Episode Details

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a course management system that supports students and teachers in and out of the classroom, allowing educators to post grades information and assignments online. And, it helps parents be part of the process. On this episode of the Supercast, we explore the most frequently asked questions regarding Canvas. We share some tips for students and parents on how to avoid problems and find success with course content using Canvas.

We're here with Ross Rogers, one of our Digital Learning specialists to talk about Canvas. Ross, thanks for taking the time.

Ross Rogers:
Thank you for inviting me.

Anthony Godfrey:
Canvas is something that we all became very familiar with very quickly in the spring of 2020, when everyone was thrust into virtual learning. And since then it's continued to be a part of what most teachers use to track grades and submit assignments. Notice that I said submit assignments instead of turn in assignments, because now they can be submitted virtually. So I'd just like to talk with you about what parents should know to make the most of Canvas. I know that one thing that we talked about in a previous Supercast episode is the difference between Skyward and Canvas. So can you start by just addressing that? And then let's get into some of some of the tricks of the trade when working with Canvas.

Ross Rogers:
Okay. So there are two different software programs of district supports. Skyward is our official SIS, which is our Student Information System. And that's where all of our financials are, registration takes place, and our official grade book of the District. Canvas is an LMS or a Learning Management System. And that is a tool that we provide for teachers to put their lessons online. So basically, they can create a lesson in there. They can create quizzes. They can put all of their teaching documents up there. Put videos. post online videos where they're just live virtual office hours, that they can do to support the students in their learning. And part of Canvas, there is a grade program that isn't the official grade book, but we utilize it to sync the grades from Canvas to Skyward.

Anthony Godfrey:
So Canvas as the learning management system allows teachers to create really, generally, two types of assignments. An assignment that's automatically graded as the student submits it, a quiz or a test or something like that. Also, it allows students to submit other projects that the teacher would have to grade. What happens with projects that need to be graded by the teacher? How does that show up in Canvas? And when does it get transferred over to Skyward?

Ross Rogers:
So when an assignment comes in that the teacher actually has to physically grade, it comes into the grade book and it puts like a little paper in the gradebook column under that that says it's been submitted.

Anthony Godfrey:
So a little icon.

Ross Rogers:
Little icon.

Anthony Godfrey:
So as Friday approaches and parents are checking Canvas to be sure that their child gets weekend privileges because they turned everything in, that page icon is what they're looking for.

Ross Rogers:
Correct. That little icon. If it's a dash, that means nothing's been submitted. If there's an icon there it's been sub