A Canvas Masterpiece

bobby1_williams
Community Novice
3
798

Canvas... always used by painters to create grand masterpieces. People always say,"start with a clean canvas." Or to "canvas" an area-- to look over it carefully. While neither one actually describes the Canvas LMS exactly, the way I have used Canvas in the classroom embodies each one of the uses of canvas mentioned above.

Canvas is the platform for teachers to create grand masterpieces for their classes. How does this work? Think about it, every time you start a painting, you outline the actual image, you want to make sure the structure of the image is what you want it to be. That is where the layout comes in to play. Instructors have the capability to make the Canvas LMS layout extremely simple or complex for the audience that will be using it.

After getting the layout the way you want it, then comes the outlining of images and shapes and bringing the course to life. This is the module feature that I love about Canvas. I love that I can begin by creating a module that will guide my students' learning for the week or the unit. I can add all of the materials I need them to access using pages, assignments, quizzes, and external links and apps. Once the modules are complete and everything that I need. Once all has been loaded and its done, I know that I have taken this blank Canvas, and turned it into a course masterpiece.

3 Comments
laurakgibbs
Community Champion

That metaphor of the canvas is so much fun, bobby1.williams‌! One of the Canvas gurus at my school,  @keeganlong-whee ‌, created a campus-wide training event using the metaphor of PAINTCanvas, with a beautiful graphic to go with it.

Keegan

Here's the workshop I did for the event, which is online here (I built it as a Canvas space of course):

Laura PAINTs Canvas 

Keep on masterpiece-ing!

bobby1_williams
Community Novice
Author

Thank you so much for your support! I was hoping someone else understood the Canvas metaphor, haha! I'm glad others have thought of it too. Also, thank you for sharing your link! I'm definitely going to save it and use it as a resource for myself and teachers at my school. 🙂

laurakgibbs
Community Champion

This past year was our first year with Canvas, and Keegan was a miracle-worker. Plus he shares all his materials open online, so if you start poking around, you will find lots of stuff. Check out his Camp Canvas too! Lots of fun metaphors AND useful stuff. 🙂