Re-Think Features that Subvert Learning

[ybakos]

We have been noticing a significant trend: students only using the Canvas calendar or task lists, as a means of engaging in their courses. In other words, students jump right into the assignment visible in the Canvas calendar, and never see a course's modules, links, pages, and so on.

I understand we can add pre-reqs to an assignment.

I understand that ultimately, this is a "people" problem.

But, Instructure has an opportunity to build tools in a way that facilitate the learning experience, enhance it, and improve student behavior and outcome. I would be curious to learn and discuss how the product team thinks about things like the Canvas calendar and task lists.

On the surface, a calendar and task list are nominal productivity and organization tools. But, somehow, when used in the way that we see students using them today, the end user (students) are subverting their own learning.

Perhaps there is a way to re-think these tools such that they coach, redirect, or somehow not subvert the student experience of a course.

[Stef_retired]

@ybakos 

Thank you for sharing this general feedback about the Canvas LMS. As the Idea Conversations forum is designed to accommodate singular specific requests for enhancements to existing features, we're not able to move this forward for broader discussion in this forum. However, we believe this is valuable information that would be an ideal topic as part of the regular discussions between your school and your Instructure Customer Success Manager (CSM). Please read through What is the feature development process for Instructure products? and How do I create a new idea conversation in the Canvas Community? for context on Idea Conversations and the feature development process.