and flexibility. Furthermore, faculty can also reap the benefits of the platform, finding a user-friendly UI and robust tools to streamline back-end and administrative tasks. This will enable instructors to focus more time on teaching and guiding students, and less time on administrative duties. Additionally, Canvas will foster a more collaborative and supporting learning environment, allowing students and instructors to connect and collaborate more effectively. In addition to these features, a seamless mobile experience will be provided, with Canvas being integrated directly into the NAUgo application. This integration provides a new synergy to the NAUgo app, as well as the end-user experience for mobile devices.

In anticipation of Canvas’ debut for the Summer ‘23 semester, NAU has prepared a ’Passport to Canvas’ training module for all NAU students to familiarize themselves with the Canvas environment before the start of the new semester. For more information and to explore the Passport to Canvas course, you can visit ITS’ Canvas at NAU website (linked below).

For faculty looking for more information and resources from Canvas, visit Academic Affair’s LMS Transition website (also linked below).

To directly launch Canvas, visit canvas.nau.edu on your desktop device. Mobile users can launch Canvas via the NAUgo application.