Canvas will be the University’s virtual learning environment or VLE for all taught undergraduate and postgraduate modules from 1 August 2021 onwards.
Many of you may already be using Canvas for some or all of your modules as it has been rolled out in stages over the last 12 months.
If you are new to Canvas, here are 7 reasons why we think you will love the new VLE as much as we do:
- Canvas looks and feels simpler to use than VITAL
Canvas not only looks much better than VITAL but it’s much easier to use too. Plus you can personalise your Canvas dashboard, notifications and much more. - A highly-rated free mobile app
Canvas works equally well on your phone and tablet as on your computer or laptop. To download your free Canvas Student App, search for the app in the Android Play Store or the Apple Appstore. - Help whenever you need it – day or night!
All students can contact the Canvas Support Team (also sometimes known as Tier 1) 24/7, 365-days-a-year via live chat, email and phone. This expert team can answer all of your ‘how do I do this in Canvas…’ type questions, anytime of the day or night. So if you’ve got a question, make sure to get in touch. - Canvas is already fully tested and integrated with key systems and apps
By rolling Canvas out in stages we have been able to make sure it is fully tested and integrated with lots of tools such as the Library’s Online Reading Lists and Turnitin as well as Zoom, Teams and Office 365. So once you’re logged onto Canvas, you’ll be able to access everything you need within your VLE. - Fantastic search functionality
We have enhanced the search capability of Canvas to make it as quick and easy as possible to find the content you need. You can search the full text of your course content – including pages, ‘modules’, discussion boards, quizzes, URLs and assignments – using keywords, phrases, and other search terms. Plus you can filter by Relevance, Semester, and how recently content was added. - Canvas loves videos
You will be able to use Canvas Studio to record, edit and share video content (plus captions). You can also record on the go via the Canvas Student app. Plus Canvas is fully integrated with Stream, so all your lecture videos will be easily accessible in the VLE too. - More accessible content
The University wants to make its digital course content accessible to all students. That’s why Canvas is integrated with Ally, which can generate a range of alternative accessible formats for you, such as Audio, mobile-friendly HTML, ePub (a responsive e-book format), electronic braille and translated versions.
To discover more about your new VLE, why not log on to Canvas and check out the Canvas Help for Students course which includes lots of information and video tutorials.
Don’t forget, while all of your VITAL modules will be copied over into Canvas for you, you will need to download and save a few items from your VITAL modules too. Find out more via the Canvas webpages.